At the center of it all is Rodarius Marcell Green, better known by his stage name Rod Wave. Standing in the center of the packed stadium, light flickering off the chains dangling around his neck, the singer smiles before waving at the crowd.
Back in September, Rod Wave announced the Nostalgia Tour, a 35-city excursion with guests including Ari Lennox, Toosii, G Herbo, and Eelmatic. The singer who has had four albums certified platinum also released his fifth album in September which quickly rose to the No. 1 and was certified gold.
The point is that Rod Wave is a commercial success who resonates with his younger fanbase. Which seemed to be somewhat of a surprise for Ari Lennox fans who might not have been familiar with the popularity of Wave.
The Washington D.C singer joined the tour shortly after the initial release and for many in the industry it seemed like a no-brainer. Both are powerhouse singers who've amassed strong followings due to their artistic vulnerabilities and connections with social media.
But a Venn diagram of their fanbases doesn't show much in common. Ari attracts older fans than than Rod. Rod sings but is often classified more in the realm of rap or some variation of rapping/singing. For many it was more likely that Rod Wave would tap an opener like rapper G Herbo than Lennox.
Lennox even expressed this difficulty on Way Up With Angela Yee in November saying “It is because I’m opening up for young people. I think my music is a little too happy…and his is too different. The crazy thing is I can relate to Rod, but I express it differently. I wish I could tap into pain the way he does.”
Things came to a head when Ari stopped a show in Inglewood, California after an audience member threw a bottle at her. While Lennox expressed her anger, she made light of the incident on the next tour stop, appearing on stage in a helmet and saying “Hey Oakland. My name is Ari Lennox…I don’t know should I keep this thing on or what.”
Of course, she later removed the helmet and performed for the cheering crowd, but the two shows raised the viral question even more: Should Rod Wave and Ari Lennox be on tour together?
If we’re going off what Houston fans had to say Thursday night the answer is...kinda. No bottles were thrown and Rod Wave headlined a packed show at Toyota Center. Lenox’s feelings were right about the show because, even though the crowd was respectful of her artistry, the room was just waiting on Rod. Her praise of him and his ability to express pain and connect with a crowd is hard to comprehend until it is seen in person.
Wave taps into a feeling and has a connection with his audience that is unmatched. Whether it was “Heart On Ice,” “Rags2Riches 2” or “Fight the Feeling,” Wave held the crowd. From start to finish fans were on their feet singing at the top of their lungs.
Wave taps into a feeling and connects with the audience in a way that's hard to comprehend.
Photo by Sean Thomas
That is truly Wave’s gift. His appreciation is reciprocated by the audience because they, too, get to be who they really are. Phones are out but there’s no pretentiousness. Just people feeling the music alongside each other.
Rod Wave and Ari Lennox both create music that delves deep into their emotions and that vulnerability is something that their audiences strongly relate to. Lennox’s fan base might be older and Wave’s younger, but both are using music to help work through pain.
