The average age of debuting big-hit music artists probably falls in the teenager range, and the phenomenon known as Soulja Boy is no exception. At age sixteen, this ambitious young man rapped his way to the Billboard charts with songs he wrote and produced himself. Here are some highlights in Soulja Boy's career, and see where he's going next.

DeAndre Cortez Way, as Soulja Boy is originally called, was born on July 28, 1990 in Chicago, Illinois. At an early age, he found a liking for rap music, which his friends taught him how to do. When he stepped into 8th grade, he and his father moved to Batesville, Mississippi, where he attended South Panola High School. He claims he was grateful for moving to Mississippi, as he and his friend, Abrahim Mustafa, also known as Arab, came up with a way to make their original rap songs heard through the internet.

Having first uploaded their music at a site named SoundClick, Soulja gained popularity from the fans who listened to their work. Many visitors have downloaded their music and gave their comments on the style. Because this attempt was successful, he then put up his own website, souljaboytellem, which is subsequently the name of his debut album. In 2004, as he returned to Atlanta, he was handled by manager Derrick Crooms, and he established his record label, Stacks on Deck Entertainment. By 2007, Soulja Boy hit the airwaves with his single "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" which not only started a dance craze across America, but even hit the top spot at the Billboard Hot 100 in September to October 2007. s

Since his launch, Soulja Boy has made several appearances, including MTV's Total Request Live, the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards where he performed his single, Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC, BET's 106 and Park, and has won the Best Hip Hop Dance at BET's Hip Hop Awards 2007. Another hit single released from his album is Soulja Girl, which is currently gaining ground at the charts.

The music video for "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" features appearances from Bow Wow, Omarion, Baby D, and other rap artists. The single has also be remixed by artists like Jermaine Dupri, Twister, Tone-Tone, Travis Barker, and many others. Currently, him and his friend Arab are maintaining their websites, channels, and forums, where their fans can get info on their work. Both are still working together with their record label, Stacks on Deck Entertainment.

More on Soulja Boy Story, Music, Fans and his sought after Ringtones - Soulja Boy .

Source: www.articledashboard.com