TIA: Ever since his first viral videos took over the Internet, Soulja Boy has been an
influential figure in hip-hop.
TIA: With the release of his debut album Souljaboytellem.com in 2007,
Soulja Boy helped create the blueprint for a whole generation of rappers
both in terms of his DIY sound and his Internet presence.
SOULJA: I was livestreaming and doing all this ten years ago, and now y’all wanna
make money off YouTube and I was being shunned upon and laughed at.
TIA: Soulja Boy’s early music started getting popular on sites like Soundclick and MySpace,
but it was LimeWire that really helped him make “Crank That” his breakout hit.
SOULJA: Then they’ll go they’ll download that song for free like I’m finna get 50 Cent "In Da Club,"
they hit download they hit play, it go YOUUUU they like what the fuck is this?
but then by probably like a minute in they like damn this shit hard!
TIA: And it worked.
TIA: In September 2007, “Crank That” peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
and stayed there for almost two months.
TIA: As “Crank That’s” popularity grew, so did its streams.
In early 2008, the song broke the record at the time for the most digital downloads.
TIA: And the track was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Song.
TIA: Soulja Boy’s tactics definitely got him some attention.
Shortly after Soulja Boy blew up, we started seeing rappers like the Bay Area’s Lil B
take command of his own online audience, and today we see that kind of thing all the time.
6IX9INE: What really people gravitate to is Tekashi 6ix9ine the person.
Tekashi 6ix9ine the fictional character.
Looking at the videos and making up whatever the fuck you wanna make up in your head.
TIA: In an interview in Dec. 2018, industry insiders behind acts like Lil Pump detailed
what they call “The Pump Plan” to help rappers get attention online and go viral, saying they use quote:
Meaning that they stage drama online.
But Soulja Boy maintains that he was the first to really figure out how to blow up online,
and then use it to spark a music career.
COLLIPARK: Those kids didn’t need the radio stations or the DJs in the clubs they use
the Internet to go straight to each other.
INTERVIEWER: Soulja Boy’s a pioneer.
COLLIPARK: He is!
TIA: Part of what made Soulja Boy an instant topic of conversation was his sound,
both in terms of his flow and his DIY instrumentals.
SOULJA: I did “Crank That,” right?
On this program called Fruity Loops.
Probably took me like ten minutes to make it.
And everybody know I made like $10 million.
TIA: And Big Draco’s homemade style on FL Studio even influenced other producers,
like Metro Boomin, who Genius crowned producer of the year in 2017.
In an interview, Metro said quote:
TIA: Tracks like his self-produced club anthem “Donk” with its energetic claps lent itself
as the beat behind classics like Nicki Minaj’s 2009 cut “Itty Bitty Piggy.”
TIA: And in recent news, Soulja Boy’s sonic influence has become the topic of conversation,
after he claimed in January 2019 that Drake stole his flow on the 2010 track, “Miss Me."
SOULJA: DRAAAAAKE?! THAT’S SOULJA.
THAT’S MY BAR. HE COPIED MY WHOLE FUCKIN’ FLOW.
TIA: Just a few days later, Soulja Boy took to Twitter to accuse Ariana Grande of using
his flow on her recent track, “7 rings.”
TIA: And it’s not just his flows.
TIA: A number of phrases he first popularized have also found a permanent place in the culture.
Like his 2008 cut, “Turn My Swag On.”
TIA: His dance moves don’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon, either.
TIA: And his reach has even made it around the world.
TIA: A number of rappers have shared their support for the southern MC and his contributions.
TIA: Everyone from seasoned MCs like Juicy J and Meek Mill have said something about
Soulja Boy.
TIA: And the younger generation of rappers like Houston’s Tay-K have had a lot to say, too.
INTERVIEWER: What’s one artist that you would fuck with immediately?
TAY K: Haha Soulja Boy.
INTERVIEWER: Soulja Boy?
TAY K: Yeah, he my favorite rapper, on the set.
TIA: While it’s been more than a decade since Soulja Boy first took over the Internet,
he’s still more than happy to let you know all about his impact.
SOULJA: Now this is what everybody is glorifying is making money off social media what I created
and started?
Y’all gotta stop playing with me.
TIA: I’m Tia with Genius News bringing you the meaning and the knowledge behind the music.
SOULJA: Making my way downtown, walking fast, I don’t know the rest of!