Three years ago this month a Batesville, Mississippi teenager, with nothing more than a demo version of production software Fruity Loops and a SoundClick page, began grindin’ towards what has become one of the most impressive new artist success stories in the history of Hip Hop.

For the past 18 months that entrepreneurial-minded young man, Soulja Boy, has been ridin’ high off the heat generated from “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” his #1 summer ’07 smash. Hate it or love it, the catchy (or grating and repetitive to some) dance tutorial became the biggest body rockin’ “movement” since the Kid ‘N Play kick step 20 years ago, which helped SB garner a platinum plaque for major-label debut, Souljaboytellem.com.

The now 18-year-old superstar is preparing for the December 16th release of his second Collipark Music/Interscope Records backed effort, iSouljaboytellem, and attempting to pull off one of the most difficult moves for any new artist with a hit record: releasing a follow-up that can match the commercial success of his first release to help him avoid the dreaded sophomore jinx and actually start building something resembling a reputable career.

However, it has become increasingly clear that many fans and artists alike are working overtime to ensure that doesn’t happen and Soulja Boy goes down in music infamy as another “one-hit wonder.” HipHopDX recently spoke to SB about all the hate that’s been directed at him from listeners who believe his minimalist production and chant-heavy rhyme style is the death of more polished and lyrically adept Hip Hop, journalists who Soulja Boy believes are purposefully trying to trip him up to make statements that will irreputably damage his career, and even elder-statesman artists who insist on registering grievances about the activities of this new generation of the culture, choosing to be bitter rather than do better than their newfound competition. Those who seem to have forgotten that actions always speak louder than words. Those who seem to be oblivious to the fact that they are rapidly becoming the grumpy old man (or woman) who serves to only alienate, and squanders any chance he or she could have at reaching the youth and showing and proving what classic Hip Hop music sounds like. Those, who if not careful are going to be deserving of words similar to those a then 25-year-old Tupac Shakur aimed at his largely older detractors: “All you old rappers tryin’ to advance/It’s all over now, take it like a man.”

HipHopDX: Let’s just get right to the question everybody in Hip Hop is asking right about now: Why’d you give a “shout out to the slave masters” [click to read]?
Soulja Boy: Basically this how the whole story went down…I was at BET in Atlanta. I was filming the last episode of Rap City. And the dude Toure walked up to me and he said, “Hey man, can I get you for an interview?” And I was like, “Hell nah, man, get out my face.” Because, I seen an interview that he did before with Bow Wow [click to read] and Omarion, and basically like he…I didn’t really take him serious as no real interviewer because I seen the interview that he did with them. And I seen an interview that he did with R Kelly, and basically he was just like trying to make a fool out of them. So [when he asked me for an interview] I was like, “Dude, I’m straight. Watch out. Go on. Go away.” And then after that my management team came to me and they was like, “Man, you gotta do the interview. That’d be good promotion for the album.” So I was like, “Alright, I’ll do it.” So as soon as I did the interview, the first question he asked me a dumb-ass question. He said, “How do I wanna die?” And I was like, “Aww man, see I said I didn’t wanna do [the interview] in the first place.” I was like, “What the hell kinda question is that, dawg?” And then the second question, he asked me…By this point I’m joking back and forth with him. ‘Cause like, I think I’m a funny dude. So I’m joking back and forth with the dude. Then the comment that I made, he really just took it and blew it out of context. I was being sarcastic. But I was being funny at the wrong place at the wrong time, and it came back and bit me in the ass. ‘Cause he took what I said and just blew it up and sent it to everybody. And it was just everywhere. And I was just like, “Damn.” Well I messed up, ‘cause I told myself I wasn’t gonna do the interview with dude in the first place. ‘Cause I already knew what he was out for. He wasn’t out for no real interview. He was out for me to say something stupid so he can hurt me with [it]. And that’s what he did. So you know, it is what it is. Man, fuck Toure.

DX: Like you said, it’s blown all out there now. Do you think haters are just using this quote as an opening to try and take Soulja Boy down?
Soulja Boy: Exactly, man. That’s what they been waiting for. And I steered so clear away from that for so long. And I just knew, when I seen dude I was like, “Man.” I had a bad feeling just looking at dude. It is what it is though. I messed up. I told myself, I said, “If I ever see dude I ain’t gon’ never do no interview with him.” ‘Cause I seen what he did to Bow Wow. And he got me. It is what it is. Fuck him. Continued on page 2 »