Rapper NBA YoungBoy is back in Utah, and his homecoming is stirring up mixed feelings in the neighborhood. Some residents are a bit on edge about the heavily armed security guards now watching over his property, while others, like one local Judy Zone, are ready to roll out the welcome mat—cookies included. It’s like a sweet tale of tension and kindness unfolding in this quiet Utah community.
The security team is hard to miss. Dressed in all black, wearing ski masks, and packing serious gear like bulletproof vests and AK-47s, they’ve got some neighbors feeling uneasy. Judy Zone had her own run-in with them while walking her dog on a public street near YoungBoy’s place.
“Two guards stopped me,”
she said.
“It introduces a level of anxiety.”
Even so, the Unified Police have confirmed that the guards have all the proper permits, meaning they’re operating within the law. Still, their presence is a big shift for a street usually filled with dog walkers and casual strolls.
But Judy Zone isn’t letting the armed entourage sour her view. She didn’t even know YoungBoy—whose real name is Kentrell—was back until recently.
“I didn’t know Kentrell was here again,”
she said with a smile.
“So, I think I’m going to bake him some cookies and bring them over. He’s a very sweet kid.”
She remembers him as polite and young at heart, even recalling a funny moment when he called her “Ma’am” during a chat. They shared a laugh after she admitted she hadn’t heard his music, and he quipped,
“I don’t recommend it.”
For Zone, it’s these little interactions that stick with her.
Her warm vibes persist despite a rough patch in the past. About a year ago, one of YoungBoy’s dogs attacked her pet, forcing her to jump in and break it up. It wasn’t a small deal, but Zone’s choosing to let it go.
“I’m focusing on the positive,”
she said. Her plan to drop off a batch of homemade cookies shows she’s more about building bridges than holding grudges.
YoungBoy’s return comes after a wild legal ride. Last year, he faced 63 charges in Utah tied to prescription drug fraud and firearms offenses, plus a federal gun case that kept him in the headlines. Released on March 24, 2025, he’s now on five years of probation, with strict rules like regular drug tests and mental health check-ins. The beefed-up security around his home is a nod to his high-profile life and past troubles, but it’s clear not everyone sees him through that lens.
For Zone, it’s simpler than that.
“He’s really young, very kind,”
She said in a recent interview. She sees a guy trying to settle back into life, not just a rapper with a rap sheet. Her cookie gesture might be the sweetest welcome YoungBoy gets as he kicks off this new chapter in Utah, proving that even with armed guards and old dog drama, a little neighborly kindness can go a long way.
