Rod Wave Freestyle

In recent years, Florida's rising hip-hop acts have been on an unstoppable winning streak. Unfortunately, criminal activity and violence in the Sunshine State is as much of a hot topic as the rappers who hail from there. Rod Wave knows this story all too well and let it be known in the lyrics he spits in a new freestyle for XXL‘s What I Do series.

The St. Petersburg, Fla. native has had his fair share of somber moments in recent years. For What I Do, Rod Wave narrates a day in the life of someone trapping in the streets of Pinellas County. "30 round drum for any nigga tryna play/'Cause where I'm from niggas lose they life every day/So young but we choose to tote guns on our waist/After every sentence gotta tell my niggas to be safe," he spits.

From a strict no-snitching policy to brothers-turned-enemies, the Alamo Records signee has seen it all. Closing out his freestyle, Rod raps: "Gotta watch your back and love these cats from a distance/It's so fucked up out here, it got everybody trippin'/Switchin' sides, kill and tie their brothers up for chickens/Help look for who did it then blow they money out the dentist."

With Hunger Games 3 out and a cosign from Moneybagg Yo, Rod Wave's 2019 is looking extremely promising. Earlier this month, Rod dropped the visual for his Moneybagg Yo-assisted track "Feel the Same Way." He’s already back in the studio cooking up some new tunes.

While you wait to hear what he's working on next, watch his new What I Do freestyle above.

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