Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
With only three years in the game, not too many rappers have gone through as much scrutiny as Soulja Boy. In 2007, he debuted his hit single, "Soulja Boy," and the world loved him. But, as the song only gained popularity, fans turned on him. Many considered him talentless and the reason hip hop died.
Early in his career, Soulja Boy was dissed by Ice-T, but 50 Cent came to the young rapper's defense. Even with 50 Cent supporting him, Soulja Boy lost fans when he said Nas killed hip hop. But, after the release of "Turn My Swag On," Soulja Boy established himself as a fixture in hip hop.
Following the release of "Kiss Me Thru The Phone," Soulja Boy was able to stand alone as a rap star. Soon, the rapper was getting calls from Snoop Dogg, among others. Soulja Boy's performance on the hit single, "Pronto," landed him some acclaim. While Soulja Boy definitely stepped up, when he began promoting his next album, The DeAndre Way, the doubters returned.
However, now with two hit singles on the radio, including one with 50 Cent, Soulja Boy cannot help but express how thankful he is. Soulja Boy knows he is lucky to have had 50 Cent sticking up for him for as long as he has been in the game. Recently, Soulja Boy explained his relationship with Fif. Before 50 Cent came to his defense, rappers and fans said whatever they wanted to about Soulja Boy. But, once 50 Cent stepped in, no one continued to give Soulja Boy a hard time.