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.
Wit My Yums On
Soulja Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Soulja boy tellem,
SOD money gang,
SOD money mafia,
Sod..its the label (yup)
[Chorus]
Rubberband chain on my neck (wit my yums on)
Cashin dem $100,000 checks wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Gucci bandana go great (wit my yums on)
Money comen so I keep it real (wit my yums on)
Man, imma tell yall how it is
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
[Verse 1]
Step up on the scene now you no who it be
Fresh yums wit da hat cant get like me
Im yellin I got my swag back
Pull up to the club seen clean in a cadilac
Yums wit da gucci grip
Your girl had a heart attack, when she my smile, you old like an artifact
All I can say is wow, yums hat, yums bag, yums lugage, pants, sack souljaboy da money man,
Your girls number 1 fan
[Chorus]
Rubberband chain on my neck (wit my yums on)
Screamin out stacks on deck (wit my yums on)
Cashin dem $100,000 checks wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Gucci bandana go great (wit my yums on)
Money comen so I keep it real (wit my yums on)
Man, imma tell yall how it is
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
[Verse 2]
My closet it amazing, its full of fruity colors, fruity flavors, it look crazy
Im so busy, you so lazy
Im so clean, you so lame
Yellow yums chain, got money on deck
I got yums so fresh man, soulja boy tellem,
Yeah tellem like yu tld me to, I take a band and blow it man its jus the grand, thats how we do
Yums is my choose of shoes and these how you supposed to rock a candy pant wit a candy hat
Im so fresh I cabt stop
[Chorus]
Rubberband chain on my neck (wit my yums on)
Screamin out stacks on deck (wit my yums on)
Cashin dem $100,000 checks
Wit my yums on(yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Gucci bandana go great (wit my yums on)
Money comen so I keep it real (wit my yums on)
Man, imma tell yall how it is
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
[Verse 3]
Cupcake, candy, apple, lemonade fresh money
Step up on da stage, make all the girls lose there breath, im fresher den the next money
Keepin this hat tilt (tilt)and this chain on my chest man I wear nuttin less den a grand
(grand) man (man) a whole duffle bag full of rubberbands
Damn (damn) soulja boy da man
Now yall understand yall cant touch me busta, you need to catch up cuz you still in da musta
[Chorus]
Rubberband chain on my neck (wit my yums on)
Screamin out stacks on deck (wit my yums on)
Cashin dem $100,000 checks wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Gucci bandana go great (wit my yums on)
Money comen so I keep it real (wit my yums on)
Man, imma tell yall how it is
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on (yup)
Wit my yums on [x6]
The song “Wit My Yums On” by Soulja Boy is about the artist’s flashy lifestyle, including his jewelry, clothes, and wealth. In the song, Soulja Boy emphasizes his love for Yums, which is a brand of shoe that he frequently wears. He also mentions his rubber band chain necklace and his habit of cashing $100,000 checks. Throughout the song, Soulja Boy is flexing his wealth and demonstrating why he’s known as “Soulja Boy Da Money Man.”
The lyrics of the song portray Soulja Boy as someone who is living the high life, with an extensive collection of flashy clothes and accessories in his closet, all of which he loves to wear. He talks about driving around in his Cadillac and making girls swoon with his fashion choices. Through his music, Soulja Boy is expressing his confidence and pride in his lifestyle, one that includes the best of everything, from shoes to jewelry to cars. The lyrics in “Wit My Yums On” are essentially Soulja Boy’s way of showing off all that he has achieved, giving listeners a glimpse into his glamorous world.
Line by Line Meaning
Rubberband chain on my neck (wit my yums on)
I am wearing a rubber band chain on my neck along with my Yums shoes.
Screamin out stacks on deck (wit my yums on)
I am proudly announcing that I have lots of money with me while I am also wearing my Yums shoes.
Cashin dem $100,000 checks wit my yums on (yup)
I am cashing $100,000 checks while wearing my Yums shoes.
Wit my yums on (yup)
I am doing all of this while wearing my Yums shoes.
Gucci bandana go great (wit my yums on)
My Gucci bandana looks great with my Yums shoes.
Money comen so I keep it real (wit my yums on)
I am keeping it real because I have lots of money, and I am wearing my Yums shoes while doing so.
Man, imma tell yall how it is
I am telling you the truth about myself.
Step up on the scene now you no who it be
I am introducing myself in a confident manner.
Fresh yums wit da hat cant get like me
I am wearing fresh Yums shoes and a hat, and no one can look as good as me.
Im yellin I got my swag back
I am announcing that my confidence and style have returned.
Pull up to the club seen clean in a cadilac
I am arriving at the club in a clean Cadillac.
Yums wit da gucci grip
My Yums shoes have a Gucci grip, making them even better.
Your girl had a heart attack, when she my smile, you old like an artifact
Your girlfriend was excited and stunned when she saw me smile because you are outdated like an artifact.
All I can say is wow, yums hat, yums bag, yums lugage, pants, sack souljaboy da money man,
I have lots of Yums accessories and clothes and am proud to be a wealthy person.
Your girls number 1 fan
Your girlfriend is my biggest fan because of my style.
My closet it amazing, its full of fruity colors, fruity flavors, it look crazy
My wardrobe is amazing, featuring bright and exciting colors and styles.
Im so busy, you so lazy
I am always busy, while you are lazy and not doing anything productive.
Im so clean, you so lame
I am clean and stylish while you are boring and unoriginal.
Yellow yums chain, got money on deck
I am wearing a yellow Yums chain and have lots of money with me.
I got yums so fresh man, soulja boy tellem,
I have fresh Yums shoes that are a hit, which is why they call me Soulja Boy.
Yeah tellem like yu tld me to, I take a band and blow it man its jus the grand, thats how we do
I am bragging about how I can take a rubber band and use it to hold a large amount of money, which is how we do things.
Yums is my choose of shoes and these how you supposed to rock a candy pant wit a candy hat
I choose Yums shoes as my preferred footwear, and I pair them with bright and fun clothes and accessories.
Cupcake, candy, apple, lemonade fresh money
I compare my money to sweet treats, emphasizing that it is fresh and new.
Step up on da stage, make all the girls lose there breath, im fresher den the next money
I am confident and stylish on stage, and all the girls are impressed by my looks.
Keepin this hat tilt (tilt)and this chain on my chest man I wear nuttin less den a grand (grand)
I keep my hat tilted and wear a chain on my chest, but I only wear accessories that cost a lot of money.
A whole duffle bag full of rubberbands
I have a large collection of rubber bands in my duffle bag, which I use to hold my money in place.
Damn (damn) soulja boy da man
I am confident and proud of myself, and others see me as the man.
Now yall understand yall cant touch me busta, you need to catch up cuz you still in da musta
I am untouchable and successful, and those who oppose me need to improve their game.
Contributed by Madelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.