Biography

Lewisham's Russ Millions (aka Russ, Russ Splash) proved one of U.K. drill's most dynamic MCs, moving away from the genre's weightier, gruffer sonics in favor of a skating, cocky, and fast-paced sound. His early career was marked by the viral success of 2018's "Gun Lean" -- the first U.K. drill single to break into the U.K. Top Ten singles chart -- before finding even greater success with the number seven-charting "Keisha & Becky" (2019), and 2021's "Body," the first chart-topping U.K. drill song. Writing his first verses in the summer of 2016, Lewisham-based MC Russ Millions leapt into the rap game feet-first, emerging in late 2016 with a string of gritty drill anthems. Among the highlights were the frenetic "Trap Not Carni," the thumping "Bludclart," and the swaggering "Splash Out," each demonstrating the MC's dexterous flows and unique vocalization. Russ soon found a major placement on Loski's "Olympic Chinging," a swinging anthem that racked up millions of views and key interest from local labels. After signing to PressPlay, Russ made his first mark on the nationwide scene with the viral hit "Gun Lean," named after a dance featured in some of the MC's earliest music videos. The first U.K. drill song to land a Top Ten-charting hit, "Gun Lean" captivated audiences across the U.K. with its infectious moves, swerving flows, and wild lyricism, racking up millions of views online and spawning a U.K.-wide dance trend. The track found a second wave of popularity with the "Gun Lean (Remix)," which featured verses from Digga D, LD, Taze, Ms. Banks, and Lethal Bizzle. Transforming from a potent up-and-comer into one of U.K. drill's most dominant figures, Russ' "crashment" style -- a fusion of U.K. drill and bashment -- proved the catalyst for yet another chart-dominating hit, 2019's "Keisha & Becky." Much like "Gun Lean," "Keisha & Becky" shifted drill's acidic lyrics toward a more braggadocio-heavy mold, paying homage to the duo's admirers with its "Very sexy, Keisha, Becky" chorus. Another remix, this time featuring a viral verse from Manchester's Aitch, propelled the track to a number seven spot, remaining on the charts for 31 weeks. Throughout 2019 and 2020, Russ kept things low-key with a variety of collaborations: "Mr Sheeen" alongside CGM's Digga D, "Vida Loca" with Canadian MC Pressa, and "Splash" with N-Dubz's Dappy. Two EPs, Russ Hour and My Son, arrived in late 2020. In 2021, the rapper made a hyped-up appearance on Fumez the Engineer's Plugged In freestyle show, delivering a dynamic performance alongside close collaborator Buni. He soon released a second Tion Wayne collaboration, "Body," replicating its predecessor's energy with two new women for the chorus ("English girl named Fiona, African girl named Adeola"). The track topped the charts in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, helped by an all-star remix featuring Bugzy Malone, ArrDee, Fivio Foreign, and others. The solo single "Big Shark" followed in July. ~ David Crone, Rovi