Russ has had one of the most extraordinary and lucrative rises to prominence over the past decade of anybody in entertainment. Now, coming off of the release of his 14th studio album, Shake the Snow Globe (2020), the 27-year-old rapper/producer is making his rounds to various platforms to discuss his latest musical offering. This past week, the “Guess What” performer took his talents to the Brilliant Idiots podcast to address his mentality approaching music, his various disputes, what he hopes to accomplish as a musician, and more.  

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However, the conversation took an interesting turn when Russ, Andrew, and Charlamagne were discussing white people’s presence in the realm of hip-hop. The topic arose when the Breakfast Club host brought up an Instagram post of Russ’ detailing how white label executives would sign black artists that they wouldn’t want around their own children. 

As the discussion moved forward, the topic of white artists and culture arose and Russ detailed how historically white society tends to steal cultural relevance and rhetoric from the black community. Eventually, the “BEST ON EARTH” rapper described how some artists enter the hip-hop space to gain notoriety than abandon the culture, transform their aesthetic, and act as if hip-hop was merely an artistic phase for them. Russ went on to state:

“You can’t come into this from the vessel of hip-hop and use the clothes and the language and the music and then go on and start doing something white.”

Charlamagne interrupted the Atlanta-bred emcee saying, “Are you talking about Post Malone?”

Russ almost backpedaled as he retorted:

“Nah, I mean.. That’s a fair example because I do think that it’s an interesting thing to look at from that lens of where you come in with braids and golds to the point people are thinking you’re mixed and now, you know, you drink Bud Light and wear cowboy boots and stuff.”

The self-producing musician continued, giving Post Malone his props:

“Your music’s phenomenal, Post Malone’s music is phenomenal. But I think the caricature of how (he) came in compared to where (he) is now… seems a little, it’s a little interesting.”

With Post Malone hoping to drop another full-length project this year and Russ celebrating the release of yet another critically-acclaimed LP, both artists have established themselves as pillars in this current generation of hip-hop artists. Check out the full discussion between Russ and the Brilliant Idiots hosts on cultural appropriation and Post Malone starting at the 1:26:30 mark in the video provided below.