Book Russ

Russ is the independent-minded rapper, singer, songwriter and producer who released eleven albums on his own before his Columbia Records debut, There's Really a Wolf (2017), produced his first Billboard Hot 100 entries, "What They Want" and "Losin Control." Born Russell Vitale, he spent his early years in Atlanta, where after a short stint at Kennesaw State University he co-founded the collective and label Diemon with fellow rapper Bugus. Producing, writing and mixing much of his own music, he built a following by releasing songs at a rapid pace online before signing his major label partnership. His next albums, Zoo (2018) and Shake the Snow Globe (2020), each reached number four on the Billboard 200, and the latter produced the top 50 single "Best on Earth" featuring Bia. He followed with Chomp 2 (2021), Santiago (2023) and W!LD (2025), continuing to oversee his catalog from the ground up. His book It's All in Your Head came out in 2019, and his first screen role came in M. Night Shyamalan's 2024 thriller Trap. His career is a model of the do-it-yourself path in rap.