[Thought Experiment] How I’d Get YBN Namir Lit Again (& Coi Leray)

What’s poppin y’all,

This thought has been on my mind since my last newsletter about Soul Train 2: How would I get YBN Nahmir back in the game?

Namir is in an interesting position. He’s been independent for a while, unlike Coi Leray, who’s signed to Epic Records. The key advantage he has? People already know who he is. And once you have name recognition, it’s much easier to get in front of an audience again—as long as they don’t think you’ve fallen off for good.

I actually think reviving Nahmir’s career would be easier than reviving Coi Leray’s fan engagement. Coi has a personality, but she’s not deeply tied into streaming culture the way Namir is. That’s a huge advantage because streaming culture is shaping modern music consumption.

Take Playboi Carti. Streamers love Carti. There’s a reason why Kai Cenat was up on national TV during the Grammys begging for new Carti music—not just because he loves the music, but because his audience is directly tied to it. Namir can do the same.

He’s already streamed before and still has enough of a name to tap into the streaming scene. If he got in the booth with PlaqueboyMax and dropped a banger, that alone could spark a revival. A lot of people who watched him back in the day were kids when ‘Rubbin’ Off the Paint’ dropped, and they’d tune in just off nostalgia. But of course, it still comes down to good music.

From what I’ve seen, Nahmir has been locked in the studio for the past 6-12 months, which is a good sign. But before that? It seemed like he wasn’t recording for two years. That needs to change if he wants to be taken seriously again.

If I were working with Namir, here’s what I’d do:

• Get him on Zias & B. Lou’s channel to chop it up and tell his story.

• Talk about things people don’t know. He has a daughter, but barely anyone knows. That’s a real-life angle that makes him more relatable.

• Avoid major platforms like Akademiks—his audience is just going to clown him. Not saying Ak himself would hate, but that’s not where Nahmir should be right now.

• Rebuild bridges. He needs to get back cool with AnnoyingTV (assuming their issues aren’t resolved yet).

• Drop more music and document the process. Look at how Tory Lanez used to do full IG Live sessions recording mixtapes. Nahmir should take that approach—live-stream his sessions, show he’s locked in, and make it clear he’s a rapper first.

Streamers would eat that up, and Namir already has a good relationship with hip-hop accounts—so once he gets momentum, people will start posting him again. Hell, I posted Soul Train 2 before anyone else, and I didn’t get paid or asked to do it. I just figured, if I’ve talked about him enough, might as well support when he does something new.

Do I think he’ll ever get to where he was in 2018? No, but that’s not the aim here.

Now, Coi Leray is a different case. She’s on a major label, and the people behind her have resources to keep her afloat. She was on a movie soundtrack last year, and those industry plays keep her singles alive even if her organic fan engagement isn’t strong.

I still need to break down the difference between an ‘awareness base’ and a ‘fan base.’ I’m stamping this term now—awareness base. Coi has a massive awareness base—everyone knows her—but her fan base isn’t as deep. Nahmir, on the other hand, is in a do-or-die situation because labels aren’t throwing deals at him anymore. He has to make this happen himself.

Let me know—do you think Nahmir can make a comeback? Hit reply and tell me your thoughts.

Until next time,
- HY

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