Could Soulja Boy Really Have Another Big Comeback?

In January 2019, Soulja Boy made a case on The Breakfast Clubabout why he had the biggest comeback of 2018 ahead of Meek Mill and Tyga, both of whom had recently released top-charting singles and albums.

“In order to have the biggest comeback, you have to come back with a massive hit,” Charlamagne tha God said in response to Soulja Boy’s claim.

Two year later, he may have found that viral hit with “She Make It Clap.” This March, Soulja created a dance for the song (the She Make It Clap Challenge) which is now taking over TikTok, with more than 3 million videos uploaded to the platform. It also reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Triller chart.

But is Soulja Boy’s recent success signaling another comeback?

As of now, the single is primarily finding traction on social platforms like TikTok, and he’ll need to cash in on the social media buzz for the YouTube and Spotify numbers to follow. He’s also facing ongoing legal issues that could stall a real comeback run. We’ll break down everything you need to know about another potential Soulja Boy comeback below.

Where has Soulja Boy been?

Soulja Boy has been in and out of the music industry in recent years, due to his ongoing legal issues. He has been on probation since 2014, after being convicted of carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle. In 2016, his probation was extended after police found weapons inside his home. By 2019, Soulja Boy appeared to be getting back on track with the release of new music and making headlines throughout his infamous press run on The Breakfast Club (“Draaaake?”) and Everyday Struggle. But things took a turn on March 15, 2019, when Soulja was arrested for violating his probation. According to reports, law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at Soulja’s home after a woman claimed he held her hostage in his garage. The responding cops said they found ammunition on the premises, which is a violation of the terms of his probation. In April 2019, the rapper was sentenced to 240 days in jail and 265 days of community service. In July 2019, he was released early after serving a little over three months in jail.

Soulja Boy started the She Make It Clap Challenge on TikTok in March 2020. On his personal TikTok account on March 15, Soulja uploaded his first video with the song and dance. Though Soulja did some of the moves that are part of the challenge today, it appears that he didn’t fully have the routine finalized just yet. Over the next week or so, Soulja Boy uploaded one video each day dancing around to the song. The video that popularized the dance was created by e.hoops hours after Soulja’s original video (the most-viewed videos use this dance). The trend was also boosted by services users, who transition into their uniforms on the “soldier” line of the song. By March 26, Soulja Boy had mastered the dance and shared a video to his 1.2 million followers.

How do you do the She Make It Clap Challenge?

The dance, while easy to learn, includes more moves than previous challenges like the Ski Challenge or the Buss It Challenge. To successfully do the dance, participants start off by saluting and then clapping along to the hook of Soulja’s song “She Make It Clap.” As the whistle effect begins, participants switch up the dance moves to make a punch-like motion in front of them, doing the Superman, and then another move like they’re swatting the air. If you’re still unclear about how to do the dance properly, Soulja Boy made an instructional video on YouTube, breaking it down step-by-step.

As of May 6, the She Make It Challenge has produced nearly 3 million videos on TikTok. And like many popular TikTtok trends, the She Make It Clap Challenge has caught the attention of many celebrities. Ciara, Lizzo, Aminé, and NCAA basketball player Sedona Prince are among the celebrities who have already hopped on the wave.

How successful is the song and challenge?

The She Make It Clap Challenge started to experience a meteoric rise on March 18, only three days after Soulja Boy’s first video. Three weeks later, on April 11, the trend reached new highs with nearly 200 million video views on the song each day. On April 24, “She Make It Clap” peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s US Top Triller chart. And today, the number of videos uploaded to TikTok and other social media platforms continues to multiply. According to TikTok, there have been more than 4.6 million creations of the dance, with more than 4.6 billion total views. Though the video is making rounds on the social platform, the song’s success on other streaming and social platforms isn’t translating quite as well so far, but it is picking up momentum. The official music video for “She Make It Clap” has 1.7 million views as of May 6. On Spotify, the track currently has 7.8 million streams.

So, could Soulja Boy really have another big comeback?

Soulja Boy previously claimed he had the biggest comeback of 2018, and the success of this challenge could be the beginning of another real comeback run. Of course, to do so, he’ll need to captialize on all the TikTok and social media attention and turn it into real streams (and revenue). He’ll also need to move past his legal issues (more on that below) and continue to make relevant songs and dance challenges. The “She Make It Clap” TikTok buzz is only the beginning if he wants a real comeback run. But it is worth noting that his latest accomplishment isn’t an anomaly. Since the beginning of his career in the early 2000s, Soulja Boy has gained a massive following on the internet by introducing his music with marketable dances and viral trends online. Way back in 2007, Soulja released “Crank That” with an accompanying dance demonstration video, spawning one of the biggest dances crazes since the “Macarena.” And since then, he’s always figured out how to make the most of internet platforms, whether it’s trolling Limewire, making millions on ringtones, dominating MySpace, or figuring out how to make the most of YouTube before other rappers caught on. It only makes sense he would use TikTok to his advantage, too.

What about the allegations and legal issues?

Soulja Boy may be having a moment on TikTok, but he’s also currently facing a series of very serious allegations that could prevent him from achieving more success. In January 2021, Soulja was sued for sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and infliction of emotional distress by a woman who claims to be his former personal assistant. According to court documents, the woman said Soulja began acting violently toward her in January 2019, detailing an argument they had in a car. The woman claims Soulja sexually assaulted her for the first time in February 2019. During one of the final incidents, the lawsuit claims Soulja Boy locked her in a room for three days and repeatedly raped her. She also says the rapper would “punch, kick and body slam” out of jealousy. Additionally, she says she was not paid for the wages that were promised as the terms of her 18 months working for Soulja. In a statement to TMZ, Soulja Boy responded, “I vehemently and unequivocally deny these allegations. I am in contact with my legal team and the appropriate legal action will be taken against these lies.” This isn’t the first time Soulja Boy has faced a lawsuit like this, either. In January 2020, he was sued by another woman for assault, battery, and false imprisonment.