St. Louis fans eagerly counted down the days until four-time platinum selling artist Rod Wave brought his Last Lap Tour to Enterprise Center Friday night. They came out in the hottest fashions and trendy sneakers with their edges laid and tapers faded. And along with a few emerging and established hip hop artists, Wave gave them exactly what they had been waiting for.
He relied on acts like Eelmatic, Lil Poppa, and Dess Dior to get the party started. In between sets, DJ Chub904 kept the vibes high playing a mix of popular hip-hop hits from artists like Sexyy Red, Chief Keef, and Glorilla.
Moneybagg Yo, a favorite among St. Louis trap music fans, and viral hip hop sensation Toosii took the stage just before Wave. Toosii performed his viral hits with passion and intent – including songs like “Love Is,” which has more than forty million views on YouTube, and his “pretty girl anthem” “5’5” featuring Latto. He also took the time to engage with the fans, asking for their phones to take pictures and throwing out free merch for those lucky to snag floor seat tickets. Next Moneybagg Yo showed St. Louis that the love is mutual with his electric performance. His set included a rousing DJ and several backup dancers, all dressed in money green. In addition to hits like “Said Sum” and “Wockesha,” Moneybagg Yo took his love for the city to the next level when he paid tribute to lost members of the St. Louis hip hop community – including Bigbucks Eloo, Nuski, and DJ 2 Turnt.
With the bass bumping and the party in full swing, self-proclaimed “ghetto gospel evangelist” Rod Wave took the stage. A siren began and he appeared from the ground in a cloud of smoke rapping “Nostalgia.” The song is a collaboration with indie pop group Wet. The crowd only needed to hear the opening chords before they identified the song and started singing along. This became a pattern throughout his performance. As soon as the audience heard the melody, they would begin screaming in anticipation for the lyrics to start. The DJ could stop the music in the middle of the song and the audience would continue without missing a beat.
Rod Wave meticulously curated The Last Lap Tour– from the songs he chose to perform all the way down to the light-design and overhead graphics. They changed from black and white to a colorful light show based on the emotion of the song. The performance of his platinum-selling “Poison” featured deep blue strobe lights and visuals of icy blue smoke in a circle around him. For “Green Light,” he flooded the stage with flashing green strobe lights and a frantic fireworks show, to personify the loss and confusion one feels while reminiscing about friends who have been lost. He switched to a single spotlight while the rest of the stage remained dark as he performed “Cuban Links.” In between songs, Rod Wave included a montage of his achievement throughout his career. “When I found music, I found myself,” He told the crowd. “It changed my life.”
Rod Wave kept the crowd roaring with party hits like “Heart on Ice” and “Turks and Caicos.” “Call Your Friends” demonstrated that he is not afraid to display real emotions. As the show came to a close, the graphics turned into a ring of fire around him while he performed “Last Lap.” The song paid tribute to his most loyal supporter and manager Uncle Dee, who passed away this summer. He closed the show with “25.” As he belted, “All the same old thing, the same old games. Same old pain, think it’s time for a change,” The crowd fervently sang along. With this Last Lap Tour, Rod Wave took audiences on a journey that reveals he is just like us. He has hurt – and been hurt. He has been depressed, and has even sabotaged meaningful relationships. However, through his music he inspires fans to continue growing – and healing – for a better tomorrow.
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PULL QUOTE(S):
“When I found music, I found myself. It saved my life” – Rod Wave
“The DJ could stop the music in the middle of the song and the audience would continue without missing a beat.”