About this episode
This week’s guest is one of the most successful independent artists in modern music. He’s a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer who built his career from the ground up. in this rare conversation, he opens up about the side of the journey we don’t usually hear: The emotional weight of ownership , the mental toll of doing it all alone , and the belief system that kept him going when no one else did . This is a blueprint for any creative who wants to build something real without losing their peace . And The Writer Is... Russ! Chapters 00:00 – Intro 02:14 – How Russ Beat the System Without Selling His Soul 04:16 – Childhood Chaos, Cop Cars & Creative Spark 07:06 – Soulja Boy, Pep Rallies & Atlanta Music Culture 08:19 – Rock Ballads & Soul Roots You Didn’t Expect 10:11 – The Guitar That Started It All 11:49 – GarageBand & Making Beats for Friends 12:41 – Wayne, Wiz & Folk Rock: A Weird Musical Diet 13:56 – Why Russ Doesn’t Sound Like Anyone Else 15:29 – Publishing Wars: Russ vs. Drum Programmers 26:18 – Why Songwriters Are Fighting for the Wrong Money 29:32 – The $850K Sample Mistake 30:21 – Power, Control & Protecting His Business 34:05 – Why He Still Handles His Own Deals 35:11 – A Wake-Up Call to Songwriters: Keep Your Records 39:03 – When a Song Hits Mid-Dinner, You Leave 41:44 – Burnout, Collaboration & Creative Revival 45:11 – The Line He’ll Never Cross in Rap 48:01 – Turning Fights Into Hits (Literally) 50:07 – Writing in the Shower & Whispering Hooks at 2AM 54:14 – Harmonizing with His Partner—In Music and Life 56:02 – When He Doesn’t Create, Everything Unravels 57:09 – The 20% Rule That Changed His Sanity 58:07 – How Columbia Let Him Stay Indie (Kind Of) 61:06 – Ownership, Spending, and Where the Real Money Is 63:56 – What Russ Would Do If He Had to Start Over 65:19 – Vulnerability vs. Confidence: The Real Inner Battle 66:07 – Why He Samples Even Though He Can Write Anything 66:38 – Burnout & Building a Life Outside of Music 67:52 – Being Your Own Engine (and Breaking Down) 69:25 – The Hidden Prison of Fame 70:38 – Panic Attacks, Depression & Healing 72:01 – Therapy, Faith & Finding Balance 75:17 – Music as Medicine (and a Mental Trap) 78:42 – Dopamine Detox & Spiritual Warfare 81:11 – Why He Hates LA 82:22 – “I Can Make a Hit in 20 Minutes”—But Should I? 83:33 – Escaping the Productivity Hamster Wheel 84:38 – A $25M Lesson Every Artist Should Hear 86:51 – Love, Identity, and the Power of a Creative Partner 89:09 – Real Talk on Timing, Trust, and Tension 90:54 – What Actually Grounds Russ (That You Don’t See Online) 92:33 – What He Hopes to Be Remembered For 94:10 – For the Dreamer Who’s Almost Out of Gas 96:22 – Why Gratitude Isn’t Optional 97:47 – Ego vs. Purpose: The Shift That Saved His Career 99:21 – Navigating Hate, Criticism & Longevity 102:06 – Owning Your Story Without Needing a Comeback 104:33 – Faith, Flow & Letting Go 107:18 – Redefining Wealth: What Energy Are You Leaving Behind? 109:55 – Art as Therapy: Why He’ll Never Stop Writing 112:11 – Leaving a Legacy Without Forcing It 115:03 – What He Still Doesn’t Feel Comfortable Sharing 117:12 – A Final Message to Artists Who Feel Alone 120:10 – Outro: What Russ Hopes You Take From This Episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.