Concert Review: Soulja Boy

May 1st, 2025 by Liz Kosik

by Genevieve Torkornoo ‘25

Soulja Boy is a popular rap artist from the early 2000s. His Swag Tour experience took place at the Baltimore Soundstage, a small concert hall with a capacity of about 1,000 people. The venue definitely created an intimate experience for both the artist and the fans.

The concert doors opened at 7 p.m., but Soulja Boy didn’t go on until 9:45. Two hours and no Soulja Boy? You might ask, how is that possible? Soulja Boy wanted to create a hype experience for his fans while also showcasing some smaller rappers and DJs that people may not know. That being said, he had five openers: DJ Mighty, Phizzals, Jaymoney Hackett, S.O.D., and another DJ to close it off.

The openers did an amazing job getting the crowd excited—leading chants, creating waves with phone lights, interacting with the audience, and playing music they knew the crowd would love. The last DJ was my favorite. He started off with 2000s hits, evoking the same nostalgia that Soulja Boy’s music brings. He kicked things off with “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO—anyone who knew me growing up would hate being around me when that song played, lol! I was obsessed. After that, they played “Hotel Room Service” by Pitbull, “Die Young” by Kesha, “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, and “Baby” by Justin Bieber. The last two songs had the entire crowd singing every word.

The atmosphere was electric. The small venue gave the concert the vibe of a lively bar. When Soulja Boy finally hit the stage, the crowd was more than ready. He immediately launched into his set with full energy, interacting with the audience by hanging out with different sections and even taking videos and selfies with fans using their phones. He performed all of his classics, from “Pretty Boy Swag” to “Crank That” and “Kiss Me Through the Phone,” even bringing back the sagging jeans style in the process.

Overall, Soulja Boy delivered a fun experience for his fans. He also promoted his new app, stating that 20 people who downloaded it during the concert would get a meet-and-greet and a signed T-shirt.

A few things I didn’t enjoy as much: the wait to actually see Soulja Boy. Two hours is a long time, especially compared to other concerts I’ve attended, which typically have one-hour waits at most. By the time he came out, I was already a bit exhausted. The lights were also extremely blinding. If strobe lights are a problem for you, I would not recommend this concert. There were several moments when I had to look away because the lights were so bright.

Lastly, I didn’t enjoy the smoking culture that was present. It really ruins the experience for non-smokers and is extremely uncomfortable. I found it strange that so many vapes made it inside, considering Soundstage is a smoke-free venue. Overall, the experience was amazing. Being able to see Soulja Boy perform his hits and some of his newer material brought good vibes and lots of nostalgic memories

photos by Eisa Abu-Sbaih ‘25