PTSD

Just in case you were under the impression that Rod Wave was here to make friends, “Popular Loner” gives it to you straight: “I don’t get along with my peers, I’m at war with myself/So f\*ck you and everybody else!” In fact, the St. Petersburg, Florida, native had no plans to release his music until his go-to producer took the initiative to put out the rapper’s breakout tracks in 2017. And thank god for that—on *PTSD*, Rod Wave swerves seamlessly between gorgeous R&B melodies and raw, honest bars that deal with loss and trauma head-on. You can hear hints of Kevin Gates realism and DeJ Loaf singsong, but ultimately, his style is his own—and he’d probably say f\*ck you for suggesting otherwise.