Soulja boy tol' Em - Saint Louis Art Museum

Soulja boy tol' Em by Troy Lamarr Chew II

Troy Lamarr Chew II, American, born 1992; Soulja boy tol' Em, 2021; oil on canvas; 48 x 36 inches; Private Collection 2023.252; © Troy Lamarr Chew II

Gallery Text

Troy Chew II,
born Los Angeles, CA 1992

Soulja boy tol’ Em, 2021
oil on canvas

Superman’s alter-ego Clark Kent sits on his couch, tie askew, reading a copy of Vogue with rapper Soulja Boy (born 1990) on the cover. The cartoon characters Rick and Morty look over his shoulder, apparently shocked by what they are seeing. Drawing on the tradition of Surrealism, this dream-like image can only be understood through rap music and viral social media. Soulja Boy’s 2007 song “Crank That” included lyrics comparing dancers to Superman. The inclusion of Rick and Morty in the painting alludes to the viral TikTok dance challenge performed to the rapper’s song “Rick and Morty. ”

Private Collection 2023.252

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Listen to “Crank That” by Soulja Boy

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LYRICS / “Crank That” by Soulja Boy

Explicit language contained in the lyrics below.

Soulja boy I tell ’em
Ayy, I got a new dance for y’all called the Soulja Boy
You just gotta punch then crank back three times from left to right

Soulja Boy off in this ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Then Superman that ho
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch

Soulja boy up in this ho
Watch me lean and watch me rock
Superman that ho
Then watch me crank that Robocop
Super fresh, now watch me jock
Jocking on them haters man
When I do that Soulja Boy
I lean to the left and crank that thang, now

I’m jocking on your bitch ass
And if we get the fighting
Then I’m cocking on your bitch ass
You catch me at your local party
Yes I crank it everyday
Haters getting mad ’cause
I got me some bathing apes

Soulja Boy off in this ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Then Superman that ho
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch

I’m bouncin’ on my toes
Watch me supersoak that ho
I’m gonna pass it to Arab
Then he gon’ crank it up fo’ sho’
Haters wanna be me
Soulja boy, I’m the man
They be lookin’ at my neck
Sayin’ it’s the rubber band man (Man)

Watch me do it (Watch me do it)
Dance (Dance)
Let get to it (Let get to it)
Nope, you can’t do it like me
Ho, so don’t do it like me
Folk, I see you tryna do it like me
Man that shit was ugly

Soulja Boy off in this ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Then Superman that ho
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch

I’m too fresh, off in that ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Roosevelt
And super soak that Ho
Super soak that ho
Super soak that ho
Super soak that ho
Super soak that ho

I’m too fresh, now watch me do it
Watch me shuffle, watch me
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Now Superman
Superman, do it
Superman, do it

Soulja Boy off in this ho
Watch me crank it, watch me roll
Watch me crank that Soulja Boy
Then Superman that ho
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch me (Crank that Soulja Boy)
Now watch