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The South is currently the hub of hip-hop, and Atlanta has become the Mecca of the culture. Having produced acts such as The Migos, Playboi Carti, 21 Savage, Young Thug, and Future, Atlanta is one of the most prolific cities regarding rap. However, some of its exports have been divisive. One such person is Soulja Boy.

Soulja Boy emerged during the MySpace era between 2005 and 2009 when the social network prevailed as the go-to platform for hopeful aspiring rappers. From Young B and M.I.A. to Soulja Boy and even Azealia Banks, MySpace birthed many MCs.

However, a series of child-friendly, danceable rap songs became prominent in the mainstream during this era. Whether it’s the 2006 track ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ or Soulja Boy’s ‘Crank Dat,’ the then-17-year-old became a star overnight. Songs such as ‘Crank That,’ ‘Donk,’ and ‘Turn My Swag On’ revived hip-hop with dance-orientated lyrics and simple beats that made his rap style particularly appealing to young children. However, since his MySpace days, the Atlanta artist has become known as a brash, arrogant and flashy character whose material does not match his ego. As such, following his initial run, Soulja Boy failed to keep up in many ways.

Following the MySpace takeover, as record labels and streaming platforms began to manipulate internet algorithms to their own advantage, the possibility of Soulja Boy succeeding with low-quality, frivolous dance-along tracks was slim, and his ability to make music with longevity was poor.

Although Soulja Boy’s rise to fame was quick and exciting, many would say it happened too fast, and as a result of his instantaneous fame, he became awfully arrogant. However, he quickly found out that dance tracks like ‘Donk’ can only get you so far in the music business.

Unfortunately, the lyricist managed to sustain his relevance through internet shenanigans. Soulja Boy’s pastime has been goading successful artists on the internet and undermining the musical ability of his peers. However, it has been a successful tactic for the 34-year-old musician.

In 2007, the rapper released his debut project, Souljaboytellem.com. To this day, it is his only project to receive a certification in any country, going platinum in New Zealand. Furthermore, it is his only album to debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200, reaching number four. But Soulja Boy’s fall off was fast and embarrassingly painful. His sophomore album, iSouljaBoyTellem, peaked at number 43, and, in an unparalleled turn of events, his third studio project, The DeAndre Way, only managed to reach number 90.

It is fair to say that Soulja Boy was a classic spike-and-crash hip-hop flop, and unsurprisingly, the internet played a huge part. The same can be said for other MCs who came up this way, such as Tekashi 6ix9ine, Lil Pump, and Ice Spice. Social media can be fickle and, most of the time, does not produce real artists with creative vision.

Furthermore, much of the content on social media, whether that be MySpace, TikTok, or Instagram, gains traction because of its visuals rather than its artistic quality. Although Soulja Boy undoubtedly fell off, he has released eight albums since his debut. None of which charted. He has also released a vast amount of mixtapes. Still, none of the Atlanta native’s material has cut through since 2010.