Vallejo, California independent rapper LaRussell sat down with Boardroom Talks to deliver a candid, wide-ranging conversation on music ownership, distribution, the creative limits of modern hip-hop, and why he sees himself working with Jay-Z one day.
LaRussell, who owns all of his music and intellectual property through Good Compenny, his label and creative company, has released over 40 albums since 2018 and amassed more than 100 million global streams, all without signing to a major label. In the interview, he spoke with the kind of conviction that has made him one of the most talked-about independent voices in the genre.
On the difference between TikTok success and radio success, LaRussell was blunt. “The barometer is far lower. To be successful on TikTok, you got to do far less and spin far less than it takes to be successful as a radio act,” he said. He extended that critique to hip-hop broadly, arguing the genre has stagnated compared to other disciplines. “Rap music as a whole, but specifically hip-hop, has not evolved as much as we’ve seen other crafts like the National Basketball Association (NBA). We’ve seen the evolution. We’ve seen Steph Curry do things that we never seen anyone do prior,” he said.
On Jay-Z’s push into music ownership through Tidal and beyond, LaRussell was philosophical. “Do you think it’s revolutionary when a black man enters a situation that we have no presence in and no ownership in? That’s a very revolutionary act whether you late or not, because nobody else going to do it,” he said. When asked whether he and Jay-Z might collaborate one day, his answer was brief and certain: “For certain.”
LaRussell credited the late Nipsey Hussle as the inspiration behind his now-well-known pay-what-you-want album model. “Nipsey did the hundred dollar album. I didn’t think people was going to give me a hundred for an album, so I was like, I’m going to just let you pay whatever you want,” he explained. The model has since helped him generate millions of dollars from music.
He also collaborates with fans directly, doing features on their original tracks as a form of giving back. He described one moment at a recent show where a fan pulled out his phone to reveal a song they had recorded together had reached 90,000 streams. “That’s his first time ever getting that many streams and he felt so proud. That’s my way of giving back,” LaRussell said.
LaRussell has no manager or agent and handles deals himself, believing no one can speak for his vision the way he can. On his collaboration with veteran producer Lil Jon, he said the experience reinforced something essential. “He taught me to not let the spirit die. Lil Jon is 20 years older than me and he was just one of us in the studio. His spirit is still there. He still loves what he does and he cares,” LaRussell said.
