Rod II and Rod Sr. are the father-son duo behind the YouTube channel “Bridging The Gap,” a popular music reaction channel. In pretty short order they have amassed more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers, 1.1 million TikTok followers, and more than half a million Instagram fans. The saw some of their best success during the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, as some of the videos released about the rap beef became some of their most viewed ever. Rod Sr. and Rod II stepped into the star studio to talk about their relationship and music.
What made you want to see your dad’s reactions to today’s music?
Rod II: I was a fan of my dad’s music and the music that I heard him playing as I was growing up. And I saw a lot of parallels. I would recognize samples because growing up that’s what was playing. So, I always had a deep appreciation for just music, period. I feel like that comes from him. And I had just been seeing other reaction channels around, and I was like, “Oh, man, if I can get my dad to just, like, really give it a chance, it could work.”
Are there any artists that your son put you on to that you really enjoy?
Rod Sr.: Oh, man, it’s about, maybe, I would say about a half a dozen right now that comes to the top of my mind. Uh, I really, I tell you what, I really enjoyed this last reaction we did with Doechii.
What is it like to introduce your father to artists who are very popular in this generation?
Rod II: Oh, super fun, man. I think it’s super fulfilling. I think that where we started, I was mostly playing him stuff like I was growing up listening to that has already been considered classic and highly regarded, but now we’re at the point where we’re covering the brand new stuff that comes out. I think it’s so cool that we’ve covered Tyler, The Creator‘s music, and he, he saw us. You know what I mean? He comments, and deeply comments, I mean, he talks about my dad’s listening palette, and how he really hears the sound. So, just thinking that one of my personal favorite artists of today, knows who we are.
How was Rod II as a kid?
Rod Sr.: His memories of us start like when he was a teenager, but of course he’s the oldest, and he, he don’t realize that but he was talking at a very, very early age. And he used to, you know, jump in my back seat in my car. And he would tag along everywhere I go, but he was the most affectionate out of my sons. I think he was the most affectionate one. And I don’t want to embarrass him, but he would suck his thumb and play with it in my ear.
Was Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar bigger than Tupac vs. Biggie?
Rod Sr.: Only because of the reach. I mean, he went on Super Bowl. I mean, the Super Bowl. They were showing people in China, crip walking. Man, dancing out there for Kendrick Lamar.
Where does Drake go from here?
Rod II: He just needs to go back to Drake. He’s good. Like, he just need to make good music. I mean, he’s already showing it. I mean, he got hella singles off of the new joint that’s working, Some Sexy Songs 4 You. Those are working, man. It’s vibe. It’s gonna be a Drake summer, for sure. Drake will be straight, man.
Can you be a fan of both?
Rod II: That’s what I don’t like. I don’t like it from a Kendrick or Drake side, the people that’s on the Internet, like, bro, you are allowed to like both. It’s cool. It’s okay to like both. They don’t know you, dog, like, they don’t know you. If people think, yeah, you have to pick a side. No, I can like both. I could throw on “Nokia” or I could throw “Peekaboo.” Like I’m vibing one way or another man.
