The DeAndre Way

The DeAndre Way is the third studio album by American rapper Soulja Boy. It was released on November 30, 2010. He also planned to release his novel, Teenage Millionaire, on the album's release day. Soulja Boy stated the album would be the "biggest album of his career."^[1] He planned to go on The DeAndre Way Tour after the album was released.^[2]

Background

Soulja Boy wished to work with artists such as Jay-Z,^[3] and Eminem.^[4][5] Soulja Boy collaborated with American rappers Gucci Mane and Birdman on "Swag Flu" and with Canadian teen pop singer Justin Bieber on "Rich Girl".^[6][7] Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake, Trey Songz, Jamie Foxx, Busta Rhymes, Chris Brown, Ray J, and Arab were in works to be on the album but Trey Songz, 50 Cent, and Arab were the only artists who appear on the album out of those names.^[8][9] S.O.D. rapper JBar was to be on the album but was not.^[1] A track with 50 Cent called "Mean Mug" was released on September 23.^[10] The album has sold 100,000 copies in the United States, making it Way's lowest selling album.^[11] On April 23, 2011, four months after the album's release, during a interview with Complex Way stated that internal disagreements with Interscope influenced the album's disappointing record sales. Way also blamed the timing of the album was not good as well.

"Honestly, I shut down for a week [after my album dropped]," He told Complex. "I wasn't talking to nobody, I wasn't talking to management, and I wasn't talking to the label. I wasn't picking up nobody's calls. I went like that for a week. I was in a state of confusion. I needed answers...the label only shipped like 18,000 copies [of the album]. So I wasn't able to do gold first week or even 100k, none of that. They only put like 8,000 units in Best Buy. It was crazy."

Way also stated that he felt helpless because of communication with Interscope was lacking, and he believed the label failed to listen to him. He claims that his souring relationship with producer and mentor Mr. Collipark, who for the first time did not do any production work on Way's album, gave him less power to negotiate with record execs.

"When I first started it was Soulja Boy and Collipark. But after my label Stacks on Deck Money Gang Records was established and I started making all these different moves, I started to become a businessman. My label was taking off and I guess I was putting more time and energy into that, then to Collipark. He wasn't feeling that and it just went left. He wanted me to be all for Collipark. So during the third album, I didn't have him there to be able to tell the label to ship 500,000 the first week, or put the single on the radio, or we need this song. So I was basically out there by myself, just hoping the label will do the best they can."

Even though the two have since made up, Way stated that because of the disappointing album sales he was about to give up on his music career, but he didn't because of his other mentor 50 Cent, who was also a guest on the album, told him not to and to keep going.

"50 was like, 'You've got to keep doing what you’re doing. You're Soulja Boy, you're here for a reason. Everybody's not going platinum. Everybody didn't do what you did. Everybody didn't come in on the Internet. You're the one that started the Internet. You're the one that got me on the Internet. You're the one that got us on blogs, on YouTube, and on Twitter.' I was like, 'Man, you know what? You're right.' He wasn't doing nothing but speaking true knowledge to my head and it got me right back in the studio. So I ain't going to never quit. I'm going to stay in this music industry. I'm going to stay making hits, and I'm going to do what I've got to do, and I thank 50. I really needed that at that time."

^[12]

Singles

"Pretty Boy Swag" was released as the official lead single from the album on June 8, 2010. The single has reached number thirty-four on the Billboard Hot 100, number six on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number five on the Billboard Rap Songs chart.^[13] The single has gone on to sell over 1,000,000 copies.^{[14] [15]} "Blowing Me Kisses" was released as the second single from the album on August 31, 2010.^[16] "Speakers Going Hammer" was released as the third single^[17] from the album on October 19, 2010.^[18] A music video was filmed and released for the track "Mean Mug" which features 50 Cent and produced by Rico Beats.^[19]

Reception

Upon release, The DeAndre Way has received mixed reviews from music critics.^[27] However it has garnered slightly better critical reception than Soulja Boy's previous albums. IGN stated "For a party-ready southern hip-hop album it gets the job done, but anyone looking for something more substantial needs to look elsewhere." Slant Magazine contributed, "The DeAndre Way doesn't exactly qualify as substantial growth, but it's another solid effort from an innovative MC who's been unfairly chastised by so many." However Rolling Stone labelled the album "bland and jaundiced".^[24] Whilst HipHopDX states that it "lacks any evidence of creativity".^[22]

Chart performance

The DeAndre Way sold 13,360 copies in its first week, a significant drop from his previous two albums.^[28] It debuted at number ninety on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, number eight on the Rap Albums chart, and number eighteen on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^[29]

Track listing

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Charts

Release history

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References