Russ is a rapper who has enjoyed quite a boost to his music career so far in 2017. His proper full-length debut, There's Really a Wolf, has helped him grow his fan base exponentially while touring the United States from coast to coast. The RIAA has taken notice of the swell in support for the rapper, bestowing a Gold certification on the aforementioned album and a Platinum plaque for his single "What They Want." Now, the emcee has returned with a new single entitled "Think Twice."
Produced by Scott Storch, the song showcases Russ' mad skills behind the mic, dropping more than a little Eminem-style flow on this record. The rhymes are reflective in a similar way that most of his Wolf entries were, combining this raw sense of self with a graceful, almost poetic control over his prose. The major difference might be that he's starting to put himself and his accomplishments on a pedestal above those of the common man, with lines like: "this aint no Average Joe s**t/this is everyday Russell/Joe got a day job/That's an everyday struggle." That sentiment continues throughout much of the lyrics, with a chorus that proclaims that he won't ever be quiet just because he's famous. Given his recent politicized T shirt choice, which had him taking a stand on rappers who use lean and Xanax, it's a statement that shouldn't surprise anyone.
Meanwhile, the production is admittedly less like what Russ fans might be accustomed to hearing on one of his records. More trap-based and even more minimalist than previous tracks that he's put out, you have to wonder about the creative choice a little bit on that front. I'm not sure it meshes as well with his delivery style, but based on the writing alone, this is hands-down another W for Russ.
Quotable Lyrics
Its taking everything in me not to say s**t
So much fake s**t
Ever since I made it
I wont ever be quiet cuz I'm famous
Y'all gon hate this, yeah yeah
