Rod Wave promises that “Beautiful Mind” will be his last “sad-ass” album.
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TOP 5
5. Never Get Over Me
If Rod Wave thinks he slid on “Never Get Over Me,” this song deserves a spot on this list.
At the very end of “Never Get Over Me,” Rod Wave gives himself a pat on the back for what he was able to do in the song. While I didn’t quite love his verses (He sounded a little lethargic), the way he says “you will never get over me” over and over again with one minute left had me giving him a round of applause. Sometimes getting something stuck in a listener’s head can trump everything else.
4. Yungen
“Yungen” is inspirational music at its finest.
In “Yungen,” Rod Wave and featured guest Jack Harlow sing and rap about their unique come-ups and present-day success. While Rod, who sings like his life depends on it in the song, comes across more so as someone who embraced being different back then and is grateful that he made it out of the mud, Harlow, who raps cockily, comes across as someone who pays attention to his haters and feels like he deserves every ounce of clout that he has received. It’s very interesting hearing the combination of the two styles.
Jack Harlow’s wordplay and punchlines on this song are fantastic. I f**k with the line, “Rod Wave, it’s gonna be a while before we waver.”
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3. Sweet Little Lies
“Sweet Little Lies” has the perfect blend of edginess and soulfulness.
“Sweet Little Lies” is one of those songs that will make your ears clench up. The passionate and well-crafted hook is noteworthy and Rod Wave’s effort from a vocal standpoint is hella impressive. Also, Rod’s explosive raps about lacking true support in his life should come across as deep to you. All in all, “Sweet Little Lies” is too strong to ignore.
2. Stone Rolling
Songs like this make me view Rod Wave as a country singer.
The hook to “Stone Rolling” has no business jabbing me in the heart the way it does. Also, Rod Wave’s lyrics about spending time on the road and struggling to find a place that he can call his home f**ked with my soul. If you are a cryer, keep the tissues close to you while listening to this joint.
1. Alone
Holy s**t, “Alone” made me want to text my toxic ex “hey big head.”
I’m not going to lie, I didn’t love this song the first time I heard it. I kind of thought that it sounded like every other Rod Wave song I’ve heard in my life. After listening to it for the fifth time, that s**t finally clicked with me.
What I love about this song is how Rod Wave takes his time laying his words down about getting past hard times in the name of love. He truly breaks down the mind frame optimistic lovers should have. I also like how his roaring vocals hit just as hard as his nimble ones (Rod does a good job of making them play nice with one another, too).
Fun fact: “Alone” somewhat flips Ed Sheeran’s “U.N.I.” track; a song that Rod said is his favorite by the UK singer.
SONG BY SONG RATING
1. Alone (4.5/5)
2. Yungen (Ft. Jack Harlow) (4/5)
3. Never Get Over Me (4/5)
4. Stone Rolling (4.5/5)
5. I Know It (4/5)
6. Forever (4/5)
7. No Deal (4/5)
8. Quiet Storm (3/5)
9. Sweet Little Lies (4.5/5)
10. Rockstar Heart (3.5/5)
11. Fading (4/5)
12. Time Kills (Love Birds) (3/5)
13. Druski Phone Skit (N/A)
14. Keep Going (3/5)
15. Never Find Us (4/5)
16. Mafia (3.5/5)
17. Me vs. The World (3/5)
18. Pieces (3.5/5)
19. Pt. II (N/A)
20. Everything (3/5)
21. Married Next Year (3.5/5)
22. Better (3.5/5)
23. By Your Side (4/5)
24. Cold December (4/5)
RGM RATING
(C+)
Walahi, this album sounded better when I listened to it in the morning as opposed to the afternoon. Seriously, listen to this joint before brushing your teeth.
I truly believe that the world we are living in today has more sad people than happy people. So, when you hear braggadocios music, there’s a good chance that you are listening to music that isn’t meant for you. With that being said, I think Beautiful Mind, with its powerful topics, touching instrumentals, and deep vocal performances, falls in line with the kind of music that is easy to connect with. Yes, there are a bunch of rappers that make emotional hip-hop music these days; however, I don’t think there are many (If any) that double, triple, and quadruple down on emotional vibes as Rod does.
Don’t you just love how Rod doesn’t rely on features on this album? It seems like he only feels comfortable doing s**t that feels organic to him. Matter of fact, the fact that Jack Harlow is one of the only features on this album actually tells me that the Kentucky rapper might be considered a real one to other real ones. All in all, Beautiful Mind is a body of work where you get to hear the good, bad, and ugly that is going through someone’s mind uninterrupted. There are no distractions, no clout-based activity, or no outside influences; just words from the soul. I can’t tell you how much I respect that.
My one beef with this album is this: It’s a little too long. If Rod decided to cut s**t into like 14 or 15 of the best tracks, I think it could be a nominee for album of the year. Cause after a certain point, I feel like things begin to tail off. But honestly, the first twelve or so songs had me very impressed.
Rod Wave is outselling the artists we think are Gods by doing s**t completely his way. If he continues to stay true to himself, find things that f**k with his soul, and stiff-arm outside influences, I think he could end up on the Mount Rushmore of trap-soul rappers.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
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