Soulja Boy – "The DeAndre Way" Review: He Wanted Jay-Z. He Got Lil B.
- Daniel Rasul
- May 4
- 3 min read
Quick Verdict
The DeAndre Way is Soulja Boy's third studio album and his most personal — titled after his actual birth name, intended as his artistic statement of maturity and growth. He said he wished to collaborate with Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Eminem. None of them appeared. 50 Cent appeared instead, alongside Trey Songz and Lil B. Rap Radar ranked it number 3 on their list of the worst albums of 2010. The album sold 70,000 copies total — Soulja Boy's lowest-selling album to that point, causing Interscope to cut ties with him. Parle Magazine said Soulja seems tired of conveying how great he is. Rolling Stone said The DeAndre Way sounds like DeAndre's repetitive chants are likely to yield more commercial successes but can only be fun in moderation. That was the most generous assessment. Rap Radar said it's one of the worst albums of 2010, full stop. Rating: 2/10.
At a Glance
Context: The Third Album That Killed the Label Deal
Soulja Boy told MTV before the album's release that he wished to collaborate with Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Eminem. The reality of the album delivered Trey Songz on Hey Cutie, Lil B on 30 Thousand 100 Million, and 50 Cent on Mean Mug. Whether the gap between ambition and result was caused by label problems, insufficient leverage, or simply nobody wanting to be on the album — Soulja Boy himself later revealed that the departure of his label partner Collipark before the recording was complete meant he lacked someone to ship 500,000 copies the first week or put the single on the radio. The album sold 70,000 copies total — his lowest commercial performance to that point — and Interscope parted ways with him shortly after. Soulja Boy later said he was about to give up on music until 50 Cent, who appeared on the album, told him to keep going.
The Music: Pretty Boy Swag and Seven Filler Tracks
Pretty Boy Swag is the album's undisputed commercial standout — a minimal, hypnotic track that demonstrated Soulja Boy's ear for a viral hook even when his rapping was at its most rudimentary. Speakers Going Hammer with its Boi-1da production is the second most defensible track. Rap Radar's review said the acceptable songs end there: Mean Mug is ugly. Blowing Me Kisses is gross. Hey Cutie is crap. Fly sounds like a bad Kanye West SNL parody. Rate Your Music's most generous user review assessed the album as worth 0.5 out of 5 — an improvement over previous releases that were worth 0/5, but not actually worth listening to. The album runs 35 minutes, which is the album's most merciful quality: at 35 minutes of Soulja Boy trying to be lyrically meaningful, the listener at least doesn't have to wait long for it to end.
Final Verdict and Rating
The DeAndre Way earns 2/10 for Pretty Boy Swag, which remains one of Soulja Boy's most infectious constructions and proves his ear for hooks is genuine even when his rapping is not. Speakers Going Hammer earns the second point. Everything else is Rap Radar's #3 worst album of 2010 in action: an artist trying to be personal in an album called The DeAndre Way while having nothing personal to say. Soulja Boy later admitted the album broke his spirit. His mentor 50 Cent talked him out of quitting. Both made their points. Final Rating: 2/10.
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