Soulja Boy's decision to title his debut album SouljaBoyTellEm.com mirrored the brazen Finga Lickin advertisement on the cover of DJ Khaled's I Changed A Lot eight years later. Indeed, Soulja Boy was an early iteration of Snapchat God-era Khaled, a divisive marketing genius and the first rap artist to harness the full potential of the internet to promote his brand.
Soulja debut single "Crank That" had the streets on fire upon impact, and though he never built a successful stable of artists out of his Stacks on Deck Entertainment (SODMG) label, his innovative approach in the late aughts made an indelible mark on the rap game.
Click through the gallery to revisit Soulja's successful run from 2007 to 2010.
"Crank That (Soulja Boy)"
When I think back to high school, my mind invariably wanders to high school assemblies, and how the steel drum introduction "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was enough to get the entire crowd worked up into a frenzy in anticipation of the dancing that was soon to come. Soulja's debut single spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He was 16 years old.
"Soulja Girl" feat. i15
"Soulja Girl" is an example of Soulja Boy incorporated the word "Soulja" into every facet of his musical world, from the clothes he wore to his lyrics to his pet names for his love interests. In typical Soulja fashion, this particular music video romance is conducted entirely online.
"Yahhh!" feat. Arab
"Yahhh" is an uncomplicated song that but can easily be distilled into a single message: "Yah, trick, yah!!" The music video is little more than Soulja Boy's take on Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Please pay close attention to his laugh at 0:35-0:37.
"Donk"
Similar to the Muslim call to prayer that blares forth from the minaret five times a today, "Donk" is a call to the dance floor that is difficult to resist. It has aged well, and it still has a small place in today's ass-shaking economy.
"Bird Walk"
The title of Soulja Boy's 2008 sophomore album iSouljaBoyTellEm indicates the rapper's willingness/desire to self-commodify. He chose "Bird Walk" as the album's lead single. Judging from the athleticism displayed in the music video, he is definitely going to lose to Chris Brown.
"Kiss Me Thru The Phone" feat. Sammie
"Kiss Me Thru the Phone" peaked at #3 on the charts and is Soulja Boy's second-most successful song ever after "Crank That." The hook doubles Sammie's soaring melody with a cotton candy synth line, a sort of pseudo-autotune effect that would sound like a natural fit in 2017 if only it could be divorced with the song's associated memories.
"Turn My Swag On"
Some days (most days) result in Ls. But there's cause for hope: tomorrow is a new day. "Turn My Swag On" provides an invigorating reminder to wake up each day determined to not take an L.
"Gucci Bandanna" ft. Gucci Mane & Shawty Lo
Shawty Lo, Gucci Mane, and Soulja Boy represented three paths to Atlanta rap stardom in 2008, and even three different eras: Shawty was nearly twice Soulja's age at the time. But that doesn't stop them from uniting in the name of designer apparel and butterfly doors.
"Speakers Go Hammer"
An underrated song from the Soulja catalogue, "Speakers Go Hammer" is a reputable fuck-you anthem that finds our hero with upgrading his rapping chops without sacrificing his knack for mindless, catchy hooks.
"Pretty Boy Swag"
Soulja Boy's third studio album The DeAndre Way came out a few months after Pretty Boy Millionaires, his tape with Lil B. "Pretty Boy Swag" was the album's most popular song, and certainly carried a whiff of the Based God. Although his apparent need to qualify his claim "I feel sexy" with a "no homo" demonstrates the difference between the two artists: Soulja was never free like Lil B.
