Rod Wave: Charting the Rise of a Soulful Rap Phenomenon
by Victor Oluwagbemi
Update:
- The Early Life of Rod Wave
- A Dive into Rod Wave’s Music Journey and Discography
- Rod Wave’s Top Hits
- Rod Wave on The Road: Concerts and Tours
- Personal Life of Rod Wave
- What to expect from Rod Wave in 2024?
Thumbnail: RodWaveChicago2023 by Wiknown77 (CC BY 4.0)
Transcending the barriers of rap with soulful singing, R&B features and exploring sensitive topics, Rod Wave has mastered his craft as a singer, rapper, and songwriter. Recently, the musician has become one of the most consistent voices in the industry, dominating the Billboard 200 albums chart with every release.
The Early Life of Rod Wave
The story of Rod Wave, real name Rodarius Marcell Green, is one of rags to riches. He was born and raised in the Sunshine City, St. Petersburg, Florida. Growing up in streets filled with crime, violence, and poverty, Rod’s childhood took a drastic turn before middle school when his father got arrested for gun charges and witness intimidation.
His family, once comfortable with the wealth his father amassed from the streets, struggled financially after his arrest. A young Rodarius faced these difficulties, engaging in illegal activities like breaking into cars and houses. His escapades quickly got him behind in juvenile detention for shooting another teenager in the foot.
Displeased with Rod’s path upon release, his father encouraged him to explore music by buying him a microphone. In 10th grade, Rod began to write songs and record with his classmate and budding producer, Elijah Simmons.
Simmons inspired Rod’s stage name, saying, “People are going to ride your wave.” Today, the 25-year-old rapper channels his background while depicting universal stories of pain and hurt in his music.
A Dive into Rod Wave’s Music Journey and Discography
Rod Wave made his official debut in 2015 after releasing his mixtape Hunger Games Vol. 1. In 2018, he caught the attention of Alamo Records and was signed to the label. He is currently managed by Hit House’s Dereck Lane, a close friend of his father.
Rod’s big break came in early 2020 when his song “Heart on Ice”, released in 2019, went viral on TikTok and YouTube. The song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 charts at number 25, making it Rod Wave’s first top 40 entry.
In November 2019, Rod released his debut studio album, Ghetto Gospel, including the remix of “Heart on Ice” featuring Lil Durk. The album was executively produced by Kevin Gates, whom Rod credits as an inspiration for his honest storytelling and raw lyrics. Gates is also featured on the album in the songs “Cuban Links” and “Titanic”. With the 14-track album, Rod incorporates a new subgenre of rap: pain music. The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Following Ghetto Gospel, Rod has released five studio albums in four years. Only five months after his debut album, Pray 4 Love was released. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number 2. It granted Rod his spot on XXL’s 2020 Freshman Class. In 2021, the album Soulfly was released, and on it was Rod’s highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 11, “Tombstone”.
Rod followed Soulfly with the album Beautiful Mind in 2022, which he declared his “last sad-ass album.” With the release of Nostalgia, his fifth studio album in 2023, Rod becomes the third artist after Drake and Taylor Swift to have three Number Ones on the Billboard 200 albums chart since 2021. The album’s lead single, “Fight the Feeling,” lyrics, “Women, how'd you get so good at hiding your feelings? Pretending, pretending you're fine when really you're bending,” details a story of heartbreak and concealing pain.
In an industry filled with misogynistic tales of women, glorification of drug use, and gang violence, Rod Wave steps outside the norm by employing vulnerability and relatability in exploring issues of mental health, love, heartbreak, and success.
Beyond the studio, Rod Wave explores his art extensively on the stage, and for every Rod Wave album, there is usually a Rod Wave Tour. You can get the cheapest Rod Wave tickets at TicketX to catch the King of Hearts live. TicketX is the newest secondary ticketing platform providing the cheapest ways to get concert tickets.
Rod Wave’s Top Hits
Turk and Caicos, featuring 21 savage
Cold December
Heart On Ice
Rags2Riches
Boyz Don’t Cry
Rod Wave on The Road: Concerts and Tours
In 2015, Rod Wave had his very first performance at a football teammate’s birthday party. A video of Rod singing in their school’s hallway posted by his classmate and then producer, Simmons, had caught the attention of his teammates. Despite being initially shy and uncomfortable with publicly sharing music, Rod was surprised at the reaction to his music.
Fast forward to 2024, and Rod has just concluded his 2023 Nostalgia Arena Tour. A staple song on the tour’s setlist was “Street Runner.” Performed halfway through each concert with the crowd singing the Rod Wave street runner lyrics; “Street runner, gotta stop running sometimes. I'm in your city tonight, and these lights make me feel so inspired”.
At every stop on the Rod Wave Concert 2023, Rod Wave merch was available for sale. The merch includes hoodies, oversized tees, and t-shirts. Recently, Rod obtained a court order allowing law enforcement to seize counterfeit merchandise sold outside his Charlotte concert of the Rod Wave Tour 2023, regardless of the sellers.
Personal Life of Rod Wave
In 2020, Rod Wave welcomed twin daughters with his longtime girlfriend, Kelsey Dee Colman. When it comes to his personal life, Rod Wave is mysterious. In his mainstream career as a musician, Rod has given very few interviews. His music tells you everything you need to know. With it, Rod has been open about his struggle with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
What to expect from Rod Wave in 2024?
While there is no news of a Rod Wave new album yet, the possibility cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, fans can expect performance dates from Rod. This February, the rapper has two upcoming shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Ontario, Canada, on the 10th and 24th, respectively.
When it comes to getting the cheapest tickets for a Rod Wave concert, TicketX is your answer. TicketX offers the best ticket-selling and ticket-buying experience. It gives fans remarkably affordable ticket prices with consistent commission fees. In addition, music lovers and concertgoers have the opportunity to score major savings with promo codes that offer a 10% discount on your first ticket purchase.
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