Bow Wow Gives Soulja Boy His Flowers: "Definitely Changed The Game In Hip Hop"

BY Erika Marie 14.9K Views
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Soulja Boy, Bow Wow, Drake, Hollywood Unlocked
After receiving praise from Drake, Bow Wow made sure to honor Soulja's impact on Hip Hop.

It undeniable that Soulja Boy has deeply influenced Rap culture, and all he wants is to be appreciated for his contribution. In recent months, Soulja Boy has taken to social media to remind the world that when it comes to many of the waves that we've enjoyed in Rap, he was the first—or one of the firsts—to do them. Early in his career, Soulja managed to navigate social media unlike any other artist as he created viral moments that helped launch him into popularity. Recently, Drake gave Bow Wow his flowers and praise, causing Soulja Boy to call out the OVO icon.

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Although Soulja took aim at Drake, Hollywood Unlocked wanted to know if Bow Wow took it as a diss to his legacy. Bow and Soulja are friends, so Bow Wow didn't interpret Souja's comments as disrespectful. "If it was like that he could've called me. We talk. It's nothing for him to call me," said Bow. "You know how I looked at it? I looked at it like, the sh*t that I've been wanting and fighting for so long for me, for cats to start playing with my legacy and my name, it's finally happening without me really having to ask for it."

"I just felt that Soulja wants his flowers," Bow Wow continued. "The same way how I'm getting mine now, I feel like—you saw me with Drizzy and he said what he said... It's just a feeling that you want but you don't really have to go ask for it. I never asked for it. I wanted it, bad, like stop playing with me. That's how I felt behind closed doors."

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Bow praised Soulja Boy and said he "Definitely changed the game in Hip Hop" in various ways. "From a viral level, from social media, from YouTube," said the rapper. He spoke about how Soulja influenced the culture to the point that people emulated what he did and shifted the way social media was used by artists.

"Soulja, he created that lane. He was the first big digital internet sensation that we saw," Bow added. Check out the clip of Bow Wow on Hollywood Unlocked and let us know if you think he's speaking the truth.

Also, make sure to check out our article How Bow Wow Paved The Way For Drake's Career.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.