Videos by According2HipHop
Soulja Boy is once again reminding fans how ambition and hustle fueled one of hip-hop’s biggest viral hits. In a recent statement, the rapper revealed that he created Crank That (Soulja Boy) with a very specific goal in mind: making enough money to buy the coveted “Flint” Air Jordan 13 sneakers.
According to Soulja Boy, the motivation behind the record wasn’t fame or chart success—it was access. At the time, he was a young artist chasing both financial freedom and the lifestyle he admired, and the sneakers symbolized that next level. What started as a means to an end quickly became a cultural phenomenon, launching dance trends, dominating the charts, and reshaping how music spread online.
Released in 2007, “Crank That” went on to become a defining moment of the internet era in hip-hop, but Soulja Boy’s story highlights how humble motivations can spark massive impact. What began as a plan to cop a pair of Jordans ultimately changed his life—and the direction of viral music—forever.
Soulja Boy says he created ‘Crank That’ so he could afford to buy the “Flint” Air Jordan 13 😳 pic.twitter.com/QO0PvKM7MK
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) January 22, 2026
