ROD WAVE Talks to Ari! On growth, 'Don't Look Down,' Touring & 'TAYLOR SWIFT numbers'

WHATEVER, I LOOK AT GREAT. ARTISTS. >> WELCOME TO MAVERICKS WITH. ARI MELBER. WE'RE JOINED BY. MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING ARTIST. ROD WAVE, ONE OF ONLY TWO.

ARTISTS TO HAVE A TOP TEN ALBUM. EVERY YEAR FROM 19 TO 24, SHARING THAT HONOR WITH TAYLOR. SWIFT. HE'S KNOWN FOR HIS BLEND. OF HIP HOP AND R&B, WHAT. SOMETIMES IS CALLED A TRAP SOUL. SOUND. HIS SONG SINNERS WAS. FEATURED IN THAT OSCAR WINNING. HIT FILM, NETTING HIM A GRAMMY. NOMINATION. HE'S HEADLINING. SHOWS AT BROOKLYN'S BARCLAYS. ARENA AS PART OF HIS NEW ALBUM. TOUR. DON'T LOOK DOWN. YOU CAN. GET THAT ALBUM OUT NOW. ROD, THANKS FOR COMING IN, MAN. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MAN. >> IT'S EXCITING. YOU'RE IN THE. MIDDLE OF THIS TOUR, SO YOU GOT.

A LOT GOING ON. YOU ALSO HAVE, OF COURSE, YOUR TOUR PRODUCTION. COMPANY MAINSTAY. RIGHT, EXACTLY. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE. NOW THAT YOU'VE REALLY KIND OF. MASTERED THIS AND ARE DOING. TOUR BUSINESS AND SELLING OUT. ARENAS? >> I MEAN, JUST THE WHOLE. PROCESS, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? IT'S JUST REFRESHING. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? TO. ACTUALLY OF ALL THOSE.

MOVING PARTS. BUT FOR ME, IT'S. HELPED ME SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT. KNOWING THAT I KNOW WHAT'S. GOING ON AND HOW EVERYTHING IS. MOVING, ALL THE MOVING PARTS. >> YEAH. AND A LOT OF OUR, OUR. VIEWERS, OUR MUSIC FANS, THEY. KNOW FROM ALL THE WAY BACK IN. THE DAY THEIR PROBLEMS ABOUT. WHETHER ARTISTS ARE GETTING. THEIR DUE. EXACTLY. YOU CAME. INTO THIS. WHEN DID IT CLICK. FOR YOU? WAIT, I'M ACTUALLY I'M. GOING TO RUN THESE TOURS. I'M. GOING TO PROMOTE. >> I MEAN, I HAD A COUPLE OF.

ISSUES IN THE PAST WITH DEALING. WITH PROMOTERS AND OTHER GUYS. WHO HAD BUSINESS IDEAS AND. THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO DO, AND I WASN'T AS MUCH AS IN. CONTROL, BUT I HAVE ME AND MY. TEAM. MORE. IN CONTROL. YEAH. >> YOUR MUSIC HAS GONE SO WIDE. AND I MENTIONED SOME OF THE. STATS PLATINUM ON THE TAYLOR. STAT, WHICH IS A FUN ONE. ON. YOUTUBE ALONE, YOU HAVE OVER 8. BILLION VIEWS. THAT'S PLUS.

DIGITAL STREAMING. SO FOR ANY. PARENTS WATCHING THE KIDS, THEIR KIDS KNOW YOU WHETHER. THEY DO OR NOT. BUT I WANT TO. PLAY SOME SOME OF YOUR MUSIC SO. EVERYONE CAN HEAR. MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY THE PATHOS THAT SOME. OF THE EMOTION IN IT. LET'S. TAKE A LISTEN. >> SO MANY TIMES I DON'T KNOW. WHAT TO BELIEVE. WHAT TO. BELIEVE. THEY TOLD ME TO SLOW. IT DOWN. YOU BEEN SPEEDING. THEY TOLD ME TO SLOW IT DOWN. TAKE IT EASY. NO MORE COLD.

DECEMBERS LONELY, COLD DECEMBER. I GET SO LOST IN MY THOUGHTS. JUST THINKING BOUT LOSSES. AND. I REMEMBER WHERE I COME. ALREADY WON, I'M ON THE WAY TO. THE MONEY I ATE IN THE MORNING. THAT PAPER BE CALLING ALL OVER. THIS LAND. THEY KEEP ON. EXPANDING. JUST PUT THE. >> THE LAST ONE HUSTLES OFF THE. NEW PROJECT I SEE. FIRST OF ALL, I SEE YOU SMILE A LITTLE BIT. WHAT'S BRINGING THE. >> SMILE NOW? I JUST SEEN MY. GUY SHAQ MAN IN THE VIDEO.

ALWAYS SMILES WHEN I SEE. YEAH. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. THAT. THAT RECOGNIZE ME THAT I GREW. UP WATCHING AND LOOKING UP TO. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SURE. HE WAS IN THAT VIDEO AND ON. SOME OF THE RUN AND GUN STYLE. VIDEOS DAY IN THE LIFE, I. BUMPED INTO HIM. IT WAS JUST A. GOOD GUY TO CROSS PATHS WITH, RIGHT? >> BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A PLACE. YOU CAN PUT PEOPLE ON. >> YEAH, YEAH. IT'S JUST IT'S. JUST KNOWING WHERE I CAME FROM, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? KNOWING WHERE I CAME FROM. AND. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'M. KIND OF LIKE IN CERTAIN ROOMS. WITH THAT I GREW UP WATCHING OR. LOOKING UP TO OR LOOKING AT,

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? TO BE. IN THE SAME KIND OF ROOMS WITH. THEM, SOMETIMES IT STILL DON'T. FEEL REAL, YOU KNOW? >> IT DOESN'T FEEL REAL. YEAH. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE? >> JUST FEEL LIKE I'M STILL. DREAMING. LIKE I'M GONNA WAKE. UP AND I'M JUST GOING TO BE A. PART OF A DREAM OR SOMETHING. LIKE I MISS SOME KIND OF COMA. OR SOMETHING. SOMEWHERE IN THE. REAL WORLD AND THE REALITY AND. JUST DREAMING ALL OF THIS, YOU. KNOW. >> IT'S FUNNY, I'M REMINDED, LIKE WHEN DRAKE SAID THEIR. VERSES ARE LIKE FIRE DRILLS. EVEN WHEN THEY SAY IT'S REAL, IT'S NEVER REAL. >> YEAH, FOR REAL. >> BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

FEELING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE. WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT. YOU'VE ACHIEVED, BUT ALMOST. LIKE WHAT? LIKE PINCH. >> YOURSELF, PINCH MYSELF. YEAH. YOU GOTTA PINCH MYSELF. SOMETIMES TO LIKE, OKAY, THIS. IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, THIS. WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU KNOW, I. THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S. OVERALL THOUGH, IT'S THE STIGMA. AND IT'S THE THINGS THAT WE GET. TOLD COMING UP, LIKE SOME OF. THESE THINGS SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS. GET SOME OF OUR DREAMS. THEY. GET SHOT DOWN AND THEY START. FEELING IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN YOU.

COME FROM A CERTAIN PLACE OR. YOU DEALT A CERTAIN HAND. SO I. FEEL LIKE I STILL, I WAS, I WAS. A PART OF THAT FOR SO LONG THAT. NOW THAT I'M HERE OR I'M IN. SOME OF THESE ROOMS OR PART OF. SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS OR. SUCCEEDING IN THE WAYS THAT I. HAVE SUCCEEDED, SOMETIMES IT'S. STILL KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW. WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE, I MAKE. ME FEEL LIKE I WAS, I LIKE, I. NEVER REALLY HAD A CHANCE. BUT. NOW THAT I'M HERE, YOU KNOW. WHAT I'M SAYING? AND IT WASN'T. AS HARD AS THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, THE PEOPLE THAT DOUBTED, OR THE. PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH.

FAITH. IT WASN'T AS HARD AS. THOSE PEOPLE WAS MAKING IT SEEM. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? >> WELL, JUST LISTENING TO YOU. TALK THAT WAY RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, YOU'RE THE YOU'RE A SONGWRITER. AND SO YOU WORK IN THESE. PARABLES, THE DREAMS ORY WANTS E. WORLD. YEAH. WHY START THE. ALBUM THAT WAY? IT FEELS DEEP. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE BIBLICAL.

YEAH. >> THAT'S A THAT'S A THAT'S ONE. OF THOSE GREAT CLASSIC SONGS. THAT I BELIEVE TEARS FOR FEARS. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S A CLASSIC. >> INTERPOLATION OF THAT. >> YEAH. I THINK IT'S JUST, I. THINK IT'S JUST LIKE THE, THE. SOUND, THE SONG OF AMERICA, LIKE EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE. THE WORLD, EVERYBODY ON THE. MISSION, IT KIND OF REMIND ME. LIKE THE GOOD STATE OF NEW YORK. WHEN I FIRST, FOR THE VERY. FIRST TIME COMING WHEN I WAS. LIKE 12 YEARS OLD, EVERYBODY ON. A MISSION, EVERYBODY ON. AND. IT'S JUST LIKE, THIS IS WHAT'S. GOING ON IN THE, IN THE REAL. WORLD, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

MAYBE WITH THE HAND I WAS DEALT, SOME OF THE CARDS THAT I WAS. DEALT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MAYBE I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A. CHANCE AT THE REAL WORLD, YOU. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT MAYBE. WE ALL GOT A CHANCE. BUT THE. PEOPLE AROUND ME, THE PEOPLE. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TEACH ME. ABOUT THE WORLD, MAYBE THEY. DIDN'T. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE. PROPER TOOLS TO TEACH ME. SO IT. WAS JUST LIKE IN THAT SONG, I. FEEL LIKE I RELATE TO THAT SONG. SO MUCH, ESPECIALLY THE. ORIGINAL SONG, BECAUSE WHEN I. GOT OUT HERE IN THE REAL WORLD, I JUST NOTICED LIKE. ENTREPRENEURSHIP, EVERYBODY'S. ON A MISSION. EVERYBODY GOT TO.

GO, EVERYBODY GOT DREAMS, EVERYBODY CHASING SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, I'M SAYING EVERYBODY. WANT TO RULE THE WORLD. YOU. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO JUST. WELCOME TO THE WORLD. LIKE JUST. JUST MY LIKE, NOW YOU GOT A. REAL SHOT NOW THAT I'M HERE AND. I GOT THE ACTUAL TOOLS TO BE A. PART OF SOCIETY AND TAKE PLAC. TALKING ABOUT YOUR. ENTREPRENEURSHIP, TELL ME ALSO. ABOUT THIS BRAND NEW MAINSTAY. SPORTS. >> YEAH. SO MAINSTAY, THE. CONGLOMERATE AS A COMPANY IS A. COUPLE OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. WITH SPORTS BEING ONE OF THEM.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT. JUST KIND OF HELPING KIDS OR. FROM THE GRASSROOTS YOUNG KIDS. OR EVEN GUYS MY AGE OR OLDER. THAN ME, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM. WITH UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL. LITERACY, UNDERSTANDING THE THE. INS AND OUTS OF THE BUSINESSES. AND KIND OF HELPING BRING VALUE. OR ADD VALUE TO CERTAIN. SITUATIONS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? YEAH. SO MAINSTAY. SPORTS MAN, IT'S A, IT'S ONE OF. THE, IT'SAPTER.

THAT TONE. AND. YOU TALK ABOUT TOOLS. ONE OF. YOUR TOOLS IS YOU WRITE ABOUT. YOUR EMOTION, PAIN, SOMETIMES. SADNESS, EVEN DEPRESSION. AND. THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE YOU. FOR THAT. YEAH. HOW DOES THAT. FEEL? AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE. WAY A LOT OF BOYS AND YOUNG MEN. ARE RAISED IS TO HIDE THEIR. FEELINGS, RIGHT? WHEN DID YOU. START TO NOTICE? WAIT A MINUTE. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY. APPRECIATING ME SHARING THIS. >> YEAH, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE. PEOPLE HIDE THEIR FEELINGS AND.

PEOPLE HIDE WHAT'S REALLY GOING. ON. I FEEL LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA. TOOK A BIG MAKES A BIG ROLE, TAKES A BIG ROLE IN THAT. BUT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO. MATTER WHAT COLOR, SHAPE, SIZE, BACKGROUND, WE ALL GO THROUGH. THINGS. WE ALL ARE A PART OF. LIFE. AND EVERYBODY IN THIS. ROOM, NO MATTER WHAT BACKGROUND. THEY GOT, WHAT THEY COME FROM, WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT LIFE IS. LIFE. LIFE BE LIFE. AND YOU. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO AT THE. END OF THE DAY, THE THINGS I'M. TALKING ABOUT IS JUST REALITY. IT'S JUST MY JOURNEY FROM WHERE. I STARTED TO WHERE I AM TODAY.

THAT'S ALL I SPEAK ABOUT MY. EVERYDAY LIFE, WHERE I COME. FROM, WHERE I'VE BEEN, WHAT. TOOK ME TO GET HERE. AND WE ALL. CAN IN SOME WAY RELATE IN SOME. SHAPE OR FORM TO WHAT I'M. SAYING OR WHAT I'M SPEAKING. ABOUT IS LIFE, MAN. >> SO YOU KNOW HOW SONGS CAN. JUST TELL YOU A POINT IN TIME. IN MY DAY, I REMEMBER HOW I. FIRST LEARNED ABOUT YE, WHO WE. THEN CALLED KANYE WEST, BECAUSE. I REMEMBER THROUGH THE WIRE. COMING OUT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT. WAS BACK WHEN THE THE REFERENCEA.

WHOLE NOTHER ARTIST AND A WHOLE. NOTHER ERA HAVING THAT. EXPERIENCE. >> THAT WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF. MY EARLIER CUTS, MAN. ONE OF MY. EARLIEST SONGS AND I, I JUST, I. FEEL LIKE I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE. BEEN A FAN OF MUSIC MY WHOLE. LIFE. AND I FEEL LIKE WE RELATE. TO THESE ARTISTS IN WAYS THAT. THEY DON'T KNOW, LIKE KANYE. WEST BEFORE, BEFORE. RELATIONSHIP I MIGHT HAVE WITH.

HIM. NOW, EVEN AS A KID, HE. DIDN'T KNOW I EXISTED. HE. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I. BUT HE. DIDN'T KNOW I WAS LISTENING TO. HIS MUSIC AND LIKING HIS MUSIC, AND HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS. SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD GOING. THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR AS. HIM. SO I JUST LIKE TO KIND OF. INTERPOLATE OR PUT OR BRING. WHAT WHAT OTHER ARTISTS MEAN TO. ME AND CHAPTERS OF MY LIFE, AND. BRINGING IT TO MY MUSIC AS A. KIND OF REPRESENTATION. >> WEIRD QUESTION, WEIRD. QUESTION. BUT HOW SOON AFTER. THE ACCIDENT WERE YOU THINKING. ABOUT HIS SONG?

>> I JUST THE FACT THAT I WAS. AN ARTIST, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, ALL OF THIS WAS NEW TO ME. SO. ME TRYING TO NORMALIZE WHAT I'M. GOING THROUGH BECAUSE IT'S. NOBODY AROUND ME THAT CAN KIND. OF TELL ME WHICH WAY TO GO OR. SAY, HEY, THIS HAPPENED. IT'S. NORMAL. SO WITH ME HAVING THE. SUCCESS I HAD AT THE TIME AND. ME BEING IN THE ACCIDENT, I'M. NORMAL, I'M HUMAN. AND GUESS. WHAT? OTHER PEOPLE THAT I'VE. LOOKED UP TO WHO HAS SUCCEEDED. JUST LIKE ME, HAS BEEN THROUGH. THESE SIMILAR THINGS, YOU KNOW. WHAT I'M SAYING? SO HE WAS AN. ARTIST AND HE HAD SOME SUCCESS,

AND HE WAS A SMALLER ARTIST AT. THE TIME, BUT HE HAS HE WENT. THROUGH A SIMILAR SITUATION AS. ME. SO. >> BUT YEAH, ISN'T THAT FUNNY. HOW HAVING ART AS A TEMPLATE. FOR ADVERSITY, I MEAN, YOU GO. IN, THE DOCTOR WILL TELL YOU TO. DO THIS AND YOUR FAMILY WILL. TELL YOU TO DO THAT. BUT YOU. ALSO HAD THIS STORY OF SOMEONE. WHO WENT THROUGH A REGRETTABLE. ACCIDENT ANYONE WOULD WANT TO. AVOID, AND THEN MADE SOMETHING. >> OF IT. YEAH. I MEAN, THAT'S. HOW LIFE WORKS. EVEN AS A. DOCTOR, WE KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE. AND WE KNOW HOW TO, WE KNOW HOW. TO HOW TO GIVE MEDICINE AND. PRACTICE WHATEVER BECAUSE OF.

HOW THEY LEARN IT. THEY STUDY. CASES IN THE PAST OF SOMEBODY. WHO'S HAD IT. AND THIS IS HOW. THEY TOOK THIS MEDICINE. AND. THEY, THEY FELT BETTER THAT. EQUATION RIGHT THERE. BUT THEY. HAD TO GO AND LOOK BACK AT THE. PAST TO KNOW WHAT WORKS TODAY, RIGHT? JUST LIKE A LAWYER, WHEN. HE'S, HE'S PREPARING FOR A CASE. HE'S GOING TO LOOK AT SIMILAR. CASES THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT. SIMILAR SIMILARITY WITH THE. CASE THAT HE'S REPRESENTING TO. SAY, TO LOOK AT THE ANGLES AND. SAY, OKAY, WELL, THIS PERSON. HAD THIS SAME CHARGE OR. WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. AND.

NOW THIS IS HOW THIS LAWYER, A. GREAT LAWYER WHO PROBABLY WAS. BEFORE HIM, DECIDED HIS LAWYER. WON HIS CASE. IT'S THE SAME. THING WITH MUSIC. WHATEVER I'M. GOING THROUGH IN LIFE OR. WHATEVER, I LOOK AT GREAT. ARTISTS AND PEOPLE WHO'VE DONE. ART BEFORE ME, AND I LOOK AT IT. AND I SAY, WELL, THIS IS HOW. THIS GOES. AND IT'S THE SAME. THING. IT'S JUST LIKE THE. BLUEPRINT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT. DON'T COME WITH NO SET OF RULES. IT DON'T COME WITH WHAT'S. NORMAL, IT DON'T COME WITH NONE. OF THAT LIFE PERIOD. SO YOU. HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PAST TO. KIND OF GET A SENSE OF. DIRECTION OR FEEL TO MAKE, TO.

TRY TO PINCH THE NERVES AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS NORMAL. WHEN I. GOT INTO MY ACCIDENT, I HAD TO. LOOK AT MY LIFE AND SAY, MAN, I. SUPPOSED I SUPPOSED TO HAVE A. DRIVE OR I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. THIS? I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. THAT BECAUSE I'M A FAMOUS. RAPPER, OR I GOT SUCH AN AMOUNT. OF DOLLARS, I SHOULDN'T BE. LIVING LIKE THIS. AND THEN I IN. THE HOSPITAL, I'M THINKING LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? KANYE WEST IS. NORMAL. KANYE WEST WENT THROUGH. THE SAME THING. HE GOT INTO AN. ACCIDENT. IT HAPPENS. LIFE. HAPPENS. YEAH. SO THAT WAS JUST. MY WAY OF SHEDDING LIGHT AND.

SAY, THIS IS YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? THIS IS NORMAL. YOU. KNOW. >> YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING DEEP. YOU SAID, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE. LAW. I HAPPEN TO BE A LAWYER, PRACTICED LAW BEFORE I DID THIS. AND WHAT YOU SAID IS DEEP LAW. IS ON PRECEDENT. SO THEY'RE. ALWAYS GOING BACK TO, WELL, WHAT DID THE COURT SAY TEN. YEARS AGO? HOW DO WE BUILD ON. THAT? SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO. EVOLVE OUT OF THAT. BUT THOSE. ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF. MUSIC. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO. SONG THAT COMES OUT OF JUST. HEAVEN WITH NO REFERENCE POINT. YOU GOT, OH, YOU GOT A JAMES. BROWN INTERPOLATION, YOU GOT.

THE SONG YOU MENTIONED. YOU GOT. ALL OF THESE BUILDING BLOCKS. THAT YOU BUILD ON. I WANT TO. TAKE THAT TOO. BACK HOME. MOMS AIN'T HAVING IT.

GOT A SHOW TOMORROW. I HOPE. IT'S PACKED AS. SO I, YOU KNOW, AS A LISTENER, YOU TELL US. I. FEEL LIKE YOU'RE REALLY TALKING. TO US. I FEEL LIKE YOU SAYING. THAT. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR. SINGING STYLE, BUT BUT IT'S. ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE JUST TALKING. TO THIS MAN. I GOT THIS SHOW. I. HOPE IT'S PACKED. RIGHT. TELL. US ABOUT THAT SONG AND WHAT'S. HAPPENED SINCE 17, MAN. >> SO THAT SONG IS A IT'S MY. WAY OF PUTTING MY LISTENERS. INTO WHERE I WAS MENTALLY IN. THE YEAR OF 2017. RIGHT? SO ME. LOOKING IN THE MIRROR BECAUSE. I'M AT MY FRIENDS COLLEGE, I'M.

IN HIS DORM AND I'M JUST. HANGING AROUND. I AIN'T GOT NO. CLASSES. I DON'T GO HERE, I'M. NOT ENROLLED HERE, BUT I'M JUST. HANGING AROUND BECAUSE IT WAS. 45 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE CITY. I HAD A CONCERT IN THE NEXT DAY, SO I WAS KIND OF CAMPING IN. WITH HIM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AT. THAT TIME, HOTELS AND THINGS. LIKE THAT COST ME MONEY. SO I. WAS JUST PUTTING MY LISTENERS. INTO THE MIND FRAME OF WHAT. KIND OF DOUBTS AND HOW NERVOUS. ABOUT YOUR DECISIONS YOU CAN BE. IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE THINGS.

START TO MAKE SENSE OR BEFORE. MONEY START ROLLING IN. MOMS. AIN'T HAVING IT. YOU KNOW WHAT. I'M SAYING? MOMS WAS TELLING ME. TO, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? TAKE A TRADE AND GO BACK TO. SCHOOL AND GET YOUR CDL AND. THINGS LIKE THAT. SO JUST. PUTTING PEOPLE IN THE MIND. FRAME OF AN ENTREPRENEUR BEFORE, WHEN IT BEFORE IT LOOK BEFORE. THE GLAM, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? SO THAT'S JUST MY WAY. OF PUTTING MY LISTENERS INTO. THAT MIND FRAME, BECAUSE YOU. MIGHT COME TO MY SHOWS TODAY. AND SEE MY LIFE TODAY, BUT IT'S. JUST LIKE THE SUPER BOWL. SO.

MANY PEOPLE MISSED MID-SEASON. GAMES, PRESEASON GAMES. YOU. GUYS WASN'T. THAT'S WHY THEY. CALL THEM BANDWAGON BECAUSE NOW. WE HAD THE SUPER BOWL. YEAH. YOU'RE FROM THE AREA. YOU LOVE. THIS TEAM. YOU PROBABLY LOVE. THIS TEAM. YOUR DAD, YOUR GREAT. GRANDDADDY LOVE THIS TEAM. RIGHT. AND IT'S IN YOUR BLOOD. I LOVE THIS TEAM. IT'S JUST. NATURAL. BUT MAYBE YOU MISSED A. COUPLE GAMES. MAYBE YOU DIDN'T. SEE THE PRESEASON. MAYBE YOU. DIDN'T SEE THE KID WHO SCORED. THE TOUCHDOWN TO WIN THE SUPER. BOWL. YOU DIDN'T SEE HIM GET. DRAFTED. YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. HIS LIFE AND HIS BACKGROUND AND. HIS HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT IT.

CAME. SO THAT'S JUST MY WAY OF. KIND OF MOTIVATING OTHER. ENTREPRENEURS AND SAYING, HEY, AT ONE POINT IN TIME, IT'S 2026. BUT IN 2017, THESE, THIS IS. WHAT IT FELT LIKE. THIS IS WHAT. IT LOOKED LIKE. AND WE TALKED. ABOUT AS A LAWYER, LOOKING BACK. AT CERTAIN CASES, I HAVE AN. ALBUM CALLED BEAUTIFUL MIND. AND IF YOU EVER SEEN THE MOVIE. BEAUTIFUL MIND, HE'S STUDYING, TRYING TO FIND ORIGINAL THOUGHT. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS. ORIGINAL THOUGHT. >> IT'S ALL PIECES. >> IT'S ALL COME FROM SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? EVEN. THE SONG THROUGH THE WIRE BY.

KANYE WEST HAS A SAMPLE IN IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO. THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKED. THAT'S HOW THE BRAIN WORK. I. MEAN, IT'S 2026. THERE'S NO. SUCH THING AS AN ORIGINAL. THOUGHT. SOMETHING COME FROM. SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? >> YEAH. TALK ABOUT THE YOUNG. ROD WAVE. THIS MIGHT BE A. LITTLE BIT EVEN BEFORE 17. BUT. WE WE DUG THIS UP. TAKE A LOOK. >> THIS GAME WON'T CHANGE. IT. WAS MADE TO FEEL YOU BETTER. STAY IN YOUR LANE FOR YOU. PLAY.

YOURSELF. CUZ IF THE CRACK IS. COME AND GET YOU. THEY'RE GONNA. TAKE YOU ON THE ROAD. THE. JACKETS COME AND GET YOU. THEY. MIGHT LEAVE WITH YOUR SOUL. >> WHO'S THAT MAN? >> THAT'S YOUNG ROD WAVE. THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE REAL. YOUNG ROD WAVE RIGHT THERE, MAN. AND IF YOU JUST HEAR THOSE. WORDS THAT HE THAT I'M SAYING. IN MY MOUTH, LIKE IT'S ALWAYS. BEEN. AND IT WOULD ALWAYS BE MY. MOUTH WILL SPEAK WHAT MY WHAT. I'M FEELING AND WHAT I'M GOING. THROUGH. AND IF YOU LISTEN. CLOSE ENOUGH, YOU CAN SEE WHERE.

I'M AT MENTALLY IN MY LIFE. YOU. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I'M. TELLING THEM AT THAT AGE, IT'S. LIKE, WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU IN. LIFE? AND I'M TELLING THEM LIKE, THE GAME DON'T CHANGE. IT WAS. MADE TO FAIL BECAUSE THIS IS. WHAT I'M LEARNING AS AN. ADOLESCENT. LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS THAT I MIGHT HAVE. GROWN UP LOOKING AT AND THOUGHT. WAS COOL. HEY, THIS GAME HAS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? PEOPLE BEFORE YOU PEOPLE AFTER. YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. IT DON'T CHANGE. IT'S THE SAME. RESULTS. IT'S ONLY GOING TO END. IN TWO WAYS. SO NOW YOU HAVE TO. FIND SOMETHING POSITIVE TO GET. INTO. YOU HAVE TO FIND.

SOMETHING, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? AND LIKE I WAS TELLING. YOU IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR. CONVERSATION WITH THE HAND I. WAS DEALT. >> YEAH. >> TO BE IN A POSITION THAT I'M. IN RIGHT NOW, NOW I'M ACTUALLY. READY FOR THE WORLD. SEE THAT. YOUNG ROD WAVE? DIDN'T KNOW. WHAT WAS OUT HERE IN THE WORLD. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW. >> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR. SOUND A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS. ALWAYS FUNNY BECAUSE IT'S JUST. PROBABLY NATURAL TO YOU. BUT. SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE YOU'RE. ALMOST TALKING AND THEN YOU'RE. ALMOST BREAKING INTO SONG. THE. WAY WE SEE IN LIKE A MUSICAL. WHERE THE PERSON'S LIKE TALKING. AND THEY'RE OVERTAKEN WITH. EMOTION. AND A LOT OF FOLKS.

HAVE TRIED TO ENCAPSULATE WHAT. THIS SOUND IS BECAUSE IT HAS. THESE OTHER ELEMENTS, RIGHT? BLUES, BUT WITH R&B, BUT WITH. TRAP, BUT WITH MELODIC RAP. HOW. MUCH DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? DO YOU ARE YOU PLANNING THE. EVOLUTION OR YOU'RE IN THE. BOOTH AND YOU SEE HOW IT COMES. OUT? >> I NEVER PLANNED IT, MAN. SOMETIMES I JUST IT IT JUST. HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING. ON WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OR IF. I'M TRYING TO REALLY GET YOU TO. UNDERSTAND THE FEELING BEHIND. THESE WORDS. BECAUSE IF I TELL. YOU, HEY, LOOK OUT. AND IF I.

SAY IT IN A SOFT TONE, YOU. MIGHT JUST SAY, OKAY, YOU MIGHT. GOT A SECRET TO TELL ME, BUT IF. I SAY, YO, LOOK OUT, YOU MIGHT. START JUMPING AND RUNNING. SO. IT'S LIKE SOMETIMES WHAT YOU. PUT THE ENERGY YOU PUT BEHIND. THE WORD IS A BETTER WAY TO. EXPRESS THE SERIOUSNESS OR THE. ACTUAL DEPTH. >> AND THAT COMES TO YOU WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE DOING. IT OR BEFORE. >> IT'S JUST NATURAL. NATURAL. IT DEPENDS ON THE MESSAGE. REALLY DEPENDS ON THE MESSAGE. MAN. >> I GOT A NEWS ITEM FOR YOU, JAY-Z'S HEADLINE IN THE SUPER. BOWL. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

>> HEY, MAN, DOING WHAT HE. SUPPOSED TO DO, MAN. I MEAN, AT. THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOOK AT. PEOPLE BEFORE US LIKE WE JUST. TALKED ABOUT THE ART. YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT GUYS BEFORE US AND. WE SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE. BLUEPRINT BECAUSE IT DON'T. >> I MEAN, HE'S STILL ON HIS. HE'S STILL ON HIS RUN, MAN. HE'S STILL ON HIS JOURNEY ALIVE. HE'S STILL HE'S STILL DOING HIS.

THING. SO THAT'S A PART OF HIS. STORY. THAT'S A PART OF HIS. JOURNEY, MAN. AND I RESPECT IT. YOU KNOW, AND I LOOK REAL CLOSE. TO JAY AND I STUDY HIS HIS. MOVES TO KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW. WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE AS A. YOUNG BLACK MAN IN AMERICA, YOU. KNOW, I JUST IT DON'T, LIKE I. SAID, THE GUYS THAT I GREW UP. LOOKING UP TO, IT CAN ONLY TAKE. ME SO FAR. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M. SAYING? WITH THE THINGS THAT. THEY TAUGHT ME, IT MIGHT HAVE. HELPED ME MOLD ME AS A MAN OR. GET ME TO WHERE I'M AT TODAY AS. A AS A YOUNG MAN. BUT IT'S ONLY. SO FAR. SO NOW THAT I GET OUT.

HERE IN THE WORLD, I HAVE TO. LOOK AT GUYS LIKE JAY WHO. SUCCEEDED, AND PEOPLE MIGHT SAY. HE'S OLD OR WHATEVER THE CASE. MAY BE, BUT IN MY EYES, JUST. GUYS DON'T GET TO BE THAT OLD. WHERE I'M FROM OR THE HAND THAT. WE WAS DEALT, GUYS DON'T GET TO. BE THAT SUCCESSFUL. SO I HAVE. TO LOOK AT GUYS LIKE THAT AND. JUST TAKE WHAT I CAN TAKE FROM. IT AND IN SOME KIND OF WAY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE GOAL, TO. MAKE IT TO THAT AGE AND STILL. BE SUCCESSFUL, STILL BE TALKED. ABOUT, STILL HAVE OPINIONS AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S. JUST THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS, MAN. I HAVE TO LOOK AT GUYS.

LIKE THAT AND TAKE IT WITH A. GRAIN OF SALT AND KIND OF LEARN. WHERE I SHOULD BE HEADED IN. LIFE. IT'S THE SAME THING WITH. DRAKE. IT'S THE SAME THING WITH. KANYE. IT'S THE SAME THING WITH. ALL THESE GUYS WHO ARE BEFORE. ME. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO LOOK AT. THESE GUYS AND SAY, EVEN WHEN I. WAS COMING UP IN THE GAME, I. HAD TO SAY, OKAY, I LIKE THIS. ABOUT MY FAVORITE RAPPER. I. LIKE WHAT HE DID THIS. I. THOUGHT THIS WAS COOL, BUT I. DIDN'T LIKE THAT. SO I'M GONNA. JUST DO THIS, DO THIS. AND THEN. WHEN I GET THERE, I'M GONNA. LOOK AT WHO ON THAT NEXT LEVEL.

AND I'M GONNA LEARN FROM THEM. YOU FEEL ME? >> TOTALLY. ALL RIGHT, I'M. GONNA. I'M GONNA READ YOU. SOMETHING ABOUT YOU. AND THEN I. GOT A LIGHTNING ROUND THAT'S, LIKE, SUPER QUICK, AND THEN. WE'LL LET YOU GET ON BECAUSE I. KNOW YOU GOT A SHOW TO DO. SO. GOOD. THIS IS KIND OF. INTERESTING, BUT WE'LL JUST SEE. WHAT YOU THINK OF IT. THIS IS. AN AI ANALYS WINNING DOESN'T.

NECESSARILY MEAN FEELING BETTER. >> I FEEL LIKE, MAN, AI IS REAL. OBSERVANT, AND THEY GET THEY. GET THEIR DATA FROM, YOU KNOW. WHAT I'M SAYING? THE INTERNET. >> OR THEY GET IT FROM PEOPLE. >> SOMETIMES WITHOUT CREDIT. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT. CAPTURES ANYTHING OR NO? >> YEAH, I THINK THEY GOT I.

THINK THEY ON TO SOMETHING. YOU. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. I FEEL. LIKE THEY GOING TO NEED A. LITTLE MORE DATA FROM. THEY. GONNA NEED A LITTLE MORE DATA. FROM THE SOURCE MAN TO ACTUALLY. GET A REAL UNDERSTANDING ON. WHAT RAW AND WHAT IT IS. BUT. FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ON. WHAT THEY THINK, WHAT THEY CAN. GATHER, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT. GONNA SAY A WORD OR A SENSE OFT.

MEANS. >> TO YOU. OKAY. HOME. >> FIRST JOB. >>. >> THE BEGINNING. CULTURE. MY B. >> AND BE A YOUNG THE GOAT. THEI.

WAS AT SCHOOL SINGING, RIGHT? SO NOBODY WOULD HAVE KNEW ALL. GOT. TO SING DON'T STOP SINGING.

>> RESPECT. ALL RIGHT, THESE. ARE A. STICK TO THE STICK TO.NS STICK. TO THE SCRIPT.

>> IT. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T. DO IT DON'T MEAN YOU CAN'T GET. IT DONE. >> I LOVE THAT. >> HEY ROD WAVE THANKS FOR. COMI.