Russ
Russ in 2018
Russ in 2018
Background information
Birth nameRussell James Vitale[1][2]
Born (1992-09-26) September 26, 1992
Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S.
OriginAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2007–present
Labels
Websiteruss.is

Russell James Vitale (born September 26, 1992), known mononymously as Russ, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.[3][4][5] After years of releasing his music for free online, Vitale released his twelfth studio album, There's Really a Wolf, in May 2017 through Columbia Records. The album was met with critical and commercial success, attaining platinum certification a year after its release,[6] and spawning the minor hit singles: "What They Want", "Losin Control" and "Best on Earth" (featuring Bia), peaking respectively at number 83, 63, and 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[7] His thirteenth and fourteenth albums, Zoo (2018)[8] and Shake the Snow Globe (2020), saw similar success, as both peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200. Outside of his solo career, he is part the Atlanta-based hip hop collective Diemon.[9][10][11]

Early life

Russell James Vitale was born on September 26, 1992, in Secaucus, New Jersey. He is of Sicilian descent.[1] Vitale was born into an American family with Sicilian ancestry, which included him and three other siblings.[12] He lived in North Carolina and Kentucky in his childhood due to his father having to constantly relocate due to his career, before his family found a permanent home during his late teenage years in Atlanta, Georgia.[13] Vitale was taught to play guitar by his father, and over the years gradually learned how to play several instruments.[14] He started writing raps in his notebook at 7 years old. He started making beats when he was 14 and was initially producing with his friend Bugus.[15][16] He recorded his first song at 18 years old and continued making beats and producing songs in the basement of Colm Dillane's KidSuper.[17][18][19]

Career

In 2011, Russ, alongside friend and fellow rapper Bugus, appeared on MTV after Bugus' song "El Jefe" gained traction.[15] After his short enrollment in Kennesaw State University, Russ co-founded his own collective and label, Diemon, with Bugus and others.[14] In a 2012 article on Jenesis Magazine, Russ was described as an in-house producer for Diemon.[20]

From December 2011 to August 2014, Russ released 11 albums and 87 singles consecutively; all free of charge.[1] Despite this, his music had not gained the attention that he wanted, so he began to release a song every week on SoundCloud for almost three years.[21] Two of these songs, "What They Want" and "Losin Control", eventually peaked at number 83 and number 62 on the US Billboard Hot 100, respectively.[22] [23][7]

After signing a partnership with Columbia Records, Russ released his twelfth studio album, There's Really a Wolf, on May 5, 2017; it debuted at number 7 on the US Billboard 200 and number four on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[24][25][26] On April 18, 2018, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 1,000,000 units in the United States.[27] Prior to releasing his album, Russ announced on his Twitter account that he would be headlining his tour, The Wake Up Tour, from May 16 to August 5, 2017.[28]

Russ performing in 2017

Russ released his thirteenth studio album, Zoo, on September 7, 2018, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200.[29] On November 12, 2019, Russ published his first book, It's All in Your Head.[30] On January 31, 2020, he released his fourteenth studio album, Shake the Snow Globe, on Russ My Way Inc. and Columbia Records.[31] It peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200.[32]

On June 30, 2020, Russ announced that he completed his deal with Columbia Records and is now an independent artist.[33] On November 17, 2020, he released an EP titled Chomp. It features guest appearances from Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Benny the Butcher, and Ab-Soul, among others.[34]

On November 18, 2021, Russ announced a new EP, Chomp 2, as the sequel to last year’s Chomp. The project was released on December 8, 2021, under Russ My Way Inc.

Musical style and influences

Russ's early inspirations were G-Unit, 50 Cent, and Eminem.[18][35] He produced beats for around six years before he attempted to record himself rapping.[36] Russ is known for his songs being produced, mixed, mastered, engineered, written, and performed by himself.[37] Most of his songs contain hip hop and R&B elements, while combining rapping and singing on the hook. His style has been described by Uproxx as a "raspy, hardbody rap flow, and lilting, almost drunken singing voice".[38]

Controversy

On September 11, 2017, after a show, Russ tweeted a picture depicting him in a shirt with writing on it that said: "How much xans and lean do you have to do before you realize you're a fucking loser".[39] The tweet caused controversy, and led to numerous responses from other music artists. Late Chicago rapper Fredo Santana responded to the tweet, stating: "Until I can stop thinking bout my dead homies an the trauma I been thru in my life that's when I'll stop".[39]

Following the controversy, the phrase "fuck Russ" became a commonly referenced phrase and meme. On June 6, 2018, after rappers Lil Pump and J. Cole settled their issues in an interview, Lil Pump tweeted "ME & J COLE COOL NOW SO NOW ITS FUCK RUSS".[40]

Personal life

Russ has two different eye colors, a condition known as heterochromia; his left eye is dark brown, and his right is light brown.[18]

Discography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2017 Woodie Awards Woodie to Watch Nominated[42]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Abubaker, Mustafa (June 20, 2016). "Do it everyday, music or nothing: ATL's Russ on his self-made success". Mass Appeal. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Try the TIDAL Web Player". listen.tidal.com.
  3. ↑ "ACE Repertory". ascap.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Russ Doesn't Hesitate to 'Pull the Trigger' in New Video – XXL". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Certified Fresh: Meet Russ, Your Next Favorite Rapper". hiphopwired.com. April 20, 2016. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ "American single certifications – Russ -There's Really a Wolf". Recording Industry Association of America". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Russ Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Russ Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Meet Russ the Up and Coming Atlanta Artist". teambackpack.net. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ↑ "Do It Everyday, Music or Nothing: ATL's Russ on His Self-Made Success – Mass Appeal". June 20, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  11. ↑ "New Visuals For Russ's "Pull The Trigger"". Respect. July 29, 2016. Archived from the original on August 25, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Everything You Need To Know About Russ". HotNewHipHop. February 22, 2017. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  13. ↑ RUSS in-depth interview w/ Bootleg Kev, August 19, 2016, retrieved May 9, 2017
  14. 1 2 "Russ | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  15. 1 2 "Russ Opens His Old Basement Studio & Explains Independent Success". genius.com. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Meet Russ: The Up-and-Coming Atlanta Artist". Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  17. ↑ Trebay, Guy (April 28, 2021). "KidSuper Wants to Bring Back Warhol's Factory". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 "The Break Presents: Russ – XXL". XXL Mag. April 8, 2016. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  19. ↑ Garl, Maurice (April 20, 2016). "Certified Fresh: Meet Russ, Your Next Favorite Rapper". Hip-Hop Wired. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  20. ↑ Agnew, Thomas (May 8, 2012). "[Feature] Diemon: Diemon In The Rough". Jenesis Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  21. ↑ Corry, Kristin (September 11, 2018). "So, Why Does Everyone Hate Russ?". Vice. Vice. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Russ – "What They Want" & "Let Me In"". Hillydilly.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Rising Rapper Russ on His '10-Year, 11-Album, 87-Song Overnight Success'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  24. ↑ Mendizabal, Amaya (May 18, 2017). "Russ' 'There's Really a Wolf' Debuts at No. 4 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Listen to Russ' New Album 'There's Really a Wolf' – XXL". XXL Mag. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  26. ↑ "There's Really A Wolf". iTunes. May 5, 2017. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". riaa.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  28. ↑ "The Wake Up Tour". Twitter.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Russ Chart History | Billboard". Billboard. November 5, 2019. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019.
  30. ↑ Vitale, Russell (2019). It's All in Your Head: Get Out of Your Way. United States: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-06-296243-0.
  31. ↑ "Russ – 'Shake The Snow Globe' review". nme.com. February 3, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Billboard 200 Top 20 | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com. February 17, 2020. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020.
  33. ↑ Grant, Shawn (July 2, 2020). "Russ Announces He is Now An Independent Artist". The Source. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  34. ↑ Ivey, Justin (November 11, 2020). "Russ Recruits Black Thought, Benny The Butcher, Ab-Soul, Busta Rhymes & More For 'Chomp' EP". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  35. ↑ "Russ Biography". billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  36. ↑ "RUSS in-depth interview w/ Bootleg Kev". YouTube. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Rising Rapper Russ on His '10-Year, 11-Album, 87-Song Overnight Success'". Billboard. December 15, 2016. Archived from the original on December 16, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Russ' 'There's Really A Wolf' Was The Best Rap Release Of The Weekend". UPROXX. May 8, 2017. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  39. 1 2 Berry, Peter A. (September 12, 2017). "Russ Causes Controversy With Anti-Drug Shirt". XXL. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  40. ↑ Ivey, Justin (June 6, 2018). "J. Cole's New Homie Lil Pump Is Now Screaming "Fuck Russ"". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Russ - Chomp 2". Apple Music. December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Winners & Nominees by Category – 2017 Woodies – MTV University". MTV. Archived from the original on May 6, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
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