What is the Real Name of Rod Wave? His Age, Height, Net Worth
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Born Rodarius Marcell Green under the sign of Virgo, on 27 August 1998, in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, Rod Wave is a 25-year-old African-American rapper, singer and songwriter. He is most prominently recognized as a pioneer of the soul-trap genre, combining two music types that are seemingly alien to one another into a blend that has enchanted audiences worldwide. His most popular track “Fight The Feeling” has over 62 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and “Dark Clouds” more than 200 million views on YouTube. He’s enjoyed substantial success over the course of his music career since 2015.
Early life & education: Pushing through the pain
Rod was raised alongside an older brother in his birthplace, by their father Rodney ‘Fatz’ Green, a previously convicted felon, and their mother Charmaine, a cable company employee. His parents disagreed on almost everything, which led to fierce arguments and an eventual divorce while he was still only a child. The family also faced financial difficulties, which pushed him toward illegal activities for income. He was involved in various criminal affairs, including drug dealing, robbery, and breaking into properties, resulting in several arrests during his adolescence. Two of these were for carrying a weapon, one of which occurred on school property.
Throughout all these struggles, music became a beacon of hope and transformation for young Wave, as he fortunately discovered this passion early on, starting to sing in elementary school. After being released from prison, Rod’s father recognized his child’s potential and bought him a microphone, while his brother provided him with a computer to record his music, both of which proved crucial in redirecting the misled teen towards a more positive path.
His talent for the craft was evident from a young age, as at only nine years old he recorded a rap about bones to help teach anatomy, and was selected for the All-State Elementary Chorus in 2009 and 2010, which served to lay the foundation for his future career. Rod described his early years as ‘peaches and cream,’ with his father providing for the family through street activities, but also said that the dynamics changed drastically when his father was imprisoned for six years on gun charges and witness intimidation.
Rod’s brother influenced his songwriting skills, and their collaboration was significant in his early development as an artist, though their fraternal bond was disrupted when their father was put in prison. Another significant figure in Rod’s formative years was ‘Uncle Dee’ Dereck Lane, a close friend of his father, and Rod’s future manager, who became a central male presence in his life. However, Lane was also imprisoned later, leaving Rod primarily in the care of female relatives, including his mother and grandmothers.
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Wave’s life spiraled into criminal activities during his freshman year at Lakewood High School, including breaking into cars and houses, to alleviate financial pressures on his mother. This period culminated in his arrest at age 15 for involvement in a shooting incident; he was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder while in juvenile detention. His time in and out of jail and the subsequent legal challenges were turning points in his life, leading him to rethink the path he had apparently set upon. A shooting charge was eventually dropped, and Rod credited this experience and lessons from his father for finally steering him away from a life of crime.
He matriculated from Lakewood High School in 2017, which was in his case a significant achievement, considering the uncertainties of his earlier years. That said, he hasn’t considered obtaining a college degree, and is unlikely to attempt such an endeavor in the future, being fully focused on his professional engagements.
Career: Born for the spotlight
Rod’s musical journey took off between 2015 and 2020, starting with his first mixtape, “Hunger Games Vol.1.” He independently released several mixtapes before signing his first serious contract with Alamo Records, significant of which was “PTSD,” having come out on 14 June 2019. This mixtape featured “Heart on Ice,” a track that gained widespread popularity on YouTube and TikTok, climbing to the 25th spot on the Billboard Hot 100. His first major album, “Ghetto Gospel,” was unveiled on 1 November 2019, reaching number 10 on the US Billboard 200, with executive production from Kevin Gates – a renowned Louisiana rapper. Gates as also heard on the track “Cuban Links” from the album, which reached number 92 on the Hot 100.
Rod Wave’s “Pray 4 Love” album is now certified platinum 💿 pic.twitter.com/DOV0ObAYCh
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) April 2, 2021
In 2020 Wave released his second album, “Pray 4 Love,” which achieved significant success, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200, with also a deluxe edition later made public on 7 August. The album’s tracks, including “Rags2Riches” featuring rapper ATR Son Son, charted on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Rags2Riches” becoming his most successful song, peaking at #12. He was featured in XXL’s 2020 edition of the hip-hop magazine Freshman Class while working on his third album in July of the year. Rod continued his musical evolution, announcing the track list for his album “SoulFly” on 6 March 2021, including the songs “Street Runner” and “Tombstone,” with the latter becoming his highest-charting song at number 11 on the Hot 100. Late in 2021 his release of “Nirvana” sparked controversy, as some interpreted it as a suicide letter, which the singer vehemently denied.
The year of 2022 was extremely eventful for the singer, with “Cold December” coming out as a single in January, followed by a freestyle of Future’s “Wait for U” and a reveal of his next album on 1 May. Wave ultimately also released “Beautiful Mind,” which he’d completed on 25 April. The album came out on August 12 of the year, after which he embarked on a tour starting on 11 November in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Toosi and Mariah the Scientist as opening acts. “Break My Heart” was the lead single for his EP “Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory,” released on 10 November; the EP itself came out eight days later, and peaked at No 9 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Wave’s musical journey continued in 2023 with the release of “Fight the Feeling” on 31 March, as the lead single for his upcoming studio album, reaching number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequent singles included “Call Your Friends,” “Come See Me,” “Boyz Don’t Cry,” and “Checkmate,” all contributing to the build-up for his fifth studio album, “Nostalgia.” Featuring guest appearances from Wet, 21 Savage, and Sadie Jean, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking the singer’s third number 1 album, with the first two being “Beautiful Mind” and “SoulFly,” thereby becoming the only singer aside from Taylor Swift to have reached #1 on the charts three years in a row.
Love life: It’s complicated
Rod’s only known romantic involvement is a woman by the name of Kelsey Dee Coleman, whose Instagram doesn’t contain a single sign that she’s in a relationship with anyone. That said, it’s known that they had twin daughters around May 2020, who are allegedly named Paityn and Paisley. She and Wave began dating in 2018, seemingly going strongly ever since, though there’s no indication that they’re actually in a fulfilling relationship. Similarly, neither of the two has announced plans to wed the other. Some fans have speculated that it’s possible Rod simply isn’t ready to commit to that point, perhaps because he doesn’t fully trust Kelsey.
Net worth: How rich is Rod Wave?
Some of the most trusted media sources out there have estimated the total accumulated wealth of Rod Wave at $5 million, garnered thanks to an innovative and honest approach to music, with five studio albums, three mixtapes, and 24 singles released as of late 2023.
Body measurements: What is his height?
Wave is 5ft 6ins (168cms) tall, and weighs about 215lbs (98kgs). He has a noticeably dark complexion, with a pronounced beard and a body shape often described as round.
