As mentioned elsewhere, I covered Wango Tango 2009. I also mentioned a “fiasco” that occurred at this event. Cliffs notes version? I had fabulous interviews with some of music’s biggest names… and then, the tapes went missing.
But as the cliche saying goes, memory lives in the heart (not on digibeta tapes.) So now I’ll share so that memory can also live in this blog.
My friend Anand told me about how Jay-Z was speaking highly of the Soulja Boy song, “Turn My Swag On” during a recent trip to Vegas. Obviously, I used this information as the opener with Mr. Tell ‘Em… and he started talking about what an honor it was to have a big player like Mr. Z listening to him. Before we move on from the subject, I had a confession to make…
I don’t really have street cred, and therefore, didn’t really know what “swag” meant. So I asked Soulja for help, and he showed off all the bling. A watch with enough diamonds to finance a 3rd world country, a Louis Vuitton scarf, etc. He then tried to show me that I had swag… but then realized I don’t rock accessories (minus a “celebrity-loved” bracelet I had been given by this company in the gifting suite. I’m still wearing it.)
Moving on, we have some real talk about music, future record, collaborations, etc… but the things that really stand out? My lame questions. We talk about his single “Kiss me Through the Phone.” I ask him if he actually does that. He said yes. He asked if I did? I said I never had. I asked if he could teach me. I pulled out my iPhone. He told me to kiss. I did. He then called me out and said I didn’t call anyone and therefore just kissed myself.
Before I left, I also had to ask him about “Crank That.” Mostly because I remember my younger teen cousin Noddy dancing around the house when I visited NY once. I asked Soulja Boy if he performs it when he’s on stage. He said he retired it, that he let’s the crowd do it instead. I told him I really wanted to see it. He didn’t wanna do it. He’s Soulja Boy, so I guess he doesn’t have to? Anyway. I tell him I wanted to learn, so he gets his boy, JBAR, to teach me. I don’t think I’m very good, but this is all on camera with like all the other media folk watching, so I try my best. Oh yeah, I give Soulja Boy the TV Guide mic while I try this dance, and as predicted, he starts commentating on my skills like he’s Doug Collins courtside at an NBA game. I feel so critiqued! Especially when I get my score… 3 out of 10! I was like, “WTF?!” Then Soulja Boy asks if it was my first time trying it, I say yes (though that was probably a lie…I’m sure I’ve tried it once somewhere else,) and then he increases my score to a 5 outta 10.
We hug it out at the end, and it’s all good. No hard feelings. I’m a fan of his personality. And now I get a little more excited when I hear I his songs while I’m out, it’s like we have a connection or something.
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