Soulja Boy apologizes for slamming U.S. Army (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rapper Soulja Boy apologized on Tuesday for lyrics that offended some U.S. Army soldiers, but media outlets reported that stores run by the military will not carry his new album because of the song.

Soulja Boy, in a video posted online for a song called "Let's Be Real," rapped the lyrics "Fuck the FBI and fuck all the Army troops/Fighting for what?/Bitch be your own man."

Soulja Boy backed away from his lyrics in the song "Let's Be Real," in a blog post on Tuesday at GlobalGrind.com, a website founded by hip hop mogul Russell Simmons.

"When I expressed my frustration with the U.S. Army, not only did my words come out wrong, I was wrong to even speak them," Soulja Boy wrote in the post.

The 21-year-old rapper, whose given name is DeAndre Cortez Way, first gained fame with online postings of his songs and his "Crank That" dance demonstration.

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Shrader, a spokesman for military retail network, The Exchange, told celebrity website TMZ that because of the controversy, Soulja Boy's upcoming album "Respect My Hustle" will not be carried in Exchange stores.

But the Exchange, which is formerly known as the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, will reconsider the ban if the song "Let's Be Real" is cut from the album, TMZ reported.

Shrader could not be reached for comment late on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)

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Soulja Boy not buying jet: spokesman (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Rap star Soulja Boy is not buying a private plane, despite a report that he was shelling out $55 million for a tricked-out G5 jet, his spokesman said on Friday.

The celebrity website TMZ.com had reported the performer of such tracks as "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" and "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" bought the jet as a birthday present for himself. Soulja Boy turned 21 on Thursday.

"The elaborate rumors circulating about Soulja Boy purchasing a jet for his 21st birthday are grossly over exaggerated and are not true," spokesman Greg Miller said in a statement.

Soulja Boy, whose given name is DeAndre Cortez Way, recently borrowed a billionaire's private jet, but he has no immediate plans to buy one, said one source near the rapper.

The identity of the actual jet owner was not clear.

The Web savvy Soulja Boy first gained fame with online postings of his songs and his "Crank That" dance demonstration. He plans to celebrate his 21st birthday at a star-studded party in a Miami nightclub on Friday night.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)

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