LaRussell Thomas (born October 6, 1994) is an American rapper and entrepreneur from Vallejo, California. He is known for his direct-to-fan music model, live performances in his childhood home's backyard, and alternative revenue approaches for independent artists. He is the founder of Good Compenny, an organization supporting independent musicians.^[1]

LaRussell Thomas was born and raised in Vallejo, California. He was introduced to music at an early age through his family's interest in live performances. His mother regularly played Up in Smoke Tour DVDs, which contributed to his interest in stage performance.

At age seven, he began writing poetry and short notes, later transitioning into rap after encouragement from his sister. By middle school, he was involved in freestyling and battle rapping.

His first exposure to music production came from watching a YouTube video of Kanye West making beats, which led him to experiment with FL Studio. His sister's boyfriend installed the software, allowing him to produce beats and collaborate with classmates on recordings.

In high school, he naturally gravitated toward writing punchline-heavy verses, influenced by Lil Wayne's lyrical style. His songs consisted of bar after bar without hooks or choruses, as he initially struggled with structuring full songs. Over time, he refined his approach and began developing his sound and independently releasing his music.^[1]

At age 17, LaRussell became a father, leading him to work various jobs before transitioning to full-time music. While employed at an aerospace company, he introduced an efficiency improvement to their packaging system, which was implemented and remains in use today.^[1]

In 2017, he founded Good Compenny, an independent music collective supporting Bay Area artists through alternative revenue models and direct fan engagement.LaRussell has released over 30 albums since 2018.^[2]

In 2023, LaRussell's track "Pergola Freestyle (Live)^[3]" featuring Sada Baby was recognized by Pitchfork as one of "The 42 Best Rap Songs of 2023."^[4]

In 2024, LaRussell collaborated with producer Hit-Boy on the EP Rent Due, which received critical attention. HipHopDX reviewed the project, highlighting its themes and production quality.^[5] The project was also reviewed by HotNewHipHop, which praised the chemistry between the two artists and their lyrical execution.^[6]

His album Majorly Independent, a collaboration with fellow Bay Area artist P-Lo, was listed among the best rap albums of 2024 by Pitchfork.^[7]

In November 2024, LaRussell performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR,^[8] which was later listed among the top 10 Tiny Desk Concerts of the year.^[9]

LaRussell performed at the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, as featured in EssentiallySports, which profiled his rise from Vallejo to performing on a national stage.^[10]

He is scheduled to perform at the Backyard Boogie concert at California's Great America in June 2025, alongside Juvenile.^[11]

LaRussell also collaborated with Saweetie on new music, as covered by AllHipHop.^[12]

In addition to his music, LaRussell was featured in XXL Magazine for his growing influence in independent hip-hop.^[13]

LaRussell has spoken about his approach to independence and community-building in an interview with The Creative Independent, discussing how his business strategies support independent artists and sustainability in the music industry.^[14]

His work in business and community investment was also covered by NBC Bay Area, which highlighted his efforts to create the Good Compenny collective and provide economic opportunities in Vallejo.^[15]

In 2024, LaRussell was interviewed by Black America Web, where he discussed his independent business approach and philosophy on staying outside the traditional music industry.^[16]

LaRussell has utilized direct-to-fan pricing models, allowing supporters to determine their own payment amounts for music and concert tickets. This concept, previously used by Nipsey Hussle, enables fans to contribute financially at various levels.^[2]

In 2023, LaRussell used EVEN, a fan-investment platform, to sell 1,200 copies of his album I Hate When Life's Going Great within 24 hours, with some fans paying up to $1,000 per copy.^[17]

In 2022, LaRussell purchased Momo's Cafe, a restaurant in Vallejo, to provide meals for the local community.^[18]

After encountering resistance from venue owners and booking agents, LaRussell converted his childhood home's backyard into a live music venue, known as "The Pergola." The venue, located at his mother's house and childhood home, has a seating capacity of 250 people.^[17]

LaRussell's 'Backyard Residency' series was featured in an interview with The Hip Hop Museum, where he discussed its growth and impact on independent artists.^[19]

His 2023 album Motion was reviewed by Everything Is Noise, which provided an analysis of the project's production, themes, and artistic direction.^[20]

• Velour (2024)
• Majorly Independent (2024)
• I Hate When Life's Going Great (2023)
• Marathon Continues (2022)

• "Party On The Westside" (feat. Larry June) – 2025
• "Hustlin'" – 2025

In addition to music, LaRussell has expanded into film. He was cast in a project about CC Sabathia's Little League team, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.^[21]

LaRussell's approach to music distribution and independent performance venues has been covered in Billboard, Pitchfork, and NPR.^[9][7][17]