DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990 in Chicago, Illinois), better known … Read Full Bio ↴DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990 in Chicago, Illinois), better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em or simply Soulja Boy, is a Grammy-nominated rapper, dancer and producer. He shot to fame in September 2007, when his single “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” reached number one on the Billboard Top 100. He released his debut album, Unsigned & Still Major: Da Album Before da Album in 2007 and followed this with 2007’s souljaboytellem.com and 2008’s iSouljaBoyTellem. His fourth studio album, The DeAndre Way, was released on November 2010.

Early life

Born DeAndre Ramone Way in Chicago, Illinois on July 28, 1990, Way moved from Chicago to Atlanta, Georgia at age seven, where he became interested in rap music. At age 14, he moved to Batesville, Mississippi with his father, who provided a recording studio for Way to explore his musical ambitions.

Career

In November 2005, Way posted his songs on the video-based social community YouTube. Following positive reviews on the site, Soulja Boy then established his own web pages on YouTube and MySpace. In March 2007, he recorded “Crank That” and released his first independent album Unsigned and Still Major, followed by a low-budget video filmed demonstrating the “Soulja Boy” dance. By the end of May 2007, “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” received its first airplay and Soulja Boy met with Mr. Collipark to sign a deal with Interscope Records.

On August 12, 2007, the song appeared on the Emmy-award winning HBO series Entourage, and by September 1, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot RingMasters charts. Way’s major label debut album Souljaboytellem.com, which was reportedly recorded using just the demo version of FL Studio, was released in the United States on October 2, peaking at #4 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

On December 9, 2007, Way was sued by William Lyons (aka Souljah Boy of the Mo Thugs) who claims he first created the stage name “Souljah Boy”.

For the 50th Grammy Awards, Soulja Boy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song with “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”. He lost to Kanye West’s and T-Pain’s “Good Life”.

The teen rapper recently inked a deal with Dallas-based company, Yums Shoes, for a line of his own sneakers called the “Block Star” and an apparel line. “The Soulja boy exclusive shoe will be released in the fall along with my album,” he said. “The Soulja Boy cartoon will also be released in the fall, so there’s three things to look out for.” The line will be unveiled at the fall Magic fashion trade show in Las Vegas later this year, and the rapper will appear in both television and print ads for it.

Soulja Boy says he will not use better lyrics and get more respect from the rap game, although he could, because it will ruin his reputation and image.

Initial reception

The album Souljaboytellem.com was met with mostly negative reviews, despite a positive one from Allmusic. Several reviewers credited Soulja Boy with spearheading a new trend in hip-hop, while speculating he will likely be a one hit wonder.

Critics and hip-hop figures such as Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Jermaine Dupri cite Soulja Boy as artistically typical of contemporary rap trends such as writing for the lucrative ringtone market, and the ascendence of “Southern hip hop”, emphasizing catchy, mindless music that discards rap’s traditional emphasis on message. And even one article about his songs and heavily criticizing his musical style has dubbed Soulja Boy the “Nickelback of hip hop”. Soulja Boy identifies his goal as making upbeat, party-themed music that avoids the negative, violent image that he sees in most hip-hop. Despite this, his music has been banned from some school dances for sexual, pro-violence content or innuendo and, ironically, many of his recent recordings feature violent content and sexual innuendo. In the original YouTube video for “Shootout”, Way demonstrates his dance while holding a handgun in each hand and pretending to shoot into the audience.

Feud with Ice-T

In June 2008, on DJ Cisco’s Urban Legend mixtape, Ice-T criticized Soulja Boy for “killing hip-hop” and his song “Crank That” for being “garbage” compared to the works of other hip-hop artists as Rakim, Das EFX, Big Daddy Kane and Ice Cube. Soulja Boy responded in a YouTube video by mocking Ice-T’s age (Ice-T was born in 1958) and claiming that he needed to support his family through his brand of music. Ice-T proceeded to offer a video response to Soulja Boy’s reaction in which he neglected to offer an apology while reiterating his belief that Soula Boy’s music was “garbage”. Rapper Kanye West defended Soulja Boy by arguing that Soulja Boy created a new, original work for hip-hop, thus keeping the authentic meaning of the music. Soulja Boy followed suit by buying Ice-T a flaming set of gigantic popcorn machines.

References in popular culture

Soulja Boy recently became an item in the first round NBA playoff series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards. In a bout of trash talking before the start of the series, Wizards guard Deshawn Stevenson called Cleveland superstar LeBron James “overrated,” prompting James to say that he wouldn’t return the insult, as that would be “almost like Jay-Z [responding to a negative comment] made by Soulja Boy.” Soulja Boy made an appearance at Game 3 of the series (played in Washington) in support of the Wizards; his music was played over the PA system. Despite his team losing the game by more than 30 points and LeBron posting poor numbers (compared to his exceptionally high averages), LeBron claims that the trick had no effect on him, and that his young son is a big fan of Soulja Boy.

Could Type Dude
Soulja Boy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chrous

Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool thangs
I'm in a cool type mood I switch them 2 lanes
I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings
24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes

1st verse ,

Yall people never have heard of me
Hit them blocks on them 23s,
24s when I go and hit the show
Riding clean on boats and you already know
Soulja Boy hit the spot make them bad girls scream
Hit the scene playing slot machines
When I hit the spot in a limousine
On 23s paint candy green and color spreem
Double D thousand hop like a trampoline
Hit the scene and looking clean with my team or with my queen
Already know how I do rock candy red or candy blue
Gettin money I thought you knew
Stand real and stand true
Take a ride in the Cadillac candy black with the seat back
Look at your hair blow in the wind look shawty don't you like that? Take a trip over seas ride clean on double D
Take a ride with Soulja Boy it'll be something you wont believe.

Chorus

Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool things
I'm in a cool type mood i switch them 2 lanes
I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings
24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes

Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool things
I'm in a cool type mood i switch them 2 lanes
I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings

24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes

2nd verse

I step up on the scene wit my queen
Once again we looking clean
United States all over seas
Man it don't really matter to me
Already know what they trying to do get
Little money they loving you
But when you broke they ain't nothing to you
I mean but when you ain't got noting they ain't stunting you
Said it once said it twice
Anything you name the price
Hit the room cut out the lights
My macking game is locked tight
You know my name know my game know my slang so do your thing
All on ma neck is platinum chain o yea mane i must get fame got damn Ain't got no time time waisted up in this place
Traveling across the globe we go swimming and roller skate
Anythang you wanna do just let me know
I'm right with you
It's parent life that choose a life like that life style to be exact

Chrous
Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool things
I'm in a cool type mood i switch them 2 lanes
I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings
24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes

Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool things
I'm in a cool type mood i switch them 2 lanes

I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings
24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes

Overall Meaning

In the song "Cool Type Dude" by Soulja Boy, the artist portrays himself as a smooth and confident person who is enjoying the perks of fame and wealth. He is proud of his possessions and lifestyle, such as his expensive jewelry, cars with large rims, and his ability to travel the world. Soulja Boy also boasts about his popularity with women and the ability to make them scream, presumably at his performances. The chorus reinforces the idea that he is a cool and impressive person, indicated by the use of the words "cool thangs," "cool type mood," and "24 carrot," a reference to the high-quality gold on his jewelry.

In the first verse, Soulja Boy addresses those who may not know him, stating that he is relatively unknown but quickly gaining fame. He also mentions how he enjoys driving, with a focus on his flashy vehicles and their paint jobs, such as "candy green and color spreem." Soulja Boy describes his love of money and how he sees it as a measure of success in his lifestyle. He also expresses his loyalty to his friends, whom he refers to as "my team," and to any woman who may accompany him.

The second verse continues with the theme of self-confidence as Soulja Boy describes his travels both domestically and internationally, proclaiming that he is equally comfortable in any setting. He touches on the notion that people may only like him for his fame and money, but he is unbothered by it. He reiterates his willingness to spend money and do whatever activity any woman may want to do with him, emphasizing his desire to please. Overall, the song's lyrics portray Soulja Boy as a wealthy, confident, and carefree person who is living the life he desires to the fullest.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey I'm a cool type dude I do them cool thangs
I am a guy who does cool things with ease and style.

I'm in a cool type mood I switch them 2 lanes
I am feeling confident and relaxed as I switch lanes while driving.

I got ice on my neck, even pinky rings
I have expensive jewelry on my neck and fingers, including a pinky ring.

24 carrot let your hair blow when we switch lanes
The expensive 24-carat jewelry I wear shines and sparkles as we speed up and change lanes.

Yall people never have heard of me
Most people do not know who I am yet.

Hit them blocks on them 23s,
I ride on 23-inch rims/synonym for wheels in certain areas.

24s when I go and hit the show
When I go perform, I ride in a car with even larger 24-inch rims.

Riding clean on boats and you already know
I cruise in expensive and luxurious boats and it's no secret.

Soulja Boy hit the spot make them bad girls scream
When I arrive at the party, women start screaming because they recognize me as Soulja Boy.

Hit the scene playing slot machines
I show up and start gambling on slot machines.

When I hit the spot in a limousine
I arrive in style in a limousine.

On 23s paint candy green and color spreem
My car has 23 inch rims, and it's painted bright green and patterned with different colours.

Double D thousand hop like a trampoline
My hydraulic suspension systems allows my car to bounce up and down like a trampoline.

Hit the scene and looking clean with my team or with my queen
I come with my crew, and we all look sharp and impressive. Alternatively, I may come with my girlfriend.

Already know how I do rock candy red or candy blue
I am known to drive cars that are painted 'candy' red or blue.

Gettin money I thought you knew
I am successful and earn a lot of money, it should be common knowledge.

Stand real and stand true
I am someone who is real and true to myself.

Take a ride in the Cadillac candy black with the seat back
Come ride with me in my candy black Cadillac, with the seat reclined.

Look at your hair blow in the wind look shawty dont you like that?
Feel the breeze in your hair as we cruise, don't you enjoy it?

Take a trip over seas ride clean on double D
Let's go on a trip overseas, and we will ride smoothly on my car's hydraulic suspension system.

Take a ride with Soulja Boy it'll be something you wont believe.
Come ride with me and experience something you will never forget.

I step up on the scene wit my queen
I arrive at the scene with my girlfriend.

Once again we looking clean
As usual, we both look put-together and presentable.

United States all over seas
I have traveled to many different areas domestically and internationally.

Man it don't really matter to me
It doesn't matter where I go, as long as it's enjoyable and I am with good people.

Already know what they trying to do get
I am aware of people's intentions to use me for my wealth or fame.

Little money they loving you
People tend to be more accepting and amicable when you are wealthy.

But when you broke they ain't nothing to you
However, once you lose your money, those same people can easily abandon or disregard you.

I mean but when you ain't got noting they ain't stunting you
If you have nothing of value, people won't be paying attention to you.

Said it once said it twice anything you name the price
I am willing to pay whatever price is necessary for what I want.

Hit the room cut out the lights
When I enter a room, I can shut off the lights with ease/symbolising an ability to change the atmosphere of a room with my presence.

My macking game is locked tight
I have great seduction skills and am confident in them.

You know my name know my game know my slang so do your thing
People already know who I am, my reputation, and my slang. So they should just act naturally around me.

All on ma neck is platinum chain o yea mane i must get fame got damn
I have a lot of expensive platinum chains on my neck, which represent my fame and success.

Ain't got no time time waisted up in this place
I don't want to waste my time in one location for too long.

Traveling across the globe we go swimming and roller skate
As I travel around the world, I enjoy various activities like swimming and roller skating.

Anythang you wanna do just let me know
I am open to trying out different or new things, just let me know.

I'm right with you
I will be with you and we can do it together.

It's parent life that choose a life like that life style to be exact
It was my destiny to live this type of luxurious and wealthy lifestyle.

Contributed by Madison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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