Crank That (Soulja Boy)

Album: Souljaboytellem.com (2007)
Charted: 2 1
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Songfacts®:

  • "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was a monster hit, spending seven weeks at #1 in the USA. Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, co-wrote and produced the track when he was just 16. He had just turned 17 when the song topped the Hot 100 on September 15, 2007, making him the youngest solo artist to write, perform and produce a chart topper, a record previously held by Debbie Gibson with "Foolish Beat."
  • The lyrical content of this song is a combination of bragging and dance instructions. A Crank That dance craze arose from the song's success.

    These is also an alternate interpretation of the lyrics: It could be about having sex at a young age. The lyrics, "Superman that ho" can refer to something a guy might do when a girl withholds sex from him. When she falls asleep, he will ejaculate on her back and then put a bedsheet or piece of paper there so she appears to be wearing a Superman cape when she wakes up.
  • This song features a sample of a steel drum. Steel drums are percussion instruments originating from the West Indian islands of Trinidad and Tobago. They are generally made from 55 gallon oil drums and their use in carnival music competitions on the Caribbean islands became commonplace in the 1940s. Other hits to feature steel drums include the Hollies 1967 hit "Carrie Anne," The Beach Boys 1988 American chart-topper "Kokomo" and 50 Cent's 2003 transatlantic Top-Tenner "P.I.M.P."
  • Soulja Boy created this song in one hour on the Fruity Loops computer system. In an interview with HipHopDX.com, Soulja Boy explained how he uses the software: "To be honest, it took me an hour to produce the 'Crank That' song - at the most. Sometimes I just sit back... I can make a beat in my hotel room or I can make a beat in my dressing room, while getting ready for a show, and I can send it to Pro Tools, and bam, get it right back recorded on my laptop. Then I can post it for all my fans to hear."
  • "Crank That" was the most successful digital track of 2007 in the USA with 2,909,000 downloads.
  • Digital Spy asked Soulja Boy if he thought this would be a smash when he recorded it. The teenage rapper replied: "Nope. To tell you the truth, it was just another song that I was recording. I didn't go into the studio saying, 'This is gonna be a #1 smash and everyone's gonna be doing this dance'. I went in the studio to record just another song. It's crazy to think it's been the #1 song in the world."
  • The tune has featured in several video game including the World of Warcraft. It was also one of the featured song levels on Xbox 360's Dance Central.

Comments: 31

  • Lil Dips--t from What Are You, A Cop?I was searching for the lyrics for this song, and seeing the comments on this outdated website made me wonder when this post was made, or when these comments were created.

    My guess is 13+ years ago. 2010 at least, a bit after this s--t song came out. I wanted to look up the lyrics because out of the blue I remembered this obnoxious song. And then I see comments that agree with the sentiment but use racism and sexism to justify their position and it reminds me that these people still exist, they're just more quiet now. Because there's that little whisper of cognitive dissonance that reminds them their rhetoric is embarrassing and prejudiced.

    It's why bigots use much more subtle tactics now. (: the song sucks, its not an accurate representation of rap. That's like saying Guns 'n' Roses is I'm the epitome of rock and roll. No. Theyre s--t and they suck. Listen to some immortal technique, the alchemist, Kendrick, or JID if you want to hear feeling.

    -2023
  • Nia from Naim sorry but the meaning yall r upset over is literally made up like totally pulled out of someone's ass LOL it's a song soulja made up in an hour and superman is a dance move, not whatever the "other possible meaning" says
  • A Person from Lame and my dad have always loved this song but I went to my friend's house and played it and her parents went crazy because it was so innopropriate and I looked at what it meant and now I wanna barf.
  • Lolani from Hawaiii cant believe i dance to this song when i was 7 or 8......
  • Tricky from UkYou guys should listen to the song "Hold on" by Chord Overstreet. It's a good song.
  • Tricky from UkYes i'm a girl let's clear this up real quick. I actually liked this song until i learned what the lyrics actually meant. I mean, i still like the song but i kinda wanna barf when i hear it now not gonna lie. Also, what the frick? "superman that ho"? wowwwwwwwwww. As if the world wasn't bad enough already. *Vomits*. sorry i just heard the song again. Btw, Jacob from La, Ca, that's cool you play the drums. I play the Piano and the Violin. ALso i agree with you about how a truly great song comes from the soul.
  • Helena from United KingdomThis song is so f-ing annoying, but funny as well, makes me laugh.
  • Rahul from Chennai, Indiappl... i actually liked it the first time i heard it.... here's the log..
    1st time.. hmm...not bad..!!
    2nd time.. hmm...
    3rd time.. hey...wtf!!!
    4th time.. grr...
    5th time.. *barf*, *spit*, *s--t*....
    6th time.. dog died.... :(((((
  • Jacob from La, Cayou spelled "loud" wrong and just proved everyones point that rap sucks and really music isnt just poorly writen peoms "sang" to off beat music that isnt really music because music requires actual instruments like drums (i play them) and guitar or better yet piano and a soul,i believe a truely great song comes from the soul which is why actual music will conquer over crap i mean rap any day, not a computer and a freaking program that tries to sound like something its not
  • Marley from Springfield, NjThe decline of music is here. It is a sad day when this terrible excuse for music tops the charts. I play guitar,piano and saxophone and feel very strongly about music and this excuse for a song makes me want to kill myself.
  • Jeanette from Elkridge, MdI like this song. I like it even more now that it was redone into a hard rock/ punk song by a band called Absinthe. I't's on youtube, check it out!
  • Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaIt's the end of music. Music is no longer being created. This sh-t is noise, whiney, immiture, crappy, second hand, revolting f-cking noise. I can't believe it. Music really is dead.
  • Not Tellin' from Jersey City, NjIce-T dissed Soulja Boy, claiming that he destroyed hip-hop.
  • Jessie from Dallas, TxI hate this song. It's soooooo annoying! And I'm sorry to anyone who likes it but I hate it
  • Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiThis is the best song ever...If you think mindless, craptacular noise is music that is!
  • George from Calumet City, IlSoulja Boy and the success he's having is proof that music is dead.
  • Eugene from Minneapolis, MnThis is an awesomely bad song by far! I think deep down inside he knew this was going to be a smash. Now that he has a smash - there probably a hand of people out there that would love to smash his records!
  • Joe from Bellingham, WaThis is the most musically degrading pile of dog vomit you can scrape up from the bottom of the barrel. 100's of years in the future they'll look back at our generation and talk about how pathetic we must have been after listening to Dipsh*ts like "soulja boy" make up some homosexual dance and "song" that we seem to worship.
  • Shannon from Pittsburgh, Paok this song has absolutely no meaning at all, it means nothing, if someone can tell me what it means ill praise you
  • Dean from Sydney,Rubbish. Worst "song" to date. Soulja Boy is a toss.
  • Jqy from Houston, Utthe hell with all your rap it sux and it takes no talent in the next few years itll be dead anyways and metal is were its at not crap i mean rap and if you have something to say then say it
  • Allox from Qld, AustraliaWhat's so cool about this song is that it has hardly any instruments in it but that simple beat can make people dance. That's just cool. It's amazing how certain percussive instruments can make people dance in different ways.
  • Shiznit from Portland,i dont know why the heck this spent 7 whole weeks at #1. its just some guy talking nonsense, and bragging about his stupid queer dance.
  • Sydney from Nashville, Tnthis song is realy stupid, but it is soooooo popular, and, yes, realy, the only reason ppl. like it, is cause of the dance, but i like it.
    (-starts to dance the dance)
  • Kristin from Yaphank, NyThis song, and Justin Timberlakes "Lovestoned" are both on the CD now 26. In "Lovestoned" the word "ass" is censored. But this kid gets away with "Superman that ho." Let's be honest, that's just madness.
  • Tatyana from New Zealand, SingaporeThere is a lot of swearing and stuff like that I only noticed it when i listened very close to it.
  • Austin from Smallsville, NeThis is more of a ringtone song. I guarantee in ten years no one will talk about this song
  • Carlota from Ankara, TurkeyThis song is only popular because of the dance... but i guess it is still okay
  • Edward from Portland, MeA "song" like this is what causes many people to write off hip hop and rap as one huge cess pool. The "culture" represented by this young man's project is degraded, corrupt and low. I have heard hip hop and rap which I like and I appreciate the form. This is not music, it's a talentless, tasteless computer project by an immature boy. Check out the Urban Dictionary on line for the meaning behind the "lyrics".
  • Shelby from Long Island, Nyew this song sucks and its really disgusting...
  • Kenzi from Milwuakee, WiHE ROCKS OUT LOUND. YYYUUUUUUAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
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