Content warning: The following article contains mentions of depression and drug use.
Rod Wave is shedding light on feelings that many young Black men around the country, and quite possibly around the world, experience but were told to not talk about. Starting in childhood, boys are taught to dust themselves off and act like a big boy. Teaching them at a young age that emotions are a sign of weakness. These childhood experiences continue into adulthood and create men who are unable to process and communicate their emotions and feelings. Leaving men feeling like they have to deal with mental and emotional health problems by themselves.
But a young artist from St. Petersburg, Florida is helping to change that.
Wave made his debut in 2016 with his mixtape “Hunger Games Vo.1.” From the beginning, his fans were drawn to his ability to capture and express the pent-up emotions that many young men experience every day living in low-income communities. While using a combination of singing and rapping, Wave covered topics like love, heartbreak, drug use, depression, anxiety and the process of grief. While Wave’s financial situation has changed his ability to use his music to express his emotions hasn’t.
Wave’s music has been heavily criticized for being too emotional. Wave himself stated before the release of his album “Beautiful Mind” that this would be the last “sad a— album “.
But many of those who support and are fans of Wave are drawn to the relatability and vulnerability.
“African Americans’ depressive occurrences are more disabling, persistent and resistant to treatment than those experienced by whites,” according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Depression affects more than 17 million Americans each year and makes matters worse for Black men. Mental health is something that affects many people, but the discussion around mental health especially in the Black community is limited.
Whether it’s intentional or not Wave is starting up conversations around mental health in the Black community. For years hip hop, which plays an important part in the Black community, has allowed artists to talk about everything from women to drugs and violence. But there has always been limited space in the mainstream media dedicated to talking about more sensitive topics like love, heartbreak, anxiety, grieving and depression.
What for some seems like senseless complaining or crying over beats, is a reflection of reality for many young Black men. Faced with dealing with their mental health in a society that has not allowed them a safe place to express their feelings. “It’s so hard to open up dawg, and be that way, especially in this society. We was taught to hide them feelings… hide how we feel inside to the point where your mind will trick you into thinking you don’t got no feelings or you heartless,” he said in an interview with Montreality.
One of the first steps towards creating change in any space is dialogue. Change can not be made if people aren’t aware of what is going on. When artists like Wave use their platform and music to address these issues it breaks the mold and creates an incite of dialogue and discussion.
An example of this is a YouTube video created by Josh Jones. In a simple 14-minute and 30-second video a father and his son listen to and review Wave’s live performance of his song “Boyz Don’t Cry.” While it’s entertaining to watch the father and son duo interact, their discussions about manhood and life lessons keep the audience’s attention. “I ain’ telling you to run around crying but men know how to cry,” the father in the video said. These little comments and dialogue begin to help shape the way Black men view masculinity. Others are hearing and listening to these conversations. The comment section is full of viewers who pour out their praise of the father and son duo.
This is just one example of several conversations that are happening online. Several Youtubers and streamers have used Wave’s music as a way to start conversations and community with their audiences who also struggle with understanding how to deal with their mental and emotional health.
Wave is breaking generations of toxic traditions around Black masculinity. He’s using his music and fame to talk about the subjects that were traditionally off-limits. By being his most vulnerable and honest self he is allowing others to do the same.
Critics can fairly argue that there is still a lot of improvement that can be done in Wave’s music lyric-wise. Wave does highlight drug use and violence as a way to cope with his emotions. At times Wave has created emotionally heavy songs. But the suppression of dialogue and acknowledgment is the threat against progression.
For now, we should praise and congratulate Wave for his ability to be so transparent and vulnerable in his music. He has done something that artists twice his age have not even attempted to do.
Most importantly, we should continue to support and encourage conversations around emotions and mental health. Whether that be from a therapist, a father, a son or a young 25-year-old rapper from St. Petersburg, Florida.