Rod Wave Biography – Life Story Behind ‘Heart on Ice

Rod Wave Biography and Career Facts

Rod Wave’s Early Life in St. Petersburg, Florida

Rodarius Marcell Green grew up in St. Petersburg, a city on Florida’s Gulf Coast. His parents separated while he was still in elementary school, and his father spent time in prison during his childhood. Money was tight, and the family moved through some of the city’s toughest neighborhoods.

Music became an outlet early on. Green started singing around fifth grade and later attended Lakewood High School, where he kept performing for other students. Those early years, shaped by hardship and music, later became the backbone of his songwriting style.

How Rod Wave Started His Music Career

Green began recording music seriously around 2016, releasing his first mixtape, Hunger Games Vol. 1, under the name Rod Wave. He kept putting out independent projects over the next few years, slowly building a following in the Tampa Bay area.

Everything changed in 2019. His song “Heart on Ice” went viral on YouTube and TikTok. It reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a platinum certification from the RIAA. That single landed him a deal with Alamo Records. It turned him from a local artist into a name people across the country were searching for.

Rod Wave’s Major Albums and Billboard 200 Achievements

Rod Wave released his debut studio album, Ghetto Gospel, on November 1, 2019. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, giving him his first taste of mainstream chart success. The momentum carried straight into 2020.

His second album, Pray 4 Love, arrived in April 2020 and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. The album included “Rags2Riches” featuring Lil Baby, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of his biggest singles to date. That same year, XXL named him part of its 2020 Freshman Class, and Sony Music Publishing signed him to a global co-publishing deal.

SoulFly followed in March 2021 and gave Rod Wave his first number one album on the Billboard 200. Tracks like “Street Runner,” “Tombstone,” and “Richer” with Polo G all reached the top 20 on the Hot 100. Beautiful Mind (2022) and Nostalgia (2023) kept the streak going, both debuting at number one.

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His sixth studio album, Last Lap, came out on October 11, 2024, through Alamo Records and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Across his catalog, Rod Wave has sold roughly 65 million digital copies in the United States. That places him among the highest certified artists in the country.

Rod Wave’s Role in the Hip Hop and R&B Scene

Rod Wave’s sound blends hip hop and R&B with a heavy, emotional vocal delivery, a style often described as “soul-trap.” His work sits alongside artists like Lil Baby, Kevin Gates, and Polo G, but his focus on melody and raw, personal lyrics sets him apart from more straightforward rap acts.

Having six straight albums land in the top ten of the Billboard 200, with three reaching number one in a row, puts him in a small group of artists who can repeat that kind of run. His fan base grew largely through viral moments on TikTok and YouTube, showing how a single song can still launch a long career in the streaming era.

Rod Wave’s Personal Life and Public Profile

Rod Wave keeps most of his personal life away from the spotlight. He has spoken openly in interviews about his father’s incarceration and the financial struggles his family faced while he was growing up, themes that show up repeatedly in his music.

In 2025, he released “Sinners,” the lead single from the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The music video featured actors Michael B. Jordan and Woody McClain, marking one of his most visible crossovers into film. He continued touring through late 2025 and into 2026, including dates in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Rod Wave’s Net Worth and Music Industry Deals

Public estimates place Rod Wave’s net worth in the multi-million dollar range, built mainly through album sales, streaming royalties, and touring. His 2020 co-publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing also added a steady income stream tied to his growing catalog.

Because net worth figures from different sites vary widely, readers looking for a detailed financial breakdown should check a dedicated net worth article rather than rely on a single number here.

Rod Wave’s Career Timeline and Key Moments

Editorial Note

This article draws on public career records, official label announcements, Billboard chart data, and reputable music news outlets. Some personal details about Rod Wave remain private, so this biography focuses on confirmed career milestones and publicly shared information.

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Why Rod Wave’s Billboard 200 Run Keeps Fans Searching for His Story

Rod Wave’s path from a viral TikTok moment to six consecutive top ten albums explains why his name keeps showing up in biography searches. Few artists turn one breakout single into a decade-long run of chart success, and his story still feels connected to the struggles he raps about.

From “Heart on Ice” to “Sinners,” Rod Wave’s catalog shows an artist who built a career on consistency and honesty rather than reinvention. That combination of relatable lyrics, steady album releases, and crossover moments into film keeps his biography relevant for both longtime fans and new listeners discovering his music.