LaRussell LaRussell Thomas (born October 6, 1994) is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and independent music innovator from Vallejo, California. He is known for his direct-to-fan business model, hosting live performances in his childhood home’s backyard, and developing alternative revenue streams for independent artists. He is the founder of Good Compenny, a collective supporting independent musicians through self-sustaining music models.^[1]

Early Life and Musical Beginnings LaRussell Thomas was born and raised in Vallejo, California. He was introduced to music at an early age through his family’s love of live performances. His mother regularly played Up in Smoke Tour DVDs, which inspired his interest in stage performance.

At age seven, he began writing poetry and short notes, eventually transitioning into rap after being encouraged by his sister. By middle school, he was freestyling and battle rapping, developing a reputation for his lyrical ability.

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 primarily wrote lyric-heavy verses, influenced by Lil Wayne, though he initially struggled with structuring full songs. Despite this, he continued developing his sound, ultimately deciding to release his own music independently.^[1]

Independent Career LaRussell is recognized for his independent approach to music, having released over 30 albums since 2018. In 2017, he founded Good Compenny, an independent music collective supporting Bay Area artists through alternative revenue models and direct fan engagement.^[2]

His album "Majorly Independent", a collaborative project with fellow Bay Area artist P-Lo, was recognized among the best rap albums of 2024 by Pitchfork.^[3]

In November 2024, LaRussell performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, which was later listed among the top 10 Tiny Desk Concerts of the year.^[4]

He is scheduled to perform at the Backyard Boogie concert at California's Great America in June 2025, alongside Juvenile.^[5]

Business Ventures & Independent Revenue Models Proud2Pay & Direct-to-Fan Pricing LaRussell has implemented direct-to-fan pricing models, allowing supporters to determine their own payment amounts for music and concert tickets. This concept, originally popularized 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.^[6]

Good Compenny & Community Investments In addition to his music, LaRussell is the founder of Good Compenny, an organization dedicated to independent artist development and alternative revenue models.

In 2022, he purchased Momo’s Cafe, a restaurant in Vallejo, to provide meals for the local community.^[7]

The Backyard Residency Independent Venue & Live Shows 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, has a seating capacity of 250 people.^[6]

The Backyard Residency includes:

Fan-selected setlists, where attendees vote on songs in real-time. Live testimonials, allowing fans to share experiences about LaRussell’s music. Community-driven logistics, with family members assisting in operations.^[1] Personal Life At 17 years old, 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]

Influence and Legacy LaRussell's approach to music distribution, direct-to-fan pricing, and independent performance venues has drawn comparisons to other self-sustaining artists in hip-hop. His work has been highlighted in Billboard, Pitchfork, and NPR.^[4][3][6]