Like many artists who will be sure to come into the fold of the music industry in a similar wake, Russ’ career ultimately began on the Internet. Between 2011 and 2014, Russ released 11 albums for free on Soundcloud. In 2016, Russ’ single, “What They Want,” hit the Billboard Hot 100, and his 2017 major label debut, There’s Really A Wolf, released at #4 on the Hip-Hop Albums charts. Less than a year later, this past April, that LP was certified platinum.

Admittedly in a 2016 interview with XXL magazine, the Atlanta residing rapper/producer grew up listening to, “Eminem, Dr. Dre 50 Cent—basically everything G-Unit.” So, when Russ hit HOT 97 to visit Funkmaster Flex for a freestyle, the 25-year-old promptly jumps on 50 Cent & Mobb Deep’s “Outta Control (Remix)” instrumental, and spits tough with an animal’s ambition.

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For nearly three minutes, Russ spits with impressive, braggadocious intent. Explicitly, Russ puts to rest the differences he sees between himself, and that of the other “lil and young” rappers who’ve risen from the same Soundcloud generation he blossomed from. Presumably, Russ is taking on Lil Pump and his peers—who have publicly admitted to trolling their successful peer, without much justification. Additionally, Russ ends his freestyle announcing the forthcoming release of his second studio album, and promises “another platinum plaque,” adding that, “it’s at least another billion reasons while y’all gonna get mad, ya feel me?”

“Flippin’ plans for the profit / I’m not a man, I’m a prophet / I’ll take my fam to the tropics, and watch us land from the cockpit / All my idols either lost or they’re the frauds now / Me, myself, and I are my gods now / Y’all be tryin’ to social climb, I be tryin’ to climb the charts, uh / y’all some b*tches, I feel that sh*t in my heart,” he charges with fervor, following in the footsteps of J. Cole’s “1985 – Intro To ‘The Falloff.'” “Can’t even tell y’all apart / Lil who? Young what? / Another d*ck-riding clout chaser screaming, ‘F*ck Russ!”‘/ How original.”

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Pump told J. Cole this year that after he and his peers stopped trolling Cole, they picked on Russ.