With his sophomore album Zoo available now, Russ has taken a moment to hit The Breakfast Club for an extensive interview. Charlamagne kicks off the interview by keeping Russ on his toes, saying "listen, if you think for one second that I enjoy your music, and I think that you can rap, then you're absolutely right." Prompting a laugh from the Zoo emcee, Russ proceeds to offer up a few theories as to why he's become a maligned, near-meme-like figure.
"It started because I was always big-upping myself, super confident," explains Russ. "When I was coming up, I mixed, mastered, produced everything, and I would say that all the time, because number one, self-sufficiency is a message that should be put out there. Number two, I'm proud of it, you feel me?" He breaks it down, explaining that most professionals take pride in their accomplishments, and Russ is no different. "People started getting mad at that, but it was my stance on drug abuse promotion via Instagram and Twitter. People didn't like where I stand on that."
"I be in the studio, I drink, we smoke occasionally," he reveals, "but there's a line." Say what you will about the man, but you have to respect his propensity for speaking his truth, regardless of what anyone might say. In fact, Russ seems to be living proof that the whims of a collective internet assassination force can only go so far. Should you be so inclined, be sure to check out his interview below; it's rather insightful, especially if you value what he has to offer.