Russ

Will Smith, Russ And Jaden Promote Self Belief On “Work Of Art” Single

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Will Smith warned us. During a recent interview, the rapper stated that his upcoming album will be his most serious and personal to date. “Work of Art,” the anticipated single featuring Russ and Jaden, fits that bill. It sees all three artists reflect on personal demons and setbacks. Crucially, though, it arrives at the conclusion that every person is, as the title suggest, an imperfect “work of art.” Cheesy? Of course. But what else were we really expecting from Will Smith? Sonically, “Work of Art” is much bolder than its subject matter.

The production is moody and contemplative. The backing vocals do a lot to add to the dramatic tension of the song. Smith kicks the song off with a rhyme scheme that emphasizes the contradictory aspects of his personality. “I am a Libra but, I identify as a cancer I am the tongue, truth and the lie, both in tandem,” he raps. “I am the Sun, and I’m the rain, and I’m the wind.” Maintaining this scheme would have made the song a slog, but thankfully things change up on the back end. Russ provides an impassioned verse, while Jaden provides his woozy faux-profundity to the chorus. It all comes together in a surprisingly effective way. Especially when the beat switches up, and Will Smith is rapping over a very 2024 sounding drum pattern. He pulls it off, giving us hope for what the upcoming album will sound like.

Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Rakim Wants To Make A Sequel To One Of Will Smith’s Classic Singles

Will Smith Sounds Good Over Modern Production

Quotable Lyrics:

My soul feels trapped, like I’m ridin’ the Bryson Tiller beats
On the road to inner peace
Takin’ unfamiliar streets (Yeah)
Trying to kill the beast
Just made it grow more

Read More: Will Smith And Martin Lawrence Reveal Their G.O.A.T. Rappers

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Will Smith Calls Himself A ‘Work Of Art’ With Russ And Jaden On His Latest Return To Rap

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Will Smith’s last album, Lost And Found, was released nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the former Fresh Prince has seen his fortunes both rise and fall thanks to a filmography that includes its fair share of duds among the hits, and one recent “hit” in particular that turned a sizable portion of the population against him.

However, it seems that all this has given him the urge to return to what made him a star in the first place: Rap. Last month, he performed a new song at the BET Awards, and today, he returns again with “Work Of Art.”

Featuring Uproxx cover star Russ and Will’s son Jaden, the new song hits the same vein as his BET Awards song “Bulletproof,” in that it has an uplifting message, with Smith comparing his struggles to those of historical figures like Jesus and manifesting ultimate victory in the face of his adversities as Jaden offers a nice father-son moment, singing the chorus.

Russ offers his own take on the positive programming — this stuff is right up his alley — admonishing listeners, “Just know that you’re looking right into a mirror when you judge me.” With Will’s fifth album peeking over the horizon, it’ll be interesting to see if this sort of material endears him to fans who remember him from his Big Willie days — or those who don’t remember him as a musician at all.

You can listen to “Work Of Art” by Will Smith featuring Russ and Jaden above.

Will Smith Is Officially Working On His First New Album In Two Decades

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Will Smith is in comeback mode. The Oscars slap but a severe dent in his legacy, and he’s worked hard as hell to recover. Bad Boys: Ride or Die proved that he still had the goods as a movie star. Now, it seems, Smith is dead set on reviving his music career. The Grammy-winning artist has been popping up on other people’s albums, but he finally confirmed what the hip-hop world has been suspecting. Will Smith has plans to drop a new album of his own. It will be his first since 2005’s Lost and Found.

The bombshell news was announced during Will Smith’s appearance on Black Film Allies. Despite the cinematic focus of the channel, the actor decided to shed some light on his recent reentry into music. “Over the past year and a half, I’ve been in the studio,” he admitted. It was the rest of the statement, though, that sent expectations sky high. Smith claimed that the upcoming album will be one of his best ever. “I have a project that is the most personal and powerful music project I’ve ever done,” he opined. “The idea of the music is, ‘Dance in your darkest moments.’”

Read More: Will Smith And Martin Lawrence Reveal Their G.O.A.T. Rappers

Will Smith Claims The Album Is His “Most Personal” Yet

The idea makes sense, given the public backlash Will Smith received after the Oscars slap. The actor spoke with Daily Show host Trevor Noah about the soul searching he did in light of the incident. “All of that bubbled up in that moment,” he recalled. “You know, just, that’s not who I want to be … I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time.” Smith’s return to music has seemingly been well-received. He performed alongside J Balvin at Coachella, and debuted a song called “We Can Make It” at the recent BET Awards.

More recently, he teamed up with Russ and his son Jaden for the song “Work of Art.” Russ gushed about the collab on Instagram, citing Will Smith’s indelible impact on the genre. The trio have performed “Work of Art” live, but a proper release date has not yet been announced. Smith’s comment about dancing “in your darkest moments” has sparked an online theory that the expression will serve as the title of the upcoming album. The actor has repeatedly used the expression on social media, and the phrase even has its own website. Few people are more conscious of branding, after all. Hopefully Smith provides us with an update soon.

Read More: Will Smith Was Loving Childish Gambino’s Joke About Him & Sam Smith

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Russ Hypes Up Collab Single With Will Smith Ahead Of Its Release

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Russ is a polarizing artist. He talks tough, and makes lots of controversial statements. He also, however, backs up his claims with hard work. Russ went out and carved his own path as an independent artist, and he’s managed to build up a devoted fanbase over the last decade. He’s also gotten a chance to link up with huge names like Big Sean and Ty Dolla Sign. That being said, the collab that Russ announced on July 17 is his most impressive yet. The rapper will be releasing a joint single with none other than Will Smith.

Russ dropped the bombshell on Instagram. He posted a series of photos of him and Will Smith together, along with a detailed caption. The caption, in typical Russ fashion, detailed the significance of getting a chance to work with the Fresh Prince himself. “I did a school project on Big Willie Style when I was in 4th grade. So this is all a trip,” he wrote. “Will is a genius and gettin to talk with him about life and creativity was eye opening.” The rapper also made parallels between the struggles that both him and Smith have had to contend with. “[We] realized how similar our struggles are,” he said. “Which is why the song he sent to me to get on just aligned perfectly with where I’m at.”

Read More: Russ Praises Tommy Richman For Capitalizing On His Success

Russ may be prone to hyperbole, but he also admitted to being starstruck by the encounter. He told his followers that he didn’t believe Will Smith actually contacted him at first. “Couple months ago we got an email from Will Smith’s team,” he recalled. “[He was] reaching out about wanting to connect and work on music. 100% thought it was fake.” It wasn’t until Russ hopped on a FaceTime call with Smith that he was convinced. The collab is still untitled, but Russ, Smith, and Smith’s son, Jaden, have already performed the song live.

The ability to rock onstage with one’s idol was something Russ made sure to appreciate. “A song got made and then boom I’m in Madrid performing it with him,” the rapper explained. “In front of 80,000 people at Santiago stadium. Insane.” None of the artists involved with the song have given a proper release date or title. It’s also unclear whether the collab will end up on a Russ album or a prospective Smith release. Either way, fan interest is piqued.

Read More: Russ Admits He’s Too Old To Care About J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar’s Beef

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Russ Is Not Going To Be Denied On “Win”

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There is no stopping the Russ machine this year. It is really hard to not focus in on how often the Secaucus, New Jersey native drops. But at the end of the day, he is fan-first kind of artist is always looking to give his supporters what they want. In fact, he takes that approach quite literally. The “What They Want” singer/rapper sends out polls and so people can select what they want to be released. All of these tracks have been previously teased on the artist’s social media platforms at some point as well. The next one up to bat for Russ is called “Win” and it is a celebratory track as you may come to assume.

However, it might not be in the way you might think. On this 2:45 cut, Russ is trying to get with this girl who is quite the trickster. She loves to play mind games, so the veteran decides to play along. Russ intends to “Win” at this seemingly never-ending match. However, he does show signs of wanting to throw in the towel, as she sounds quite unbearable, sneaky, and unpredictable. Admittedly, there are some fairly cheesy and corny bars throughout this child-like affair. “What makes you think I’ll respond? Your texts are green (Texts are green right now) / I have to lose you now (Lose you now), did you not get the memo? (Yeah)“. Still, give “Win” a try and see what you think.

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“Win”- Russ

Quotable Lyrics:

She turn the brightness down on her phone
She bein’ messy now (Yeah)
I wish you checked yourself as much as you checkin’ your phone (Checkin’ your phone)
Think if you met yourself, y’all wouldn’t get along (Y’all wouldn’t get along)
Shе said she a vibe, but that was a lie
Shе beefin’ with all of her friends (She beefin’)

Read More: Eminem Wrestles With His Past Addictions On “Habits” Featuring White Gold

The post Russ Is Not Going To Be Denied On “Win” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Russ Praises Tommy Richman For Capitalizing On His Success

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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.”

Read More: Russ Admits He’s Too Old To Care About J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar’s Beef

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.

Read More: Russ Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rapper

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Russ Kicks Off ‘It Was You All Along’ World Tour in Seattle

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Russ Kicks Off 'It Was You All Along' World Tour in Seattle

Multi-platinum artist, producer, and best-selling author Russ launched his highly anticipated It Was You All Along world tour on May 31 at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The kickoff night saw Russ performing a diverse setlist, including fan favorites like “3:15 (Breathe)” and “Handsomer,” as well as tracks from his chart-topping album SANTIAGO, released last summer.

The tour began with opening acts from 6lack and Melii, who recently collaborated with Russ. The set included “Workin On Me” featuring 6lack and “Best Friend” featuring Melii. Russ joined each artist on stage to perform their tracks, adding to the night’s excitement.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American leg of Russ’ 10-date tour started in Seattle. It will continue through major cities, including Oakland, Inglewood, Denver, and Toronto, concluding on June 28 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Following the North American dates, Russ will take the “It Was You All Along” tour to the UK and Europe, performing in 20 major cities such as London, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. The European leg will wrap up on November 17 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Fans can expect an energetic and memorable experience as Russ brings his unique sound and stage presence to audiences worldwide.

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The post Russ Kicks Off ‘It Was You All Along’ World Tour in Seattle first appeared on The Source.

The post Russ Kicks Off ‘It Was You All Along’ World Tour in Seattle appeared first on The Source.

Russ Interpolates A 2000’s R&B Bop With “Best Friend” Featuring Melii

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Russ is one of many rappers who has gone unconscious in 2024. The longtime New Jersey rapper and singer has been rattling off single after single like nobody’s business. Since the month of January, the 31-year-old has put forth eight tracks. Throughout the year, he has been going introspective and talking a lot about loving, broken, and causal relationships.

“Best Friend” is one of those shallow love cuts from Russ, but it seems that he wants to move into a more serious situation. “Don’t look no farther (Don’t) / I’m here to cater to you / ‘Cause I’ll be your lover (Yeah, I’ll be your lover) / I’ll be your best friend (Yeah, come here).” Then, the feature, which is provided by Melii, tells the story from her side. “Baby, tryna be my number uno / The perfect duo, I can tell.”

Read More: Eva Shaw Connects With TwoTiime On Summer Bop “no excuses”

Listen To “Best Friend” By Russ & Melii

If that chorus that we highlighted sounds somewhat familiar, that is because it is an interpolation of 2000’s throwback. Russ and his fleet of producers, which includes Boi-1da, are looking to modernize the Baby Bash and Akon track “Baby, I’m Back.” That song dropped back on the former’s 2005 record Super Saucy. It is not a bad attempt, as this version is a little raunchier in some respects. Check out “Best Friend” with the link.

What are your thoughts on “Best Friend” by Russ and Melii? Is this his best release over the last few months, why or why not? Do you think it is about time for Russ to announce a new project? Who had the stronger performance? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Russ and Melii. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

Quotable Lyrics:

You got that gorilla grip, I’m goin’ ape s*** (Haha)
You don’t like bein’ told what to do, unless you naked (Come here)
Prada but naked, fly lil’ vibe
Put you on a jet, now that’s a fly lil’ vibe
P***y match the face on the Rollie that I bought her (Let’s go)
Pretty pink jawbreaker, ask my God, stop her (Yeah)

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The post Russ Interpolates A 2000’s R&B Bop With “Best Friend” Featuring Melii appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Russ Releases New Single “Best Friend” Featuring Melii Ahead of Upcoming Tour

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Russ Releases New Single “Best Friend” Featuring Melii Ahead of Upcoming Tour

Multi-platinum artist Russ has dropped his latest single, “Best Friend,” featuring Melii. The track, released ahead of his forthcoming tour, showcases a modern twist on the 2000s classic “Baby, I’m Back” by Baby Bash and Akon.

Produced by Boi-1da, Fierce, and BDRM, “Best Friend” blends Russ and Melii’s dynamic vocals with the iconic nostalgic beat, creating a fresh and captivating sound. The song’s release builds anticipation for Russ’ fans as he prepares to hit the road.

On the release of “Best Friend” Russ shares, “Boi1da sent me this beat and I knew it was the one. Baby Bash and Akon’s “Baby, I’m Back” was one of my favorite songs as a kid, so when I heard the sample, jumping on this track was a no brainer. Melii has one of the coolest tones and deliveries and I’ve been waiting for the perfect song to send to her. I flew to NYC and we recorded her verse in person. We’re going on tour together this summer and we’re going to perform this every night.”

The post Russ Releases New Single “Best Friend” Featuring Melii Ahead of Upcoming Tour first appeared on The Source.

The post Russ Releases New Single “Best Friend” Featuring Melii Ahead of Upcoming Tour appeared first on The Source.

Russ Teams Up With His Tour Mate 6lack To Detail How He’s ‘Working On Me’

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Russ’ latest Friday single release is “Working On Me,” a laid-back rumination on a failing relationship set to a downtempo, grungy guitar loop. After crooning and rapping the first half of the track, Russ cedes the mic to his It Was You All Along Tour mate, 6lack. The Atlanta rapper-singer takes over to deliver an apologetic double-time verse admitting his wrongdoings and promising to step it up in the future.

The It Was You All Along Tour kicks off in two weeks on May 31 in Seattle, then runs through the month of June, ending in Brooklyn, New York, on June 28. You can see the tour dates below.

Between dates on Russ’ tour, 6lack has scheduled his own No More Lonely Nights Tour dates, announcing a string of shows running concurrently beginning tomorrow, May 18, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and hitting a few extra cities throughout June, including Albuquerque, San Antonio, St. Louis, and more. You can see those tour dates below as well.

You can listen to “Working On Me” above.

Russ’It Was You All Along Tour Dates

05/31 –- Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
06/02 –- Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
06/06 –- Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
06/08 –- Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
06/13 –- Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
06/15 –- Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
06/21 –- St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
06/23 –- Chicago, IL @ United Center
06/25 –- Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
06/28 –- Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center

6lack’s No More Lonely Nights Tour Dates

05/18 — Honolulu, HI @ The Republik
06/09 — Albuquerque, NM @ Revel Entertainment Center
06/11 — San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theater
06/18 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
06/19 — Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
06/22 — Waukee, IA @ Vibrant Music Hall
06/27 — McKees Rocks, PA @ Roxian Theatre