Roddy Ricch has delivered a memorable episode of NPR's "Tiny Desk" program, taking the show to the famed West Coast Customs garage, Wednesday, July 8.

The hip-hop and trap hitmaker staged his own show in the Los Angeles-based automobile repair shop. Roddy Rich enlisted the award-winning 1500 Or Nothin and fellow hitmaker Ty Dolla Sign to deliver the stripped-down, intimate performance. It was the first "Tiny Desk" episode to feature the iconic car shop, West Coast Customs, in the series' "Home Concerts" edition.

2019 BET Experience STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored By Coca-Cola - Night 2
(Photo : Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images for BET)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 21: Roddy Ricch performs onstage at the 2019 BET Experience STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored By Coca-Cola at Staples Center on June 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

Roddy Ricch opened with "Perfect Time," playing his piano perched on a stack of tires. The dim-lit venue then shifted to the Ty Dolla Sign collab "Bacc Seat." The 21-year-old artist then welcomed everyone to "Tiny Desk a.k.a Tiny Garage." Roddy Ricch continued: "I appreciate NPR for having me."

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He then introduced the third song from his set, "High Fashion." Ricch described it as the "type of relationships I like to be in, I like to be in a high fashion relationship" before breaking into the first verse. The West Coast hip-hop and R&B hit was more watered-down with heavier synth backups in the chorus. "High Fashion" was released as a single last May 19, 2020. It peaked the US Rhythmic charts and peaked at No. 20 on the Hot 100.

"I send prayers out to everybody."

He closed his NPR Tiny Desk set with the song "War Baby." Accompanied by mellow piano rhythms courtesy of 1500 or Nothin's Lamar Edwards, Roddy Rich extended his gratitude again. "There's a lot of things going on in the world. You know, I lot of times I stay off the Internet, I don't really like to be bothered," Ricch said. He added that this is "a crazy time" that we're living in, noting that there has been a lot of negativity. 

"On a positive note, I just wanna appreciate my people for standing together, you know, at a time like this." He sends his prayers and asks everyone to stay safe.

The "Rockstar" hitmaker then began his last song for this set, "War Baby." He was only accompanied by a piano, with soft beats entering by his first chorus. The closing track to his debut album laments the difficult life "in the projects." Roddy Ricch delivers a soulful West Coast hip-hop track, with its signature biographical narratives. His vocals are propelled by the powerful backing from the 1500 Or Nothin.

"Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial"

All four songs in his "Tiny Desk" setlist are from his critically acclaimed debut album "Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial." It was released last December 6, 2019, to commercial and critical success. 

"Antisocial" debuted at the top of the all-genre Billboard 200 album charts, 101,000 equivalent album sales. It also topped the Top R&B/ Hip-Hop Albums chart. By April 10, 2020, Roddy Rich's album has already crossed the Platinum certification mark, with more than 1 million copies sold.

It featured guest appearances from many of Ricch's contemporaries. Meek Mill, Ty Dolla Sign, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Gunna, and Lil Durk had guest appearances on the album.

Watch Roddy Ricch's NPR At-Home Concert below:

 

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