YoungBoy Never Broke Again is aiming to snare his second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, according to industry forecasters. Prognosticators suggest his new release, 38 Baby 2, could launch with around 70,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending April 30. The album was released on April 24 via Never Broke Again/Atlantic Records.
The rapper topped the chart in 2019 with AI YoungBoy 2, which debuted atop the list dated Oct. 26 with 110,000 units earned in its first week, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. He then released Still Flexin, Still Steppin in February, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the March 7-dated list (91,000 units). The prolific artist has so far charted 13 albums on the Billboard 200 since his debut on the tally in August of 2017.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the May 9-dated Billboard 200 chart (where 38 Baby 2 may debut at No. 1) is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard’s website on Sunday, May 3.
38 Baby 2 has relatively little competition for No. 1 next week, as no other new releases are tracking to bow in the top 10. The album should finish ahead of current champ DaBaby’s Blame It On Baby, The Weeknd’s After Hours and Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake — as none of those titles are expected to battle 38 Baby 2 for the top slot.
That said, there were albums originally slated for release on April 24 that likely would have arrived in the top 10 alongside 38 Baby 2. Luke Bryan’s Born Here Live Here Die Here and Haim’s Women In Music Pt. III were both scheduled to drop on April 24. The former certainly would have had a solid chance at a chart-topping bow based on the country king’s track record of 10 previous top 10s and four No. 1s. Bryan’s set has been pushed back to Aug. 7, while Haim’s album is set for Aug. 21.