Rod Wave

Born Rodarius Green on August 27, 1998, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Rod Wave's mix of soulful R&B, melodic hip-hop, and autobiographical lyrics proved to be a winning combination in 2019, when he kicked off his career with six gold-certified singles and two platinum-selling smashes. Encouraged by his father to pursue music, he began releasing a series of mixtapes while still a teenager, issuing 2017's Rookie of the Year as an independent artist before signing with Alamo Records in 2018. His debut single for the label, "Heart on Ice," was released the following year and became a viral hit. It stormed the Billboard charts, too, peaking at Number 25 on the Hot 100 and earning double-platinum status. Rod Wave enjoyed a number of additional hits that same year, going platinum once again with "Green Light" and "Brace Face." This success culminated in the 2019 release of his debut album, Ghetto Gospel, which peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard 200 and Number 5 on the Top Rap Albums chart. Only four months later, Rod Wave returned with a second album, Pray 4 Love. A Number 1 hit on the rap album charts, Pray 4 Love was as melancholic as its predecessor, with Rod Wave singing in a pained voice about crime, heartbreak, and other struggles. Despite its downcast content, the album spawned another handful of hit singles, including Rod Wave's double-platinum collaboration with Lil Baby, "Rags2Riches," and the Top 40 rap anthem "Girl of My Dreams." The SoulFly album followed in March 2021, debuting at Number 1 on three different Billboard charts — including the all-genre Top 200 — and featuring the singles "Street Runner" and "Tombstone." The prolific artist returned in November 2021 with the single “By Your Side,” which was followed in January 2022 by the single “Cold December.” After the release of two more singles – “Stone Rolling” and “Alone” – Rod Wave released his fourth album and third studio Beautiful Mind, in August 2022, which became his second Billboard 200 chart-topper while his fourth studio album, Nostalgia, released in 2023, became his third consecutive number-one album in the US. The LP boasted a number of guest contributors, including 21 Savage, Wet, and Sadie Jean. It was followed in 2024 by Last Lap, ranked No. 1 in the R&B/Hip-hop charts and No. 2 in the Billboard 200, with collaborations of Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Rylo Rodriguez and Wild Rivers.