NBA YoungBoy and DJ Khaled join forces for the “Deshawn” mixtape, reuniting YoungBoy with Kevin Gates and hinting at a return to his relentless release schedule.

NBA YoungBoy is keeping his foot firmly on the gas in 2025. Just a few days after releasing MASA (Make America Slime Again) — a 30-track project that debuted in the Billboard Top 10 with over 50k units sold — the Baton Rouge rapper is already back with a new offering. This time, he’s teaming up with DJ Khaled for the mixtape Deshawn, set to drop Tuesday.

One of the most surprising aspects of Deshawn is the reunion between NBA YoungBoy and Kevin Gates. The two had a public falling-out years ago, but this project marks a notable reconciliation, with Gates appearing as a featured artist. The reunion won’t be a one-off either — YoungBoy is also confirmed to appear on Gates’s upcoming album Luca Brasi 4, which releases August 13, just a day after Deshawn.

DJ Khaled’s involvement adds another layer of intrigue. While Khaled has made his name on collaborative albums and anthemic singles, he hasn’t hosted a mixtape in years. His participation here feels reminiscent of when he hosted Sean Kingston’s Goodtalk Vol. 2 — a rarity in recent memory. The pairing suggests a deliberate push to give Deshawn both a wider audience and a stamp of industry prestige.

Hip-hop has been hotter than Phoenix these past few weeks.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.