Rapper Rod Wave (born Rodarius Marcell Green), 23, was arrested in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sunday night (May 1) on a felony charge of battery by strangulation. According to a charge report on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office site, Green was booked into jail just after midnight on Monday on the charge after his arrest by the St. Petersburg Police Dept.
At press time, a spokesperson for Green had no comment on the arrest, and a spokesperson for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department had no additional comment, but confirmed that the rapper was booked on a warrant for domestic battery by strangulation that originated in Osceola County, Fla., in the alleged incident. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Dept. spokesperson said Green was still in custody.
Pitchfork reported that Green shared an Instagram Story on Monday night that appeared to show the arrest, with images of flashing police lights and Green “shaking his head.” The site reported that Green’s 2021 Dodge Durango was pulled over “after a traffic infraction,” which led to his arrest by the St. Petersburg police at 10:34 p.m. on an out-of-county warrant reportedly issued by Osceola County. Billboard has reached out to the Osceola PD for additional information on the warrant.
The MC’s career broke out in 2019 with “Heart on Ice,” which peaked at No. 25 on Billboard Hot 100. His 2021 release, SoulFly, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200. He released “Cold December,” the lead single from his upcoming third album earlier this year, on which he reminisces about past romantic relationships over a sample of Hank Williams Jr.’s “OD’d in December.”
In April, Green gave away $25,000 worth of gas in his hometown in response to the then record-high gas prices, with hundreds of drivers queuing up at a local Sunoco for the giveaway.