Soulja Boy

DeAndre Cortez Way, born on July 28, 1990, is widely recognized in the music industry as Soulja Boy, a multifaceted American rapper and record producer. He first gained significant attention with his self-released debut single, 'Crank That (Soulja Boy)', in 2007, which dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. Following a commercial re-release by Collipark Music, the track, along with its follow-up 'Soulja Girl', set the stage for his debut studio album, 'Souljaboytellem.com', which peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 despite mixed critical reviews.

His sophomore effort, 'iSouljaBoyTellem', released in 2008, featured Billboard Hot 100 hits like 'Turn My Swag On' and 'Kiss Me thru the Phone' featuring Sammie. While the album achieved moderate commercial success, it was met with a decline in critical reception. By 2010, Soulja Boy was recognized as one of the top earners in hip-hop, landing at number eighteen on Forbes' list of Hip-Hop Cash Kings, with earnings of seven million dollars that year.

In 2010, he released his third album, 'The DeAndre Way', which included the top 40 single 'Pretty Boy Swag'. However, this project marked a significant downturn in commercial success, prompting him to transition to an independent career after parting ways with Interscope Records. Soulja Boy is also celebrated for his innovative use of social media and digital marketing strategies, which played a crucial role in his rise to fame.

Beyond music, Soulja Boy has ventured into various entrepreneurial pursuits, including video game development and establishing his record label, Stacks on Deck Entertainment, where he has signed artists like Lil B and Riff Raff. His contributions to the music industry have earned him a Grammy Award nomination, along with multiple nominations for BET Awards and Teen Choice Awards.