“Who is that?” or “What is it about him?” were the typical responses when we mentioned we'd be attending the concert at the American Airlines Center. This curious case was solved when he returned to Dallas on Saturday night as one of the biggest stars in music today, for possibly the last time.
The Last Lap Tour is the 26-year-old superstar’s fifth headlining tour, which began last month. This tour, where Wave is joined by popular artists Toosii and Moneybagg Yo, promotes his third consecutive No. 1 album, a record only he and Taylor Swift have achieved.
Released on Oct. 11, Last Lap is the artist’s sixth album. Among the 25 new songs are the hit singles “25,” “Passport Junkie” and “Fall Fast in Love.” Like his work before, the rapper's music is driven by heartbreak, darkness and a sense of despair. As he continues to outsell his competitors, Wave's music remains relatable.
Saturday night's concert showed Wave's unbreakable bond with his rapidly growing fanbase. He sold out the AAC, and fans across Texas engulfed the Victory Park area early. At the arena's entrance, concertgoers boasted about coming from as far away as Midland, El Paso and Louisiana.
Rod Wave's mystery stems from his near-seclusion (while not touring) and six albums of what fans describe as “sad boy” music. Interviews are rare for him, and he frequently shares his depression-related thoughts — often caused by fame — on his social media accounts.
North Texas was one of the first areas to embrace the hip-hop star. In 2015, he became an underground sensation whose music was frequently promoted on local social media blogs. The St. Petersburg, Florida, native acknowledged his fans' support.
The concertgoers near the stage spoke about his mystique while awaiting his performance.
“Rod Wave … he actually heals the soul, and I can feel where he is coming from when he raps,” said a Dallas fan named Adora.
Chazz of Dallas said, “He hits the spirit. He hits home.”
Tara Johnson, a long-time fan, described the atmosphere in the arena. She said, “I love Rod Wave because he loves his fans and shows so much love, and I just feel the love all around the arena.”
Opener Toosii, who has toured previously with Wave and is best known for the hit “Favorite Song,” sent the crowd into a frenzy early with an engaging set. The North Carolina rapper performed most of the set among the crowd around the arena. When Toosii called DFW his favorite tour destination, the entire arena lit up with cell phone lights.
“Dallas, this is my favorite place to come, I swear to God. And I love Dallas women,” Toosii said while exiting.
MoneyBagg Yo descended from the audience in a glowing, diamond-crusted outfit. He wowed the crowd with a top-40 setlist that included his signature hits “Time Today,” “Wockesha” and the country crossover “Whiskey Whiskey.”
Moneybagg's set included an introduction of Loaf Boyz artist YTB Fatt and a surprise appearance by Dallas' own 4Batz. Between the surprises, he remembered the fallen, and tossed out Loaf Boyz merchandise to fans.
Centered in the arena, Rod Wave rose from under the stage to a deafening roar that would swallow his voice as he began performing “Nostalgia.” The artist’s mellow melodic flow was drowned out by the sea of fans singing along for the entire performance. Even though he only had a mic stand, microphone and towel, the reaction he received could only be compared to an arena performance equipped with a full production, including dancers, wardrobe changes and set props.
The artist lets fans choose the material before performing a setlist featuring deep cuts, personal favorites and chart-topping hits. “Y’all want old Rod Wave or new Rod Wave?” he asked, with fans responding, “Both.”
From his debut album to the present, Wave’s set chronicled his journey from “Sky Priority” and “Cuban Links” from Ghetto Gospel, to “Girl of My Dream” from Pray 4 Love and “2019” from SoulFly.
“Dallas, we got a long night,” he said while ordering the DJ to play another song, never drifting too far from the center of the stage.
SoulCry
Throughout his extensive set, Rod Wave thanked the audience. “Got the best fanbase in the world,” he said. “Went platinum year after year after year. We can go all night.”Wave’s music is marked by pain and suffering, but when the audience sang the songs in unison, it felt like a healing experience between Wave and his audience. Fans continued singing every word from his catalog the entire night as if he were a conductor and the massive crowd his orchestra.
Wave told the crowd he was "trying to heal. "
This was his first time performing at AAC, and he proudly claimed his concerts outsell NBA games as "the best to ever do this." After an intermission clip, he said: “This is history in the making.”
Wave brought out a guitarist to perform “Come See Me.” The set design breathed fire from above and engulfed him in flames on the jumbotron. The flames seemed to burned away his sorrows as the crowd continued to amplify his vocals with their singing.
“This my favorite part of the show right here,” Wave said after performing 25 of the 27 songs on the setlist.
With "Last Lap," the final song of the night, Wave paid tribute to his late Uncle Dee through a video, which drove many to tears. Although he has hinted at it for months, it's impossible to believe that Wave's retirement could be imminent.
Before the encore, Wave concluded the concert by expressing his love for Dallas and acknowledging that the fans here had bestowed superstardom on him. At the center of the crowd, he told fans, “Hey Dallas, I appreciate this shit, man. Thank y’all for everything. You made my dreams come true. Shit is a blessing. I appreciate y’all for real. Thank y’all, I love y’all, real shit.”
