Soulja Boy brought the energy and the nostalgia to Brooklyn this past Saturday (Oct. 11), lighting up the Barclays Center during Druski’s Coulda Been Fest.
Backstage, the “Bapes” rapper spoke with VIBE about teaming up with the fellow viral sensation, the hold he still has on Hip-Hop, and his latest surprise album. “That’s my boy,” he began with a grin. “I’ve been rocking with Druski… he’s funny as hell. When he reached out, at first, it was just one show… we rocked out in Atlanta, and it was so crazy, we knew we had to run the whole tour.”
The viral trailblazer, who once made an entire generation “Crank That,” proved he’s still got it as he tore through a string of fan-favorite hits including the aforementioned hit, “Pretty Boy Swag,” “Super Soak,” “Soulja Girl,” and more. From song to song, the entire arena could be seen hitting Soulja’s nostalgic moves, and rapping lyrics word-for-word.
And if there’s one thing Soulja knows how to do, it’s keep his fans on their toes. Earlier this month, the rapper and entrepreneur dropped his second album of the year, Swag 7, with no warning — a move inspired by Beyoncé’s surprise release tactic. “They always want you to wait… go to Spotify first, pitch it to people, drop on a Friday. I’m like, f**k that. I’m me. I’m Soulja Boy. Let’s just drop this bi**h right now,” he explained.
The 16-track project finds Soulja experimenting with fresh sounds — from that West Coast bass to more energetic beats — all while staying true to the essence that built his legacy. “I just really wanted to come with a new sound,” he said. “I wanted to mix it up. It’s definitely good to experiment with new energy.”
Even with nearly two decades in the game, the Atlanta icon still takes his “swag” seriously, even though it’s evolved since his baggy-clothes-and-Bape days. “Swag is a way of life,” he explained. “It got to be in you, not on you. It ain’t just about your clothes — it’s your aura, your personality, everything.” When asked how he “turns his swag on” in today’s time, Soulja laughed: “Get some money. Hop up out the bed, go to work. That’s how you turn your swag on in 2025.”
As for what’s next, the self-proclaimed first-rapper-to-do-just-about-everything has his eyes on a very high goal — literally. “I gotta go to space,” he said matter-of-factly. “First rapper in space. I just wanna look down at the earth and be like, ‘Damn, I did that.’”
But until then, he’s staying focused and on the music. “Right now, I’m happy as hell,” he said. “I found where I want to be in life. It was tunnel vision on this project. No distractions, no bullsh*t. Just me and my engineer locking in.”
Listen below.
Druski’s Coulda Been Fest — which is part comedy show and part concert — continues through December hitting the major cities of Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
“Coulda Fest was such a vibe that we had to run it back and switch up the concept — it’s bigger, better and breaking global borders,” Druski said earlier this year. “This won’t be your typical comedy or music tour, it’s going to be a cultural movement full of laughs, great music, and surprise guests. I’m always looking to take ideas to the next level, so you never know who else might pop up in your city.”
Take a look at Soulja Boy crankin’ up the Barclays with Druski below.
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