Rapper Soulja Boy addressed criticism of his recent performance at the Crypto Ball in Washington, D.C., held ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The star-studded event, featuring performers such as Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross, brought together cryptocurrency executives and industry supporters to celebrate crypto policy shifts under the incoming administration.
In a fiery Instagram Live session, Soulja Boy explained his decision to perform, emphasizing financial motivations and downplaying political associations. “They paid me a bag,” he said. “Obama ain’t never put no money in my pockets. Kamala ain’t never put no money in my pockets. Trump put money in my pockets.” Soulja Boy clarified that the event was not directly affiliated with Trump, stating, “Trump wasn’t even there. It wasn’t even a Trump event. It was the Crypto Ball for crypto. And I’ll go again.”
However, the rapper also expressed frustration, claiming he felt misled about the event’s political overtones. “Them folks did try to trick me, though,” he admitted, referencing concerns about the association with Trump. Despite his remarks, Soulja Boy maintained that he saw the performance as a business opportunity and was not endorsing any political agenda.
The Crypto Ball, held at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, celebrated a shift in policy favoring the cryptocurrency industry, which had faced scrutiny during the Biden administration. Executives from companies like Crypto.com and Kraken attended the gala, marking what attendees described as a significant turnaround for the industry. Reuters reported that the event included cocktails, live music, and dancing under towering 62-foot columns, symbolizing the crypto industry’s recovery from recent turmoil, including the collapse of FTX.
The celebration reflects a broader alignment between the cryptocurrency sector and Trump’s administration, which has promised policies more favorable to the digital currency space.
