Background and career
DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990), better known by his stage name Soulja Boy (formerly Soulja Boy Tell 'Em), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That (Soulja Boy)", which peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. After a commercial re-release by Collipark Music, an imprint of Interscope Records, the song and its follow-up, "Soulja Girl", both preceded his debut studio album, Souljaboytellem.com (2007). While critical reception was generally negative, the album peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Yahhh!" His second album, iSouljaBoyTellem (2008)—supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 singles "Turn My Swag On" and "Kiss Me thru the Phone" (featuring Sammie)—was met with moderate commercial reception and a further decline in critical reception. Way was listed at number 18 on the Forbes list of Hip-Hop Cash Kings of 2010, as he earned US$7 million that year.
His third album, The DeAndre Way (2010)—supported by the top 40 single "Pretty Boy Swag"—saw a steeper decline in commercial reception, leading him to part ways with Interscope in favor of an independent career. Way is noted for his pioneering use of grassroots social media and digital marketing strategies during his mainstream popularity. Outside of recording, he has pursued side ventures including video game development, record production for other artists, and his record label Stacks on Deck Entertainment, through which he has signed rappers including Lil B and Riff Raff. He has received a Grammy Award nomination, as well as three BET Award and four Teen Choice Award nominations.
Way was born in Chicago, Illinois, and at age six moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he became interested in rap music. At age 14, he moved to Batesville, Mississippi, with his father.
2004–2007: Early recordings and building an Internet following Way's father provided a recording studio for Way to explore his musical ambitions. In early 2005, he was a frequent poster on the website Newgrounds, and in November that same year, Way posted on the music website SoundClick. Following positive reviews on the site, he established accounts on YouTube and Myspace. In March 2007, he released his first independent album, Unsigned and Still Major: Da Album Before Da Album.
How Soulja Boy makes money
Outside of recording, he has pursued side ventures including video game development, record production for other artists, and his record label Stacks on Deck Entertainment, through which he has signed rappers including Lil B and Riff Raff. In March 2007, he released his first independent album, Unsigned and Still Major: Da Album Before Da Album.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth, in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
