YBN

YBN was a hip-hop collective that emerged from the internet, built on friendships forged in online gaming lobbies and Twitter threads. Nick Simmons, a teenager from Birmingham, Alabama, started posting rap videos on YouTube under the name YBN Nahmir. His breakout single Rubbin Off the Paint dropped in 2017 and quickly went viral, racking up millions of views. That success drew other young rappers into his orbit, including Cordae Dunston from Maryland and Jay Bradley from Texas. Together they formed YBN, an acronym that originally stood for Young Boss Niggas but was later softened to Young Bosses Only.

The collective never had a formal structure or a record deal as a group. Each member signed with their own label: Nahmir and Cordae with Atlantic Records, Almighty Jay with Empire Distribution. Still, they operated as a unit, releasing music under the YBN banner and building a shared fanbase. Their only group project, YBN: The Mixtape, arrived in September 2018. It featured appearances from Gucci Mane, Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown, Machine Gun Kelly, and Lil Skies. The mixtape peaked at number 55 on the Billboard 200 and helped solidify their place in the SoundCloud rap wave.

By 2020, the collective had drifted apart. Cordae announced he was leaving to focus on his solo career, dropping the YBN from his name. Nahmir and Almighty Jay also continued as solo artists. The dissolution was amicable, with members citing natural creative evolution. YBN's run was brief, but it captured a specific moment when the internet was reshaping how hip-hop collectives formed and found audiences.[edit]

YBN started not in a studio but on Xbox Live. Nick Simmons, then a high schooler in Birmingham, spent hours playing Grand Theft Auto Online and talking with other teenage gamers. One of those online friends was Cordae Dunston, who lived in Suitland, Maryland. They bonded over music and started sharing rough tracks. Simmons had been rapping since middle school, posting videos on YouTube under the name YBN Nahmir. In 2017, his song Rubbin Off the Paint blew up, amassing over 100 million views on YouTube. That viral moment turned Nahmir into a name in the underground rap scene.

He used that momentum to bring in other rappers he had met online. Almighty Jay, from Dallas, Texas, had his own buzz with songs like Choosin. YBN Fetish, a producer from Sweden, joined after connecting with Nahmir on Twitter. The collective expanded to include Jayy, Glizzy, and Dee, mostly friends from the gaming community. There were no auditions or formal tryouts. If you were part of the circle and could rap, you were in. The group's chemistry came from shared humor, internet culture, and a DIY approach to music. They promoted each other's songs, appeared in each other's videos, and built a brand that felt organic to their young, online audience.[edit]

YBN's sound was rooted in trap music, with heavy 808s, crisp hi-hats, and melodies that leaned into pop-rap territory. Nahmir's delivery was aggressive and punchy, while Cordae brought a more lyrical, storytelling approach. Almighty Jay favored catchy, repetitive hooks. The production, often handled by outside producers, was polished but still carried the raw energy of SoundCloud rap. Lyrically, the group focused on money, fame, and the struggles of growing up in tough environments, but they also injected humor and internet references. Their only mixtape, YBN: The Mixtape, showcased this blend: hard-hitting tracks like Baby alongside more melodic cuts like Marmalade Sky.[edit]

YBN represented a new model for hip-hop collectives in the late 2010s: born online, fueled by viral moments, and operating without a major label pulling the strings. They proved that artists could build a fanbase through YouTube, Twitter, and gaming platforms, bypassing traditional gatekeepers. The group's dissolution in 2020 also highlighted the limits of the collective model. As members grew artistically, they needed to step out on their own. Cordae's transition to a Grammy-nominated solo career showed that the collective could serve as a launching pad. YBN's legacy is tied to the internet-era rap wave that also produced groups like BROCKHAMPTON and the ASAP Mob, though YBN's run was shorter and less commercially dominant.[edit]

YBN never had an official fandom name, lightstick, or fan color. Their fanbase was loose and decentralized, following individual members more than the collective. Fans connected through YouTube comments, Twitter threads, and Discord servers. A notable fan moment came with the release of YBN: The Mixtape, when fans organized listening parties and trended hashtags on Twitter. The group's inside jokes and gaming references created a sense of community among followers who felt like they were part of something exclusive.[edit]

The acronym YBN originally stood for Young Boss Niggas, but the group later used Young Bosses Only for public appearances. The collective was formed largely through Grand Theft Auto Online and Twitter. Nahmir and Cordae met through a mutual friend on Xbox Live. Their only mixtape featured guest spots from Gucci Mane, Wiz Khalifa, and Chris Brown, a reflection of their rapid internet-fueled rise. Cordae's departure in 2020 marked the effective end of the group.[edit]