“Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was the breakout hit of 2007, and it doesn’t seem to be losing momentum with time. Yesterday, two worlds collided when Regis and Kelly tried to snap their fingers and move their feet to this tune on Live With Regis and Kelly.
For seven weeks, “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 list. That may explain Kelly Ripa’s rationale for letting her kids–Lola, 6, and Joaquin, 4–skip school to be on the show. But wait… Kelly was quick to inform viewers that oldest son, Michael, who is 10, was at school.
The Regis and Kelly finale included a dance lesson from teen rapper Soulja Boy. And the kids, along with several others, joined in for the festivities.
If you’re wondering, “What’s the big deal?” I’ll tell you. This little rapper Soulja Boy (real name DeAndre Way) is a 17-year-old who started out featuring his music as a download from his MySpace page a year ago. Like many boys his age, he was simply having fun dancing and making music from his bedroom. Unlike his peers, he is cashing in on his talent. He’s gone from irritating teachers at South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi, to inking a major record deal.
Here’s a snapshot of his success:
- “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” recently received a 2007 Grammy nomination for best rap song.
- The single’s music video has enjoyed 25 million-plus views on YouTube.
- Animated characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Barney and the Simpsons to Winnie the Pooh, Bambi and the Lion King have their own unique version of “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” on YouTube.
- You’ll find people from all walks of life, ages and races uploading their homemade version of “Crank It” on YouTube.
- Realizing that people were trying to learn the dance but that nobody really knew how to do it right, Soulja Boy made his own instructional video. He breaks down each move, and it is almost as popular as the song. It has had about 21 million views since being added to YouTube.
- After opening a YouTube account in January 2006, Soulja Boy has posted more than 100 videos.
- His debut album, “Souljaboytellem.com,” pays homage to his internet roots
- Leaving no stone unturned, he has an online store, Souljaboystore.com. Regis and Kelly were each given a pair of his super-sized, white sunglasses to wear when he was on their show.
- After making beats and songs, he started uploading tracks to SoundClick.com. Positive feedback from other artists led Soulja Boy to borrow a cousin’s camcorder to uploaded videos of himself and friends doing their favorite dances.
- No instruments were involved in the making of “Crank It.�
- Atlanta producer Michael Grooms, a.k.a. Mr. Collipark (Ying Yang Twins, Young Jeezy), signed him to a record deal with Interscope, whose roster of superstars includes Sheryl Crow, 50 Cent and Gwen Stefani. Grooms heard about Soulja Boy at the park where his sons play.
- The busy high school senior has been touring with a tutor and will be performing in several cities this year.
- It’s been number one on iTunes and a number-one ringtone.
If you need some new steps or a little extra cardio, you can learn the dance. If you want your 15 minutes of fame on YouTube, upload your homemade video of “Crank It.” Or upgrade your ringtone.
Let me know what you think of this viral internet sensation.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 17th, 2008 at 3:31 am and is filed under Celebrity, Start A Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.Leave a Reply
