Russ’ newest release is a 3 song package, none of which were not included in his September album, ZOO. The album featured lots of hits like Our Time and Missin You Crazy (I may do another post just dedicated to ZOO).
The new songs are all down-tempo tracks over which Russ sings and raps. The Atlanta artist seems to be mastering his relaxed songwriting style, making catchier hooks with each new release. The song Nobody Knows has a chorus which is hard not to sing along to.
On all three tracks, Russ talks about his struggle with feeling lonely and battling mental health issues. He shares on Nobody Knows, “Mask up my pain, hold back my tears, I’m going insane, nobody knows, all by myself.” And on Alright he sings, “It’s not written on my face, nah, it’s buried deep, they see me as strong, so I can’t come off very weak.”
The rapper often speaks about how he feels responsible for his parents’ separation. By becoming the primary breadwinner in his family, he feels he “enabled the breakup.” Since their separation, he has remained close with his mother. Russ describes his relationship with her in his music, explaining she provides him with constant support which keeps him from losing his mind.
I discovered Russ a couple of years ago on Soundcloud when his track, What They Want, blew up. I have an immense amount of respect for the artist. He is one of the few artists who does everything himself – writing, producing, mixing, and even album artwork. He has taken a lot of hate recently, especially on social media, for his arrogance. The fact that he has managed to push through all the hate and become a self-made success is really impressive. It did not happen overnight for Russ though. He released one song per week on Soundcloud for two and a half years, putting out 11 albums worth of material in that time. He has been long due for some recognition.
Joshua's Music Collection 