Soulja Boy

DeAndre Cortez Way, known professionally as Soulja Boy, was born on July 28, 1990, in Chicago, Illinois. He later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age six, where he developed an interest in rap music. The family then moved to Batesville, Mississippi, when he was 14, where his father provided a recording studio to support his musical aspirations. In early 2005, he began actively posting on online platforms like Newgrounds and SoundClick, eventually establishing a presence on YouTube and MySpace. In March 2007, he independently released his album, “Unsigned and Still Major: Da Album Before Da Album.”

Later in March 2007, Soulja Boy recorded and released “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” This song quickly gained traction through a low-budget video demonstrating its accompanying dance. By the end of May of the same year, the track received its first radio airplay, leading to a recording contract with Collipark Music, which subsequently partnered with Interscope Records. On August 12, “Crank That” was featured in the television series “Entourage,” and by September 1, it topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven non-consecutive weeks, marking a significant milestone. His major label debut album, “Souljaboytellem.com,” released on October 2, 2007, peaked at number four on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album was reportedly recorded using a demo version of FL Studio. The song “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Song at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Building on this success, his second album, “iSouljaBoyTellem,” released in 2008, featured top 20 singles “Turn My Swag On” and “Kiss Me thru the Phone,” further solidifying his commercial presence. In 2010, Forbes listed him among the Hip-Hop Cash Kings, estimating his earnings at $7 million. His third album, “The DeAndre Way” (2010), supported by the single “Pretty Boy Swag,” saw him depart from Interscope to pursue an independent career.