Recording artist and entrepreneur DeAndre Cortez Way, better known under the guise of Soulja Boy, has announced his intentions of starting his own esports organisation.
He has dabbled in the gaming industry for a modest amount of time and has now claimed streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has helped mentor him in the streaming and competitive side of video games.
Speaking to TMZ, he explained: “Honestly, I’m starting a gaming org in 2019. We’re going to be finding and hiring talent, I’m putting together a team for Fortnite, putting together a team for Call of Duty, putting together a team for Overwatch, Counter-Strike, all of that.”
Soulja Boy isn’t the only rapper who’s getting involved with the esports industry in recent times. World-renowned recording artist Drake was announced as an investor and co-owner of Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag’s organisation, 100 Thieves, earlier this year in October.
Earlier this month the recording artist starting selling his own branded games consoles, SouljaGame Console. In July, Soulja Boy competed in NerdOut’s Anything Goes competition – playing Fortnite against the likes of Ninja and Jacob “Hysteria” Reiser.
Esports Insider says: He conquered ‘cranking’ and now he’s looking to takeover the gaming industry, too. It’s hard not to see this move as solely business, but Soulja Boy has explained he’s been gaming for as long as he can remember so perhaps it’s just natural. Starting a functioning, successful, and profitable business in this industry is a tall task so let’s hope he does his homework and calls upon some experienced figures to make things work. Best of luck, Mr. Boy.