Russ Praises Tommy Richman For Capitalizing On His Success

BY Elias Andrews 1.8K Views
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Day N Night
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Rapper Russ performs onstage during the Day N Night Festival at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 10, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Russ admires the initiative.

Tommy Richman is not wasting time. He struck it big with "Million Dollar Baby," which climbed all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. He then struck again with "Devil Is a Lie," which has getting lots of positive response from fans. Richman didn't stop there. The R&B singer announced his plans to drop his debut solo album, COYOTE, in the next few months. He's proven he isn't a one-hit wonder in record time, and industry veterans recognize it. Russ is one of them, and he's impressed.

Russ noticed that Tommy Richman's album is on the way, and gave the singer his flowers. He praised Richman for not taking the standard one-hit wonder route of milking a hit and dragging out the release until interest in the artist fades. It's something fans have seen countless times over the years. And it's something Russ has worked tirelessly to avoid in his career. "He’s moving with a sense of urgency," the rapper tweeted. "Capitalizing on momentum. Unlike a lot of artists who catch 1 song and parade around for a year and then miss their moment. Kudos to him and his team."

Russ Applauded Tommy Richman's Work Ethic

Russ has valued work ethic above all else throughout his career. It's what allowed him to find success as an independent artist. It's also why he felt compelled to compliment Richman. Russ talked about the big part that momentum plays in an artist's career during a 2018 interview with Forbes. "You can’t sit around waiting for someone to come along and help you out," he asserted. "I was always focused on doing the work, and in turn, that attracted the right people. I’m a true believer that when you’re doing the work... the right people are going to be placed in your path at the right time."

Funkmaster Flex was someone who failed to see Tommy Richman's vision. He dismissed the singer upon hearing his breakout single on the radio. "Remember," he told listeners. "If you’re someone that likes this song, you are a clown." He dismissed "Million Dollar Baby" as a throwaway. He walked back his criticisms when he heard Richman's second single, though. Funkmaster Flex tweeted about the premiere of "Devil Is a Lie" on Hot 97, and assured fans that he actually "liked" this song. If Richman can win over skeptics like Flex, and polarizing personalities like Russ, he's going to have a long career.

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About The Author
Elias Andrews is a music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as the lead night shift contributor, which means he covers new music releases on a weekly basis. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest and most turbulent stories in the world of music. He covered the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, and the release of the disses “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams,” in particular, in real time. He has also detailed the ongoing list of allegations and criminal charges made against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He loves L.A. hip-hop but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he maintains is still a pretty good listen.