Celebrity
Rod Wave Net Worth
Rod Wave is best known for his soulful blend of music dubbed as “soul-trap.”
Rapper and singer Rod Wave has quickly made a name for himself with his soulful blend of hip hop and R&B, dubbed “soul-trap.”
Signed to Alamo Records, the young artist has connected with fans through vulnerable songwriting.
Propelled by hit singles like “Heart on Ice” and a breakout mixtape in 2019, his meteoric rise has already earned him award recognition and certified hits by his early 20s.
With raw talent fueling his burgeoning success and opportunities ahead, his net worth stands to grow even higher.
This article will discuss Wave’s early beginnings in his musical career thus far and provide estimates of the rising star’s current financial wealth.
Rod Wave’s net worth and career
Wave has quickly amassed success and wealth even though he is just in his mid-twenties. With his breakout mixtape in 2019 and hit album in 2020, his net worth today stands at an estimated $4 million.
His career took off in 2019 when his mixtape PTSD and its hit single “Heart on Ice” went viral and landed on the Billboard charts. This buzz led to his debut album, Ghetto Gospel, the same year, which Kevin Gates executively produced.
The album peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200. His follow-up in 2020, Pray 4 Love, fared even better, debuting at #2 on the Billboard charts.
Several singles also found success, including “Rags2Riches” featuring ATR Son Son, which became his highest charting song at #12. With this early success, he was named to XXL’s coveted Freshman Class of 2020.
2021 saw continued momentum with his third album, Soulfly, home to his biggest single yet, “Tombstone,” which climbed to #11 on the Hot 100 charts.
Rod Wave is best known for his “soul-trap” singing style (Source: Revolt TV)
While taking a quick touring break in late 2022 after releasing his fourth album, Beautiful Mind, he dropped an EP, Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory, marking his fourth straight top-ten debut.
Wave’s prolific output and vulnerability in his lyrics that connect with fans have powered his critical and commercial meteoric rise. In just a few short years, he’s earned award recognition and built a loyal fan base.
His estimated earnings have grown substantially over the past few months. As of December 2023, he took home an estimated $61,400 from his music and touring ventures for the month.
The previous month, November 2023, saw even higher earnings at approximately $128,000. In his biggest month, October 2023, Wave earned around $178,000, primarily fueled by his latest chart-topping EP during a heavy touring schedule.
With his talent and relatable songwriting, Rod Wave’s net worth will likely rise rapidly as his career continues gaining steam into the future.
Rod Wave launched a new album in 2023
After taking 2022 to tour behind his previous album, Beautiful Mind, Wave returned in full force in 2023 with new music leading up to his fifth album, Nostalgia.
He started rolling out singles in March, beginning with “Fight the Feeling,” which became a top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit.
Over the next few months, Wave dropped three more singles in anticipation of the new album – “Call Your Friends,” “Come See Me,” and “Boyz Don’t Cry,” all of which also cracked the top 25 on the Billboard charts.
The same week as Nostalgia‘s release in September, he put out one final single, “Checkmate,” as well.
Rod Wave on the cover of his 2023 album ‘Nostalgia’ (Source: Spotify)
With plenty of buzz leading up to it, Nostalgia debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, earning Wave his first chart-topping album.
It featured collaborations with artists like Wet, 21 Savage, and Sadie Jean. But the lyrical heart of the album comes from Wave’s vulnerable songwriting reflecting on relationships, personal struggles, and painful memories – hallmarks of his “soul-trap” style.
Critics praised the album for showcasing growth in Wave’s artistry and production while still retaining the raw, relatable essence central to his music. Fans connected with the nostalgic, diary-like feel of the record.
It became his third straight release to hit the top ten on the Billboard charts. He has continued displaying wisdom beyond his years of Nostalgia, effortlessly blending old-school R&B vibes with modern hip-hop and a willingness to share his emotions openly.
Rod Wave is currently on tour across the US
Riding high off the September 2023 release of his chart-topping album Nostalgia, Wave embarked on a major North American tour this fall. He kicked things off in October, hitting over 30 cities across the United States so far.
As of mid-December 2023, the rising hip-hop star has 5 remaining tour stops scheduled before wrapping up this leg. Upcoming shows include concerts in Atlanta, Orlando, Sunrise, and Jacksonville through December 18th.
Wave will bring his soulful blend of rap and R&B to fans in these southeast cities over the next week. The tour features him running through hits from his latest album as well as previous projects and fan favorites.
After the holidays, he was originally planning to extend the Nostalgia Tour into early 2024, with a stop in Norfolk set for June. However, that show has now been postponed with no current rescheduled date.
Nonetheless, at just 25 years old, Wave has shown tremendous drive between releasing his 5th album and embarking on a heavy nationwide tour, all within a few short months.
As his star power expands, fans can likely expect even more new music and concerts from the prolific young “soul-trap” innovator in the near future.
Rod Wave had a challenging early life
Long before achieving fame and success in the music industry, Wave endured a difficult upbringing plagued by family instability and financial struggle.
His parents divorced during his elementary school years, leaving his family without needed support as his father ended up incarcerated.
Facing poverty at a young age, he turned to the streets to try to make money through illegal means like selling drugs, burglary, and gun possession. This led to run-ins with the law and multiple stays in juvenile detention centers in his youth.
Rod Wave as a toddler (Source: Twitter)
However, upon his release from jail, Wave’s father recognized the reckless path his son was going down. Wanting to set him on a better track, his father encouraged the talented teen to pursue music instead.
He helped buy Wave a microphone while his brother purchased a computer to help equip him to channel his energy into songwriting. He took inspiration from rappers he listened to growing up, like E-40, Chingy, Boosie Badazz, and Chief Keef.
Ironically, artists like E-40 and Kevin Gates, whom he looked up to, would later be featured on his hit songs after he achieved success.
With support from his family, he found an outlet to direct his challenging upbringing into vulnerable, relatable music that would eventually resonate with audiences and turn his life around.
Though he faced immense adversity early on, those struggles now fuel his gifted artistry.