NBA YoungBoy & Boosie Badazz — Project 219 (Album Review)

Louisiana legends NBA YoungBoy and Boosie Bada$$ finally join forces on “Project 219,” delivering hard-hitting street tales, dynamic flows, and raw southern gangsta energy.

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. Switches

Opening an album with a track called “Switches” is diabolical.

Boosie Badazz comes out blacking out on this intro to the album, rapping with an erratic, charged-up flow that makes it sound like the thrill of gun talk is running electricity through him.

NBA YoungBoy follows with a similar cadence, but his colder, more murderous tone cuts through even sharper. He even slips in a bit of melody to ease the tension—just barely.

I like the chorus Boosie delivers here, and I appreciate the personality both artists bring. It sets the stage perfectly for the ensuing chaos.

4. Head Bussa

Man, they should’ve tossed Lil Scrappy on this track.

Does “Head Bussa” sound like the beat was cooked up on a Casio keyboard? Absolutely. Does that stop it from being hard? Not at all.

Boosie and YoungBoy tap into full animal mode here, plotting violent plays and embracing straight-up demonic energy. For real, YoungBoy snaps on his verse—riding the beat clean, blending edge with melody, switching flows, and stepping fully into head-demon territory.

And of course, Boosie slides in with a simple but catchy hook to tie it all together. I just like what this track means for the grand scheme of things (Yes, a song called “Head Bussa” is important to this album’s total package).

3. Murda Man

Ninjas had to listen to this track from under the bed.

“Murda Man” runs on a beat that sounds like it was ripped straight from the recap scene of a horror movie—the part where they reveal the main character was the ghost the whole time.

Boosie sounds like a possessed poltergeist on the hook, while NBA YoungBoy channels That Mexican OT’s Black, unhinged twin, firing off a razor-sharp flow and painting himself as a killer who gets way too creative with the craft. Boosie matches the darkness bar for bar on his verse, ready for confrontation at all costs.

More than anything, this track is just a wild, eerie, fascinating listen.

2. Ain’t A Game

Back in the day, when I heard songs like this in the club, I just knew someone was about to get hit with a flying chair.

YASSS, give me all the ratchet vibes!

On “She Want Some,” a menacing club banger that instantly paints pictures of women doing tricks on poles, NBA YoungBoy and Boosie urge the dancers to go wild—probably because they’re ready to throw money like it’s a Nigerian party.

Boosie sounds completely unchained on the hook, while NBA YoungBoy slides in like a kid equally obsessed with the strippers and ready to crash out on anyone watching him watch the strippers.

1. Desperado

What in the name of Garth Brooks’s jeans?

“Desperado” rides a beat I can easily imagine face-tatted thugs square-dancing to.

Boosie delivers a colorful hook and a verse powered by his most aggressive voice, detailing all the ways he hands out ass-whippings. NBA YoungBoy adds an extra-nasally touch to the hook, then dives into a demented verse packed with creative descriptions of sliding on folks and letting shots fly. Hearing him flow over this kind of beat is pretty wild.

SONG BY SONG RATING

1. Switches (3.5/5)*

2. Creed (3/5)

3. Head Bussas (3.5/5)

4. Ain’t A Game (3.5/5)*

5. Desperado (4/5)*

6. Murda Man (3.5/5)*

7. She Want Some (4/5)*

8. Sorry (3.5/5)

9. Shit We Ride To (3/5)

10. Hold Up (Ft. Tootie Raww) (3.5/5)

11. Have You Ever (3.5/5)

12. Dead (3.5/5)

13. Southern Smoke (3.5/5)

14. 225 Outro (3.5/5)

RGM RATING

(70%)

When you talk about Louisiana legends, NBA YoungBoy and Boosie Badazz are two names that absolutely have to be in the conversation. And with Project 219, we finally get the full-length collab fans have been waiting for. It feels overdue, but the energy on the project makes the wait worth it.

Both artists have lived through—and survived—real chaos, and they waste zero time reminding listeners of that. Gunplay, fights, paranoia, and tension are recurring themes, all delivered with an authenticity that modern-day rap often lacks. While there are moments where they detour into strip-club swagger, city pride, or straight flexing, the core of this project sits firmly in raw, unfiltered gangsta rap.

One of the most refreshing elements of the album is the production direction. Boosie pushes YoungBoy into beats that fall more in line with classic Southern rap than the grim, haunting instrumentals YoungBoy typically dominates. There’s bounce, grit, and that cold, vintage Louisiana sound woven throughout, giving the project a refreshing variety without ditching their roots.

The chemistry between the two is undeniable. Boosie’s animated, almost cartoonish delivery adds a jolt of wild energy to every track he touches. Meanwhile, YoungBoy flexes his vocal versatility, shifting from subdued grit to explosive cadence to smooth pockets like it’s nothing. He sounds hungry, creative, and locked in, offering some of his most dynamic flows in recent memory. Both artists shine, but YoungBoy especially uses this collab to prove how many different gears he has.

If there’s a real downside, it’s the audio quality on a few tracks—some sound rough, uneven, or slightly distorted, taking a bit away from the polish this project could’ve had. Still, the authenticity and rawness often overshadow those imperfections.

Overall, Project 219 is a breath of fresh air in a rap landscape filled with overly glossy, algorithm-friendly releases. YoungBoy and Boosie come through with unfiltered street raps, no fluff, no apologies, and no attempt to fit into anything but their own lane.