Remember Soulja Boy's song "2012 Best Rapper" off of his Paranormal Activity mixtape? 2012 is supposed to be his year! Don't get me wrong, Soulja Boy has had some hits: the infectious "Crank That (Soulja Boy)," "Kiss Me Thru The Phone," the motivating "Turn My Swag On," and the mind-numbing "Pretty Boy Swag." All of these are favorites of mine however; it was the beats and the simple lyrics that were catchy. Soulja boy is not a lyrical rapper. When you think of the word "lyrical" you think of Jay-Z, Lupe, Mos Def, or Jadakiss. I'm not a Soulja Boy hater; I like some of his music. Soulja Boy is one of the rappers who say stuff that is catchy but when you sit back and think about what he says, he leaves you scratching your head. He is good at making club bangers, songs you can dance too; to claim that he is supposed to be 2012's best rapper is a stretch. We would have to see progression since his 2007 debut. His following CD's (iSouljaBoyTellem and The DeAndre Way) have failed to match the success of Souljaboytellem.com. In turn, his popularity has decreased while more promising rappers have surpassed him. Some newcomers are actually rapping with substance, and the state of Hip Hop is constantly evolving. Soulja Boy's 4th album, Promise, is guaranteed to best his best work yet. I am interested to see if Soulja Boy has found his lyrical niche. (Follow me @eyediditmyway)
