June 28, 2010 was the day that I had the honor of covering the birthday party of the internationally known “pretty boy” Soulja Boy a.k.a DeAndre Way. Soulja Boy has over two million followers, and is widely known for his dance song “Crank Dat Soulja Boy.” So, when I had first heard that I got this opportunity I was stoked, but then I was told it was an event only for people 21 and over (even though Soulja Boy is only 20), and I was only going to be able to do the red carpet.
But that all still sounded cool, and I was prepared for a “swagged-out” time. I didn’t think I would be able to get anyone else in either, so I had to switch into my lone-wolf mode and go in and get the photos on this cold night.
When I arrived at “The Highlands” in Hollywood, there was a long line outside the club; people were waiting for the party to start. I got to walk right past them through the side and go to the press check in. My dad was with me, and they brought me two press passes, one for me and one for my father. I had no idea they would do that; I would have brought a friend you know? But he wasn’t prepared for all that, so he just went back to his car.
Before I got over to the red carpet, they gave us a press release with all the information about the event. Soulja Boy’s party was the first event that was being streamed live to cell phones, thanks to “Stream Weaver” and “Swagg Media.” It was available via pay-per view for just $2.99. The fact that this event was the first one streamed lived to cell phones made me realize how big it really was. I’m sure they’ve had the technology for some time now, but they decided to pull it out for the first time, just for Soulja Boy’s birthday. This new technology will be sure to change how life’s news travels now, well, for cell phones at least.
Once I got inside and in front of the red carpet, I was surprised to find out that almost everyone had their own camera crew. Even the few photographers who were there alone had a nice big camera to keep them company and they knew many people there already. I was the youngest of them all, with my mom’s small silver camera.
Overall the experience of being there and taking pictures was great. When Soulja Boy finally arrived (an hour after it started), it was very hard to get a picture of him, especially with my “old-n-busted” camera. But I got the job done. I also got to meet Lil B a.k.a Based God of “The Pack,” and I saw many other celebrities.
At the end of the night, or my night, I decided to see what the party looked like, I was able walk into the party, stay and cover the whole event. And I’m only 16. But, my back was hurting, and my legs were aching, and I really wasn’t prepared for how hard the work was; so, I went home but it is definitely something I would do again.
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