Independent rapper Russ doesn’t inherently back down from airing his thoughts, as he’s done here to raise a stir in the industry about modern rap. Touting the themes of being true and creative independence, Russ shared his concerns on the current state of rap music; according to him, it has no originality.
He slammed today’s rap scene rather candidly, saying that most of it is full of imitations that sound like other hits. “It’s like everyone is just trying to recreate something that’s already been done,” Russ stated, pointing to artists following one after another in the chase for success instead of creating their own path.
Russ shares his thoughts on the current era of rap music.
“Lotta this new rap just sounds like bad attempts at impersonating music that is still readily available” pic.twitter.com/8N42yx0QSS
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) August 19, 2024
Well, considering that Russ has made a career out of being an independent artist, this really does not come as a surprise. It simply means he had to take the career path in the music industry due to the prerequisite ability it gives him for expression and creative freedom toward his works. Most mainstream artists do not seem to be independent artists; most link with or get dibs from other notable producers or artists who are hot during that time. Russ has stayed focused on what he knows best: real music. This is apparent when one browses through his latest album, SANTIAGO.
Inspired by Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” SANTIAGO immerses itself in themes of self-discovery and mastery. It is a record of Russ personally through the industry, where he learned to love the process of finding and mastering his sound rather than just mere trending. “It’s about the journey, not the destination,” Russ explained, quoting the wisdom from Coelho’s classic. That has been the real center of Russ’s artistic philosophy: finding oneself, growth. These distinguish an artist in a world where so many other artists are satisfied to merely follow the herd.
Russ’s criticism supersedes personal frustration; he communicates an even larger concern in the music world: the rising dilution of artistic integrity through commercialization. With the constant evolution of the rap game, there is a sense of budding anxiety that the chase for the viral hit and commercial success overshadows real creativity and innovation. His remarks thus become something of a call to action for established and upcoming artists to be more original and authentic in their work.
The answer is clear to Russ: artists must avoid the urge to copy what is already out there but work hard on their own unique voice. “What the industry doesn’t need is another copy,” he said, “but rather new ideas and real authentic expression.”
