As an artist, there will be times when you must go out and find inspiration – and then there are times when the inspiration finds you. Growing up, genre-bending rapper and singer PawPaw Rod listened to a wide variety of music, as he was constantly moving around. This eclectic exposure played a part in the way PawPaw Rod makes music today, as he flawlessly mixes together genres like rap, soul, and house into his songs. In 2020, he exploded onto the scene with “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS,” exposing fans to his unique creative stylings. He then released three EPs in the years that followed, which found PawPaw Rod’s music amassing millions of streams and earning placement in ads for Apple and Nike products and in shows like Outer Banks and Insecure. It can take a lot to put yourself out there and share your music with the masses, and if you wonder how PawPaw Rod is able to do it so unapologetically, you can find out on his latest single “Shadow.”
As you get older, you tend to find out more about yourself. This can happen after going through major milestones or by carrying out small, everyday tasks. Regardless, you have to embrace whatever parts you unlock, which is what PawPaw Rod gets into on “Shadow.” It may sound like a deep and pensive track, but its danceable grooves, easy-going vocals, and relaxed vibe suggest otherwise. All the while, PawPaw Rod delivers soulful and meditative lines like, “My shadow, yeah, I wanna get to know you better / Could you let me in?” ready to become a better version of himself. You can check it out in the video below, which includes highlights from his show at The Echo in Los Angeles and from Coachella earlier this year.
About “Shadow,” PawPaw Rod explains,
“‘Shadow’ is about wanting to know more about yourself. Your shadow is like your inner child, and part of getting older is acknowledging that part of you and allowing it to exist within you. You can’t be afraid of your own shadow – you have to embrace it wholeheartedly.”
The rest of the year looks pretty busy for PawPaw Rod, as he will be hitting the road. Along with opening for Still Woozy, he will be playing at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. Additionally, he will head out on his own headline tour in October, the ‘Doobie Mouth Tour,’ making stops in cities like Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Seattle. You can find tickets here.
PawPaw Rod is also releasing Doobie Mouth (An EP From PawPaw Rod) on August 9. You can pre-save it here.
You can listen to “Shadow” on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
Keep up with PawPaw Rod: Facebook // Instagram // X // YouTube // TikTok // Laylo
