Realer is the eleventh solo mixtape by American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again, released on December 20, 2018, through Never Broke Again, Artist Partner Group, and Atlantic Records.[1] It features guest appearances from Lil Baby and Plies, alongside production from Ben Billions, DJ Swift, DrellOnTheTrack, Dubba-AA, Eliot Bohr, PlayboyXO, Vintage Rippah, and several other producers.[2] The mixtape serves as a follow-up to Gaulden's compilation album, 4Respect 4Freedom 4Loyalty 4WhatImportant, released in September of the same year. It also marks Gaulden's fifth release of the year.[3]

Realer
Mixtape by
ReleasedDecember 20, 2018
Length33:23
Label
Producer
  • Bans
  • Beatmonster Marc
  • Ben Billions
  • Brett Bailey
  • CashFlowBeatz
  • David Mescon
  • DJ Swift
  • DrellOnTheTrack
  • Dubba-AA
  • Durdy Costello
  • Eliot Bohr
  • India Got Them Beats
  • MarcussMuzik
  • Mook On The Beats
  • NeilOnDaTrack
  • PlayboyXO
  • Vintage Rippah
YoungBoy Never Broke Again chronology
4Respect 4Freedom 4Loyalty 4WhatImportant
(2018)
Realer
(2018)
AI YoungBoy 2
(2019)
Singles from Realer
  1. "Valuable Pain"
    Released: December 10, 2018

Background and release

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On October 28, 2018, Gaulden teased the release of 38 Baby 2 (2020), the sequel of his breakthrough mixtape, 38 Baby, by sharing the mixtape's initial artwork on his Instagram.[4] On October 30, 2018, Gaulden released the non-album single, "Not Wrong Now".[5] On November 3, Gaulden released the song "Blasian", which failed to appear on the mixtape.[6] On November 12, Gaulden released the official music video for the mixtape's eleventh cut, "Dope Lamp", exclusively to his YouTube channel.[7] This was followed by the release of the non-album single, "Hypnotized" on November 15.[8] On December 10, Gaulden officially released the mixtape's lead single, "Valuable Pain", alongside announcing the release of the project.[9] Upon the release of the mixtape, Gaulden released the official music video for the album's outro, "I Came Thru".[10]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [11]

Realer received mixed reviews from music critics. Writing for AllMusic, Paul Simpson wrote that the mixtape "showcases YoungBoy's uncompromising street narratives as well as his melodic sensibility".[11]

Commercial Performance

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Realer debuted at number fifteen on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 42,000 album-equivalent units (including 3,000 pure album sales) in its first week.[12] The album also accumulated a total of 55.97 million on-demand streams of the album's 12 tracks.[12]

Track listing

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Realer track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Survivor"
India Got Them Beats3:00
2."Slime Belief"
  • Gaulden
  • Marcus Marsh
  • Eliot Bohr
  • Beatmonster Marc
  • Eliot Bohr
3:13
3."Play Wit Us"
  • Gaulden
  • Eliot Guillory II
Vintage Rippah3:11
4."Big Talk"
  • Gaulden
  • Guillory II
Vintage Rippah2:46
5."Thug Nigga Life"
  • Gaulden
  • Justin Allison
Durdy Costello1:52
6."Valuable Pain"
  • Gaulden
  • CashFlowBeatz
  • Kendrell Mattox
  • CashFlowBeatz
  • DrellOnTheTrack
2:49
7."My Mama Say"
  • Gaulden
  • Jarrian Thompson
PlayboyXO2:16
8."38 Heights"
  • Gaulden
  • Benjamin Diehl
  • Brett Bailey
  • David Mescon
  • Ben Billions
  • Brett Bailey
  • David Mescon
2:41
9."Beam Effect"
  • Gaulden
  • Aaron Lockhart Jr.
  • Damion Williams
  • DJ Swift
  • Dubba-AA
2:15
10."Cross Me" (featuring Lil Baby and Plies)
  • Bans
  • Mook On The Beats
3:54
11."Dope Lamp"
  • Gaulden
  • Neil Harrison
NeilOnDaTrack2:45
12."I Came Thru"
  • Gaulden
  • Marcus Gotch, Jr.
MarcussMuzik2:41
Total length:33:23

Charts

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Weekly chart performance for Realer
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] 168
US Billboard 200[14] 15
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] 11

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[16] Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ivey, Justin (December 20, 2018). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Drops "Realer" Mixtape". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Montes, Patrick (December 23, 2018). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Recruits Lil Baby & Plies for New Realer Project". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  3. ^ A., Aron (December 20, 2018). "Youngboy Never Broke Again Releases Realer Ft. Lil Baby & Plies". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Coleman II, C. Vernon (October 28, 2018). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Teases 38 Baby 2 Mixtape". XXL. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Jahmal, Karlton (October 31, 2018). "NBA Youngboy Blesses Fans With New Single "Not Wrong Now"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  6. ^ P., Milca (November 3, 2018). "NBA YoungBoy Issues New Song "Blasian"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  7. ^ A., Aron (November 12, 2018). "Youngboy Never Broke Again Drops "Dope Lamp"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  8. ^ Zidel, Alex (November 16, 2018). "NBA YoungBoy Releases Another New Track With "Hypnotized"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  9. ^ A., Aron (December 10, 2018). "Youngboy Never Broke Again Is Back With "Valuable Pain"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  10. ^ A., Aron (December 21, 2018). "Youngboy Never Broke Again Grabs The Gang For "I Came Thru" Music Video". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Simpson, Paul. "Realer Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Eustice, Kyle (December 31, 2018). "Hip Hop Album Sales: 21 Savage Takes Billboard 200 Crown With I Am > I Was". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – 21 Savage – Realer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  14. ^ "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  15. ^ "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "American album certifications – Youngboy Never Broke Again – Realer". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 29, 2024.