Crank Dat? Soulja Boy Says He Deserves Credit For What He's Done in the Music Industry

Mr. Crank Dat has been in the limelight since he hit the scene in 2007 and he hasn’t let up yet. From music to reality TV shows and video games, DeAndre Way has proven that he can get the bag in any avenue. It’s impossible to forget the viral Breakfast Club interview where Soulja Boy expresses how much he’s done for the game, especially Drake. Although the interview had a comical feel to it, there wasn’t a lie told. Soulja Boy is responsible for the influx of music on the internet, dances and more. The majority of the current state of Hip-Hop can be attributed to Soulja Boy Tell 'Em.

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The list of things Soulja Boy has taken responsibility for includes but is not limited to: public introduction to the internet, Apple Music and Spotify, first rapper to come out with a video game, and being the first artist on Youtube. While it’s clear that some accolades are exaggerations(like the introduction to the Internet) he’s not necessarily wrong. When Crank Dat first released, YouTube was still in its infancy stages but that didn’t stop people of all ages from flocking to the video site to study the moves. Once the popularity of the song rose, Soulja was able to use that as leverage for his debut album. While he didn't invent Apple Music and Spotify, Soulja Boy was one of the first artists to really promote and have his music available for downloads online - which down the line turned into the streaming services that we have today. Soulja Boy was definitely the first artist to use the Internet to his advantage which allowed him to be the blueprint for other artists coming up.

It’s clear that DeAndre Way has a lucrative business mind where he can see the future return from actions before others can. It’s a shame that he doesn’t get the respect and credit that he has rightfully earned instead of having to consistently speak on it. Many have taken it as a joke, but in complete honesty, the state of Hip-Hop wouldn’t be the same if Soulja Boy didn’t come and shake the game up.