Jump to content

Rod Wave

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rod Wave
Headshot of Wave against a natural backdrop of structures
Rod Wave in 2020
Background information
Birth nameRodarius Marcell Green
Born (1998-08-27) August 27, 1998 (age 26)
Saint Petersburg, Florida, US.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
DiscographyRod Wave discography
Years active2016–present
Labels
Children2
Websiteofficial-rodwave.com

Rodarius Marcell Green (born August 27, 1998),[1][2] known professionally as Rod Wave, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Signed to Alamo Records, Green is known for his strong voice and incorporation of hip hop and R&B,[3] having been recognized as a pioneer of "trap-soul."[4][5] Green rose to prominence with his 2019 single "Heart on Ice," which first went viral on TikTok before peaking at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] The song preceded his debut studio album, Ghetto Gospel (2019), which peaked at number ten on the US Billboard 200.[7] His second album, Pray 4 Love (2020), peaked at number two on the chart and included the song "Rags2Riches" (remixed featuring Lil Baby), which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1][8]

His third, fourth, and fifth studio albums: SoulFly (2021),[9] Beautiful Mind (2022),[10][11] and Nostalgia (2023),[12] each debuted atop the Billboard 200 and received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The latter spent multiple weeks at the position, while the former spawned his highest-charting singles, "Street Runner" and "Tombstone"—both of which peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Along with critical praise for his soulful delivery and lyrics, Green's commercial success matched the numbers of Taylor Swift as the only musical act to release a new chart-topping solo album within each of the previous three years.[13][14] Green's sixth studio album, Last Lap (2024) debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, marking Green's seventh consecutive top ten album, and making him the only artist other than Swift to chart a top ten album each year from 2019 to 2024.[15] The album also spawned Green's second highest charting song "25".

Green has sold 65 million digital copies in the United States, ranking him among the highest certified artists in the United States. He has been nominated for one American Music Award, one Billboard Music Award, and one iHeartRadio Music Award. Green's Nostalgia was listed among the top-earning projects released through Sony Music.[16] Billboard Boxscore reported that Green was the 21st highest-grossing touring rapper of all time, with $36 million from 31 shows.[17]

Early life

Rodarius Marcell Green was born on August 27, 1998, in Saint Petersburg, Florida.[2] During his elementary school years, Green experienced a challenging family situation when his parents divorced, and his father subsequently ended up in jail. Struggling with financial difficulties, his family found it challenging to provide the necessary support. As a result, Green turned to the streets as a means to make a living. Unfortunately, this led him down a troubled path, involving multiple stints in juvenile centers and engagement in various illicit activities such as drug dealing, robbery, burglary, and possession of firearms.[18] Green attended Lakewood Elementary School in Saint Petersburg, FL, and was selected for All-State Elementary Chorus in 2009 and 2010.[19] He continued to perform in front of his fellow students at Lakewood High School.

Following his father Rodney "Fatz" Green's incarceration, Fatz's close friend, Derek "Uncle Dee" Lane played a major role in his life before he was eventually arrested and sentenced to a year in prison a year after Fatz.[19] Upon his father's release from jail, he recognized the destructive lifestyle his son was entangled in. Determined to steer Wave in a more positive direction, his father took a proactive approach, resulting in Green joining the high school football team. He encouraged Green to channel his energy into music, recognizing its potential to transform his life. In support of this newfound passion, Fatz purchased a microphone, while his brother contributed by buying him a computer. Equipped with these tools, Green was provided with the means to redirect his life towards a more positive and constructive path.[19] After the release of Lane, he and Fatz came together to found the entertainment company and record label, Hit House Entertainment, to support Green before he eventually signed to Alamo Records.[18]

Career

2015–2020: Early mixtapes, Ghetto Gospel, and Pray 4 Love

Green's career began in 2015, with the release of Rookie of the Year and his Hunger Games mixtape trilogy, the latter two of the series released under Alamo Records, which Green signed with in 2018. On June 14, 2019, he released his mixtape PTSD, which included the song "Heart on Ice". The song went viral on YouTube and TikTok, peaking at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6][20] From July to October 2019, Green appeared as a supporting act on Kevin Gates' I'm Him Tour.[21] During Green's interview with XXL, he spoke about how going on tour with Gates helped him grow as an artist: "When I was on tour with you, it was fun seeing the world, and I learned how big the world was. Being stuck in a bubble and stuck in a market, you feel me, it kinda made me more humbler because it's like it's a whole 'nother side of the world that don't even know who you is".[22]

His debut album, Ghetto Gospel, executively produced by Kevin Gates was released on November 1, 2019.[22] It was preceded by three singles, "Heart on Ice (Remix)" featuring Lil Durk,[23] "Cuban Links" featuring Kevin Gates,[24] and "Close Enough to Hurt".[25] The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200.[7] Following the release of the album, in January 2020, Green announced his twenty-two stop United States Ghetto Gosepl Tour, starting on March 3, 2020, in Augusta, Georgia, and concluding on April 3, in St. Petersburg, Florida, in support of his album.[26]

On April 3, 2020, Green released his second full-length studio album, Pray 4 Love. The album was preceded by six singles, "Dark Clouds",[27] "Thug Motivation",[28] "Thief in the Night",[29] "Pray 4 Love",[30] "The Greatest",[31] and "Girl of My Dreams".[32] The album debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. Several songs from the album entered the Billboard Hot 100, including "Rags2Riches" featuring ATR Son Son,[33][34] which peaked at number 12 on the Hot 100 and became his highest-charting song. On April 6, Rod Wave was selected by music streaming service Audiomack as the first artist in their "Up Now" emerging artist program. "Audiomack has been helping me get my music out there from the very beginning before people really knew who I was," the artist told Audiomack. "Continuing to work together with them is part of staying true to my core fans as I take the next step of the journey".[35] On May 18, it was announced that Green signed a global co-publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing (formerly Sony/ATV publishing).[36] In an interview with Billboard, Green expressed that his decision to sign with Sony stemmed from his goals of writing movie scripts in the future, while also announcing the release of a deluxe edition of Pray 4 Love to release on August 7, while also stating his plan for the release of his third album, to release on the 27th of the same month.[1] The deluxe edition released as planned with additional features from Yo Gotti and Lil Baby.[37] On August 11, 2020, Wave was included on XXL's 2020 Freshman Class.[38]

2021–2022: SoulFly, Beautiful Mind, and Jupiter's Diary: 7 Day Theory

Green performing in Pittsburgh during his Beautiful Mind Tour, 2022.
Green performing in Pittsburgh during his Beautiful Mind Tour, 2022.

In January 2021, Green shared the album's cover art on his Instagram while calling out Alamo Records for not paying him, stating that he wouldn't release the album until he'd get paid.[39] He revealed the track list for his album SoulFly on March 6, 2021. The album was released as planned on March 26, 2021, and was preceded by three singles, "Street Runner",[40] "Tombstone", and "Richer" featuring Polo G.[41] While being the most pre-saved album on Apple Music for two weeks,[42] SoulFly debuted atop the Billboard 200, marking Green's first chart-topper, moving 130,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[9][43] On April 8, Green performed "Tombstone" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[44] In May 2021, it was announced by the NMPA that Rod Wave was the biggest artist-songwriter in Q1 of 2021 with ten certifications, in the US.[45] On August 20, Green released the deluxe edition of SoulFly, featuring guest appearances from Lil Durk and Kodak Black.[46] Following the release of the deluxe, the album returned to the top ten of the Billboard 200 at #3. In support of the album, Green would embark on a thirty-six-stop tour throughout the United States, presented by Rolling Loud and Live Nation as the first tour under the new joint venture.[47] The tour began on August 27, 2021, in Houston, Texas, and concluded on October 23 in Seattle, Washington.[47]

On November 14, Green released the single "By Your Side" as the lead single from his fourth full-length studio album, Beautiful Mind.[48] The single, "Cold December" was released on January 17, 2022.[49] On May 1, Green released "Sorry 4 The Wait", a remix to Future's "Wait for U". Alongside the release of the track, Green announced the release of Beautiful Mind for June 3, 2022.[50] However, the album failed to be released on time, resulting in fans complaining on social media.[51] The single "Stone Rolling" was released on July 27.[52] On August 5, Green appeared as a guest appearance on "Home Ain't Home", the thirteenth cut of YoungBoy Never Broke Again's fourth studio album, The Last Slimeto.[53] "Alone" was released on August 8, just days prior to the release of Beautiful Mind, serving as the album's fourth and final single.[54] On August 10, Green released the album's tracklist, previewing features from Jack Harlow and December Joy.[55] Beautiful Mind was released on August 12, and debuted atop the Billboard 200, moving 115,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[10] The album marked Green's second consecutive #1 on the chart.[11] Following the release of the album, Green embarked on a twenty-five-stop tour, beginning on November 11, 2022, in Minneapolis, MN, and ending in Seattle, WA on December 21, 2022. The tour saw support from Toosii and Mariah the Scientist.[56]

On November 10, 2022, Rod Wave released "Break My Heart", the lead single for his eight-track EP, Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory.[57][58] The EP was released the following week, on November 18, 2022.[59] It would peak at #9 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking Rod Wave's fourth top ten debut at the time of its release and was the highest charting new release of the week ending December 4, 2022.[60]

2023-present: Nostalgia and Last Lap

On March 31, 2023, Rod Wave released "Fight the Feeling" as the lead single for his upcoming studio album.[61][62] It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.[63][64] Months later, on August 18, 2023, he released the album's second single, "Call Your Friends" which peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100.[65][66] This was followed by "Come See Me" on September 1, 2023, peaking at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100.[67][68][69] On the week of the album's release, Rod Wave released the last two singles of the project, "Boyz Don't Cry" and "Checkmate" on September 13, 2023, and September 14, 2023.[70][71][72] The two singles peaked at #25 and #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. On September 15, 2023, Rod Wave released his fifth full-length studio album, Nostalgia, which featured guest appearances from Wet, 21 Savage, and Sadie Jean.[73] The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, moving 137,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, marking Rod Wave's third #1 album.[12][13] The album remained at #1 on the chart in its second week, moving an additional 88,000 units.[74] Following the release of the album, Green embarked on his Nostalgia Tour, a thirty-five-stop arena tour in the United States.[75] The tour was supported by Ari Lennox, Toosii, G Herbo, and Eelmatic.[75] Following the release of the album, in Novmeber 2023, Green was faced with controversy as Baton Rouge, Louisiana rapper, Boosie Badazz accused Green of stealing his lyrics and sampling his music without paying him, stating that he plans to file a lawsuit against Green.[76] Despite Green stating that he'd pay Boosie,[77] the situation escalated and Boosie stated that he was going forward with the lawsuit.[78] On November 10, Green appeared as a guest appearance on "Better Than Ever", the seventh cut of YoungBoy Never Broke Again's twenty-first mixtape, Decided 2, being the only artist to feature on the project.[79]

On September 4, 2024, Rod Wave took to his Instagram to announce his 2024 Last Lap Tour in the United States, supported by Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior, and Eelmatic.[80] The thirty-six-stop tour shares the same name as Green's sixth full-length studio album, Last Lap.[81] On September 13, Rod Wave released the album's lead single, "Passport Junkie" which peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100.[82] On September 26, Green announced the release of his sixth full-length studio album, Last Lap to release on October 11.[83][84] The following day, he released the album's second single, "Fall Fast in Love" which peaked at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100.[85][86][87] On October 11, Green released Last Lap as planned featuring guest appearances from Be Charlotte, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Rylo Rodriguez, and Wild Rivers.[88] The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, moving 127,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, marking Green's seventh consecutive top-ten album, and making him the only artist other than Taylor Swift to chart a top ten album each year from 2019 to 2024.[15][89][90]

Artistry

Influences

Green has taken inspiration from a variety of artists such as Adele (left) and Tupac Shakur (right).

Green was raised on the sounds of E-40, Chingy, Boosie Badazz, Chief Keef, Kanye West, Kodak Black, and Kevin Gates.[91] In his April 2020 interview with Billboard, leading up to the release of Pray 4 Love, Green cited Tupac Shakur and Adele as two of his inspirations, noting that he can "hear everything she went through".[4] In his 2023 interview with Billboard, following the release of Nostalgia, Green cited Ed Sheeran as one of his favorite artists.[18] In the same interview, it was written that Adele and Ed Sheeran helped Green, "find his voice".[18]

Musical style

Green has been recognized for his "candor and shrewd ability to tug at listeners' heartstrings".[1] ABC News Radio's Rachel George noted that "music is a direct expression of Wave's life, which is why he's cautious yet open to working with other artists who share his passion".[92] In Green's interview with Ebro Darden on Apple Music, he went into depth behind the reasoning for his subject matter often surrounding pain, describing music as a sort of "therapy" for him:

I feel like when I first came on the scene, I had a lot of pain and just a lot of scars and stuff, and I just feel like, over the years, I done let a lot of it out and it was just therapy for me.[93]

His musical creativity and lyrics derive from his personal life, childhood, and romantic relationships.[18] Green's lyrics have been described as "soul grabbing" and his hooks have been described as "entrancing" by critics. His music seemingly is used to "express his heartbreak and inner turmoil" and he's praised for his ability to "hopscotch among genres" such as hip-hop, contemporary hip-hop, Southern hip hop, hip hop soul, alternative R&B, contemporary R&B, and trap.[18] Green also experiments with Gospel music is songs such as "Long Journey" and "Chip on My Shoulder".[94] Furthermore, he is known widely for his experimentation and implementations of samples in his music, such as "Already Won" sampling "Can You Stand the Rain" by New Edition, "Cold December" sampling "O.D.'d in Denver" by Hank Williams Jr., and "Crazy" sampling "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore, alongside several other tracks throughout his discography.[95]

2014–2016: Armed robbery and probation

In 2014, when Green was 15 years old, he was arrested following a break-in on 62nd Avenue S. Green admitted to stealing a .357 revolver from the home and using it to shoot another teen in the foot at Lake Vista Recreation Center. While incarcerated at the juvenile detention center, a counselor informed Green that he suffered from PTSD. Green spent months in and out of juvie and wore an ankle monitor to school. Despite rumors of an attempted murder charge, the case was later dropped after the victim of the shooting called it an "accident".[19]

In late 2016, Green was arrested after carrying a pellet gun to school in his backpack, resulting in the school being put on lockdown. Green pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed firearm and received probation for the misdemeanor.[96]

2022: Domestic violence

On May 1, 2022, Green was pulled over "after a traffic infraction occurred", leading to him being arrested by the St. Petersburg Police Department from an out-of-county warrant issued by Osceola County, Florida.[97][98] Reports surfaced claiming that Green was arrested on domestic violence charges and was facing a felony charge of domestic battery by strangulation, to which Green plead not guilty.[2][99] Green's lawyer later successfully persuaded the State prosecution to accept a Nolle Pross/No Info agreement which saw the charge dropped after a couple of weeks.[100][101]

2024: Weapons charges

In April 2024, Wave was arrested in Manatee County, Florida on two counts of illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon, with the case being related to a shooting that occurred on Easter Sunday outside the Sonic Sports Bar in St. Petersburg, Florida and saw four people injured.[102][103] In a press conference, members of the St. Petersburg Police Department claimed that the shooting was gang-related.[102] Three men tied to Wave were arrested on charges related to the shooting as well.[104] According to St. Petersburg Police Chief Mike Kovacsev, the three men tied to Wave who were apprehended (Christopher Atkins, Keith Westby, and Kevontre Wesby) are allegedly connected to the Young Gangsters gang, and two additional suspects were in the process of being arrested as well.[102] Though Kovacsev did not accuse Wave of being a gang member, he noted that the two residencies where the Young Gangsters gang members were captured were rented by Rod and that their getaway vehicle was registered to him as well.[102] However, Wave was soon released, as it determined information provided about him being a convicted felon was inaccurate.[97][104]

Personal life

Green has twin daughters with his long-time on-and-off girlfriend, Kelsey "Dee" Coleman.[105]

Discography

Tours

Headlining

Supporting

Awards and nominations

Year Organization Work Award Result
2021[106] American Music Awards SoulFly Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Album Nominated
2021[107] Billboard Music Awards Himself Top New Artist
2021[108] iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Hip-Hop Artist

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Lamarre, Carl (July 28, 2020). "Why Rod Wave Might Be Writing Movie Scripts One Day". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Coleman, C. Vernon (May 19, 2022). "Rod Wave Arrested For Battery By Strangulation". XXL. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  3. ^ McKinney, Jessica (April 3, 2020). "Rod Wave Recorded Alone in Dark Rooms For a Month to Make 'Pray 4 Love'". Complex. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Diep, Eric (April 6, 2020). "Love, Pain & Prayer: How Rod Wave Became Rap's Brightest Street Star". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  5. ^ Sacher, Andrew (November 20, 2021). "28 New Rap and R&B Songs Out This Week". Brooklyn Vegan. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  6. ^ a b McKinney, Jessica (March 26, 2020). "12 Songs Blowing Up on TikTok (That Are Actually Worth Listening to)". Complex. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Billboard 200 chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  8. ^ Trapp, Malcolm (July 3, 2024). "Rod Wave Confirms The Untimely Passing Of Uncle Dee: "I Love [You] So Much"". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (April 4, 2021). "Rod Wave Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'SoulFly'". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (August 21, 2022). "Rod Wave's 'Beautiful Mind' Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Sisario, Ben (August 22, 2022). "Rod Wave's 'Beautiful Mind' Is His Second No. 1 Album". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (September 24, 2023). "Rod Wave Scores Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With 'Nostalgia'". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Sisario, Ben (September 25, 2023). "Rod Wave, Stealth Rap Star, Has a Third No. 1 Album in Three Years". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  14. ^ "Rod Wave Racks Up 35 New RIAA Certs". Hits. August 22, 2024. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (October 22, 2024). "Rod Wave's Last Lap Debuts at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Peoples, Glenn (May 14, 2024). "Sony Music Revenue Up 17% in Fiscal Year, Tops Guidance". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  17. ^ Frankenberg, Eric (May 16, 2024). "These 25 Rappers Are the Top-Grossing Hip-Hop Touring Acts of All Time". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d e f Lamarre, Carl (December 8, 2023). "Rod Wave Talks Going 'From The Nosebleeds To The Franchise Player Of The Team With Three Rings'". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d Spata, Christopher (September 22, 2021). "How Rod Wave made it from St. Petersburg to music stardom". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  20. ^ A., Aron (June 14, 2019). "Rod Wave Bares His Soul On New Project "PTSD"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Young, Alex (July 30, 2019). "Kevin Gates announces 2019 "I'm Him Tour"". Consequence. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Seabrook III, Robby (October 31, 2019). "Rod Wave Salutes Kevin Gates for Motivating Him to Rap, Executive-Producing Ghetto Gospel Album". XXL. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Mench, Chris (April 9, 2020). "Chart Climber: Rod Wave Crests With "Heart On Ice"". Genius. Archived from the original on April 1, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  24. ^ A., Aron (October 11, 2019). "Rod Wave & Kevin Gates Drip In Gold On "Cuban Links"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on April 1, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  25. ^ A., Aron (October 23, 2019). "Rod Wave Drops Off "Close Enough To Hurt"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on April 1, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  26. ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (January 10, 2020). "Rod Wave Announces U.S. Tour". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  27. ^ Wang, Clara (August 29, 2021). "We Came for the Feels... and Rod Wave Delivered". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  28. ^ Saponara, Michael (January 15, 2020). "Rod Wave Narrates His Come Up With Inspiring 'Thug Motivation' Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  29. ^ Findlay, Mitch (March 2, 2020). "Rod Wave Drops Off New Single "Thief In The Night"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  30. ^ Holmes, Charles (March 18, 2020). "Nearly One Billion Streams Later, Rod Wave Is Still Praying For Love". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  31. ^ Mamo, Heran (April 2, 2020). "Rod Wave Knows What it Takes to Be 'The Greatest' in New Video, Shares 'Pray 4 Love' Track List". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  32. ^ Whitely, Ariel (May 9, 2020). "WATCH: Rod Wave Drops Official Visual For "Girl Of My Dreams"". Karen Civil. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  33. ^ Zellner, Xander (April 14, 2020). "Rod Wave Charts Eight Songs From 'Pray 4 Love' Album on Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  34. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (August 6, 2020). "Rod Wave's 'Rags2Riches' Becomes Second Song to Rule Both Top Triller Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  35. ^ "Audiomack Launches #UpNow Program Spotlighting Emerging Artists with Rod Wave". Audiomack World. April 6, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  36. ^ Eggertsen, Chris (May 18, 2020). "Rod Wave Signs Global Co-Publishing Deal With Sony/ATV". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  37. ^ Lamarre, Carl (August 7, 2020). "First Beat: New Music By Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Rod Wave & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  38. ^ Cline, Georgette (August 11, 2020). "XXL 2020 Freshman Class Revealed". XXL. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  39. ^ Williams, Aaron (February 1, 2021). "Rod Wave Says He Won't Release His Album Until His Record Label Pays Up". Uproxx. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  40. ^ Marie, Erika (January 8, 2021). "Rod Wave Is All About His Business On "Street Runner" Single". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  41. ^ Zellner, Xander. "Rod Wave Rules Hot 100 Songwriters Chart, Led by 'Tombstone' & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  42. ^ Blake, Emily (March 29, 2021). "Rod Wave's 'SoulFly' Continues to Lead Apple Music Pre-Add Chart". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  43. ^ Caramanica, Jon (April 13, 2021). "Rod Wave and Lil Tjay, Two Brands of Sing-Rap With Different Bite". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 25, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  44. ^ Zemler, Emily (April 8, 2021). "Rod Wave Gets Soulful With 'Tombstone' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  45. ^ Stassen, Murray (May 13, 2021). "Rod Wave was the biggest artist-songwriter in the US in Q1, with 10 certifications". Music Business Worldwide. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  46. ^ Price, Joe (August 20, 2021). "Rod Wave Drops Deluxe Edition of 'SoulFly' Album f/ Lil Durk and Kodak Black". Complex. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  47. ^ a b c Brooks, Dave (June 14, 2021). "Rod Wave Tour Kicking Off Rolling Loud's National Touring Company". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  48. ^ A., Aron (November 15, 2021). "Rod Wave Shares New Song "By Your Side"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  49. ^ Blanchet, Brenton (January 17, 2022). "Rod Wave Drops Video for New Single "Cold December"". Complex. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  50. ^ Powell, Jon (May 2, 2022). "Rod Wave announces new album 'Beautiful Mind'". Revolt TV. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  51. ^ Elibert, Mark (June 13, 2022). "Rod Wave Didn't Drop His Album & One Young Fan Is Pissed". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  52. ^ Darville, Jordan (July 28, 2022). "Rod Wave shares "Stone Rolling," announces release date for new album". The Fader. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  53. ^ Elibert, Mark (August 4, 2022). "NBA YoungBoy Enlists Quavo, Rod Wave + More For 'The Last Slimeto' Tracklist". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  54. ^ Paul, Larisha (August 9, 2022). "Rod Wave Narrates a Tragic Tale of Love and Loss in New 'Alone' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  55. ^ Provost, Rex (August 11, 2022). "Rod Wave Unveils "Beautiful Mind" Tracklist". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  56. ^ a b "Rod Wave at Fiserv Forum on Nov. 19". Fox 9. September 30, 2022. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  57. ^ Ech, Joey (November 18, 2022). "Roddy Ricch, Saweetie, Rod Wave and More – New Hip-Hop Projects". XXL. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  58. ^ First Class, DJ (November 10, 2022). "Rod Wave delivers new "Break My Heart" visual". Revolt. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  59. ^ William Cowen, Trace (November 18, 2022). "Rod Wave Releases 'Jupiter's Diary: 7 Day Theory' EP and "Got It Right" Video". Complex. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  60. ^ Sisario, Ben (November 28, 2022). "With No Major Releases to Challenge Her, Taylor Swift Sticks at No. 1". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  61. ^ McKinney, Jessica (March 31, 2023). "The Best New Music This Week: Tyler, The Creator, Quavo, DJ Drama, & More". Complex. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  62. ^ Cho, Regina (March 31, 2023). "Rod Wave is trying to "Fight The Feeling" in latest single". Revolt. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  63. ^ Cole, Alexander (March 31, 2023). "Rod Wave Flexes His Vocal Chops On "Fight The Feeling"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  64. ^ Gonzalez, Alex (March 31, 2023). "Rod Wave Shares A Story Of Hearbreak And Healing On His New Single, 'Fight The Feeling'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  65. ^ Cole, Alexander (August 18, 2023). "Rod Wave Pours His Heart Out On Gorgeous New Track "Call Your Friends"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  66. ^ Degrazia, Leah (August 18, 2023). "Rod Wave Reassesses His Priorities On New Song "Call Your Friends"". Genius. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  67. ^ Cole, Alexander (September 1, 2023). "Rod Wave Delivers Emotionally-Charged Track "Come See Me"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  68. ^ Kearns, Sarah (September 1, 2023). "Rod Wave Is in His Bag on New Single "Come See Me"". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  69. ^ Powell, Jon (September 1, 2023). "Rod Wave drops off new video for "Come See Me"". Revolt. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  70. ^ Partridge, Ken (September 13, 2023). "Rod Wave Sings Through His Pain On New Song "Boyz Don't Cry"". Genius. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  71. ^ Cole, Alexander (September 14, 2023). "Rod Wave Delivers Incredible Vocals On New Single "Checkmate"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  72. ^ Powell, Jon (September 18, 2023). "Listen to Rod Wave's new album 'Nostalgia'". Revolt. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  73. ^ Zellner, Xander (September 26, 2023). "All 18 Songs From Rod Wave's No. 1 Album 'Nostalgia' Chart on Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  74. ^ Caulfield, Keith (October 2, 2023). "Rod Wave's 'Nostalgia' Notches Second Week Atop Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  75. ^ a b c Inman, Demica (September 15, 2023). "Rod Wave Announces Nostalgia Tour With Ari Lennox". Vibe. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  76. ^ Fisher, Caroline (November 19, 2023). "Boosie Badazz Planning Rod Wave Lawsuit Over Allegedly Copied Song". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  77. ^ Brown, Preezy (November 21, 2023). "Rod Wave Offers To Pay Boosie Badazz To Avoid Sampling Lawsuit". Vibe. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  78. ^ Fisher, Caroline (November 29, 2023). "Boosie Badazz Announces Rod Wave Lawsuit Amid Sample Beef: "It's Too Late"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  79. ^ William Cowen, Trace (November 10, 2023). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Drops Decided 2, His Fourth Project This Year". Complex. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  80. ^ a b Saponara, Michael (September 4, 2024). "Rod Wave Announces 2024 Last Lap Tour With Moneybagg Yo & Toosii". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  81. ^ "Rod Wave announces Last Lap Tour with special guests across North America". The Express Tribune. September 5, 2024. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  82. ^ Zachary, Horvath (September 16, 2024). "Rod Wave Gears Up For New Tour & Album With "Passport Junkie"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  83. ^ Andriyashchuck, Yuriy (September 27, 2024). "Rod Wave to release "Last Lap" album on October 11". Hip-Hop Vibe. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  84. ^ Navjosh (September 27, 2024). "Rod Wave Drops New Single "Fall Fast In Love", Announces Last Lap Album Release Date". HipHop-N-More. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  85. ^ Morton, Devin (September 27, 2024). "Rod Wave Delivers New Single "Fall Fast In Love" Ahead Of Sixth Album". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  86. ^ Saponara, Michael (September 27, 2024). "Rod Wave Announces Last Lap Album Release Date & Drops Poignant "Fall Fast in Love" Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  87. ^ "Watch: Rod Wave Releases New Single & Video "Fall Fast In Love"". HipHop24x7. September 27, 2024. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  88. ^ Saponara, Michael (October 11, 2024). "Rod Wave Takes a Last Lap With New Album Featuring Lil Yachty & Lil Baby: Stream It Now". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  89. ^ Mendez, Marisa (October 21, 2024). "Rod Wave Debuts At No. 2 On Billboard 200 As GloRilla Scores Her Highest-Charting Album". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  90. ^ Trapp, Malcolm (October 21, 2024). "Rod Wave Ties Taylor Swift's Billboard 200 Chart Record With A Top 10 Album Every Year Since 2019". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  91. ^ III, Robby Seabrook (March 13, 2019). "The Break Presents: Rod Wave". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  92. ^ George, Rachel (July 28, 2020). "Rod Wave reveals the tracklist for the forthcoming deluxe version of 'Pray 4 Love'". ABC News Radio. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  93. ^ Walker, Joe (June 19, 2024). "Rod Wave Readies Emotional New Album: 'This Project Hurt So Bad'". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  94. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 6, 2023). "The 20 Best Albums of 2023". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 2165-1736. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  95. ^ Spencer, Tallie (September 18, 2023). "Rod Wave Speaks On Sampling Paramore In New Track "Crazy"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  96. ^ "Student, 18, arrested after bringing pellet gun to Lakewood High School". Tampa Bay Times. January 26, 2017. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  97. ^ a b Coleman, C. Vernon (April 3, 2024). "Rod Wave Arrested For Gun Possession". XXL. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  98. ^ Strauss, Matthew; Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (May 2, 2022). "Rod Wave Booked for Felony Battery by Strangulation". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  99. ^ Weber, Natalie (May 11, 2022). "St. Petersburg rapper Rod Wave choked ex-girlfriend while kids in house, arrest affidavit says". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on August 24, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  100. ^ Mier, Tomás (May 19, 2022). "'Heart on Ice' Rapper Rod Wave Choked Ex-Girlfriend, Arrest Record Shows". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  101. ^ Kaufman, Gil (May 3, 2022). "Rod Wave Arrested, Charged With Felony Battery By Strangulation". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  102. ^ a b c d Saponara, Michael (April 3, 2024). "Rod Wave Arrested on Weapons Charges as Police Accuse Him of Ties to Florida Gang Shooting". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  103. ^ Marrero, Tony; Wunderlich, Emily (April 3, 2024). "St. Petersburg rapper Rod Wave arrested on weapons charge in Manatee County". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  104. ^ a b Sloan, Kaycee (April 3, 2024). "Men with ties to Rod Wave linked to St. Pete shooting, police say". Channel 8. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  105. ^ Saponara, Michael (August 22, 2023). "Rod Wave Calls Out 'Square-A$$ Blog N-ggas' Over Cheating Claims". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  106. ^ Atkinson, Katie (November 21, 2021). "Here Are All the 2021 American Music Awards Winners: Updating Live". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  107. ^ Warner, Denise (May 23, 2021). "Here Are All the Winners From the 2021 Billboard Music Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  108. ^ Grein, Paul (April 7, 2021). "The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion & Roddy Ricch Lead 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards Nominees". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2024.