Velvet
Album · 2011
RUSS
Atlanta by way of New Jersey
Eleven SoundCloud albums, a song a week, and one long bet on himself. The music, era by era.
Photo: @russ on InstagramThe music, 2011 to now
Seven eras. One rule: do it yourself.
Every album and EP, era by era. Hover any cover to play it right here, on Spotify, YouTube Music or SoundCloud. The page changes color as each era takes over.
Play on
012011 to 2016
Diemon Days
The SoundCloud grind
Russ co-founds Diemon in Atlanta, then self-releases eleven albums and 87 singles in under three years, producing, mixing and engineering nearly all of it himself. After that comes a song a week on SoundCloud for almost three years, until "What They Want" and "Losin Control" break into the Billboard Hot 100.
Apollo 13
Album · 2012
Pink Elephant
Album · 2014
How to Rob
Album · 2014
022017
There's Really a Wolf
The debut
A partnership with Columbia, but the same rules: Russ writes, produces and engineers. His official debut lands at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and the Wake Up Tour takes the songs on the road.
There's Really a Wolf
Album · 2017
032018
Zoo
Louder, sharper
The second album climbs to No. 4 on the Billboard 200, with Jessie Reyez on "Basement" and the late-year Just in Case EP closing things out.
Zoo
Album · 2018
Just in Case
EP · 2018
042019 to 2020
Shake the Snow Globe
The last Columbia record
Another No. 4 debut. "Best on Earth" with Bia becomes one of his biggest records, and by June 2020 his deal is done.
Shake the Snow Globe
Album · 2020
052020 to 2022
Chomp
Fully independent
On June 30, 2020 Russ announces he is independent. The Chomp series has him trading verses with heavyweight lyricists, and "Are You Entertained" with Ed Sheeran goes global without a major label behind it.
Chomp
EP · 2020
Chomp 2
Album · 2021
If Not Now, When?
EP · 2022
062023 to 2024
Santiago
Warmer, looser
Santiago debuts at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. Then a film debut in M. Night Shyamalan's Trap, and a run of collaborations with 6lack and DJ Premier.
Santiago
Album · 2023
072025 to now
W!LD
The newest chapter
W!LD arrives in June 2025, followed by the deluxe, The Elephant & The Rider. The same year Billboard names him an Indie Trailblazer, fourteen years after the first Diemon upload.
W!LD
Album · 2025
W!LD Deluxe: The Elephant & The Rider
Album · 2025
Live
Recent and upcoming shows
Dates change fast, so the official listings are always the source of truth. Track Russ on Bandsintown to get a ping when he hits your city.
What They Want
2016
Losin Control
2016
Are You Entertained (with Ed Sheeran)
2022
About
Russell Vitale
Born in Secaucus, New Jersey in 1992 and raised partly in Atlanta, Russ started writing raps at seven and making beats at fourteen. He built his whole catalog the slow way: free albums, a song every week, and owning the work.
That approach is the thread through every era on this page, from the Diemon uploads to W!LD. He is also the author of two books, It's Not What You Think and It Was You All Along.
11
Free albums, 2011 to 2014
87
SoundCloud singles before the deal
No. 4
Billboard 200 peak, Zoo and Shake the Snow Globe
2020
The year he went independent