Deconstructing Beezy, Part Four: Soulja Boy’s Gangsta Grillz – The Twitter Edition
- story THE FADER
The other day a FADER editor vehemently opposed to Twitter actually tweeted something on the FADER Twitter on his own accord, and it was not about how ridiculous Twitter is, though he continues to say that loudly and unprovoked around the office. This thawing occured mainly because he’d witnessed something that he wanted to tell everyone about yet wasn’t really bloggable. And so, sort of like how a family lost in the wilderness will eventually eat their fattest child, Twitter became a valuable asset.
Which leads us to the newest Gangsta Grillz with Soulja Boy and DJ Drama, subtitled The Twitter Edition because they want you to follow them, on which Drama yells the word “Twitter” more frequently than Soulja Boy says “Soulja Boy.” It’s a problem. And yet, like Twitter, the idea of Soulja Boy continues to fascinate us, both for his failures and successes. There are at least 10 songs on this mixtape that make us cringe at Beezy’s lyrical inability, most notably “Get Em Got Em” and “Bands” with Gucci Mane because Gucci truly transcends most people’s assumptions of Southern rappers not “crafting bars” or whatever, while Beezy isn’t even worried about people’s assumptions. Both are admirable for their approach: Gucci for the same reasons everyone respects Jay, Wayne et al, Soulja Boy for his natural ability to rap and sing in a way so easily hateable yet impossible to hate. Second to second you find yourself laughing at how ridiculous it is, then singing along before the song is over. That is a skill.
Download: Soulja Boy Gangsta Grillz: Follow Me Edition (via Dat Piff)
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posted on Jun 12, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags Deconstructing Beezy, DJ Drama, Gangsta Grillz, hip hop, Soulja Boy, Twitter
Deconstructing Beezy, Part Three: Drunk Swag vs Pretend Drunk Swag
- story THE FADER
Today brings two examples of why Soulja Boy Tellem gets deconstructed. But first, for context, let’s rewind to the video of Soulja Boy making a beat that went up on YouTube in March. In it he demonstrates exactly how easy it is for him to craft megahits in his living room, which is fine, except he doesn’t really show us how in the world he came up with “Turn My Swag On.” He only taps out some not so good patterns over stuff he has saved on his computer. Fair enough, if you came here and videotaped us trying to write a cover story, it wouldn’t be the most compelling or convincing footage either. What we’re trying to say is that, like us, maybe Soulja Boy actually needs a little time to create what seems like natural genius.
Which brings us to today’s Deconstructing Beezy. Sent to FADER inboxes this morning was a track called “I’m Blowed” off DJ Smallz & DJ Neptune’s Southern Smoke TV Vol. 2 (hosted by Yo Gotti) mixtape (download below). We’re pretty sure Soulja Boy was wasted when he recorded it. It was, on first listen, not good to painful on the listening pleasure scale. But then it kind of grew on us. Maybe that’s because we got drunk at lunch, but maybe not. Only god and the janitor will ever know. What’s truly great about “I’m Blowed” is that it actually exists. If we write a story all drunk and cuss out old girlfriends and threaten people in it, another editor will stop the presses. Because Soulja has currency, no one in his right mind is going to not put his track on their tape. And thus, we get “I’m Blowed” in all its mumbling, nonsensical glory. It shows us that while Soulja may not lyrically be Wayne when under the weather, he can still pull memorable out of tune (even when auto-tuned!) hooks out of his brain.
On the other hand, we have the video for “I Got Mojo” (above), off his upcoming Gangsta Grillz mixtape, which appears to be soberly conceived and executed, though it does contain scenes of things we would do only when really trashed like hang out in Times Square and wear a scarf in late spring. And yet it has none of the sloppy energy of “Blowed.”
So what can you do? You certainly can make sense out of any of this. You can only sit back and wonder where it comes from.
Download: Soulja Boy “Blowed”
Deconstructing Beezy, Part Two: “Gucci Bandana” Controversy
- story THE FADER
Since the release of Soulja Boy’s latest album ¡SouljaBoyTellem on December 18th, we have been grappling with it on nearly every level imaginable: production, rapping, singing, videos, art direction, etc. This series, Deconstructing Beezy, is our attempt to come to terms and hopefully peacefully coexist with 2009’s most perplexing album.
Part Two
We’d intended to move on to another aspect of ¡SouljaBoyTellem with Part Two, but the fervor over an apparent mistake in Part One necessitated sticking with “Gucci Bandana.”
It seems we made the mistake not of mishearing a lyric but trying to save time by posting a stream of what appears to be a corrected version of the song that appears on the promotional copy that inspired the post. We’re now posting both side by side, and to our ears, it still sounds like “goodbye” on the promo. Does that make us right? Probably. Does it make the whole thing more interesting. Definitely. Did someone at Collipark Music/Interscope actually take the time to ¡SouljaBoyTellem and suggest the correction? If so, what version appears on the retail? Are we totally deaf? If so, does anyone have a good ear doctor?
Soulja Boy f. Gucci Mane & Shawty Lo, “Gucci Bandana (Original)”
Soulja Boy f. Gucci Mane & Shawty Lo, “Gucci Bandana (Good Night Remix)”
Coming Soon: Part Three… Donk Swag
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posted on Feb 4, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags Deconstructing Beezy, Gucci Mane, hip hop, Shawty Lo, Soulja Boy
Deconstructing Beezy, Part One: Is Soulja Boy Serious on “Gucci Bandana”?
- story THE FADER
Since the release of Soulja Boy’s latest album ¡SouljaBoyTellem on December 18th, we have been grappling with it on nearly every level imaginable: production, rapping, singing, videos, art direction, etc. This series, Deconstructing Beezy, is our attempt to come to terms and hopefully peacefully coexist with 2009’s most perplexing album.
Part One
At 0:55 of “Gucci Bandana” with Gucci Mane and Shawty Lo, Soulja Boy raps the following couplet: “And ain’t this beat tight?/My chain say ‘Hello,’ my watch say ‘Goodbye.’” Is he serious? If he isn’t… kudos, Beezy, kudos.
Soulja Boy f. Gucci Mane & Shawty Lo, “Gucci Bandana”
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posted on Feb 3, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags Deconstructing Beezy, Gucci Mane, hip hop, Shawty Lo, Soulja Boy
