Russ Guapo has been making music since he was a kid — and putting it out to the world since 2019.
The Louisville rapper, songwriter and producer already carries the city's fingerprints. His Vory collaboration came together the way the best regional moments do — through real connections. Vory, fresh off work with Meek Mill, sent him a track, and Russ ran with it.
That's the Louisville blueprint: a scene that put Jack Harlow, EST Gee and Vory on the map tends to take care of its own. Russ fits the mold and adds a wrinkle — he makes his own beats, so the sound is his from the board out.
What's missing is the flagship moment, the solo record that turns a promising local name into a national one. The raw material — youth, versatility, co-signs, a city on the rise — is all here. The Booth is watching.
The Records
Latest Release
Fairytale (2026)
Most Streamed
Like You Do (feat. Vory)
Who’s In The Booth?
Like You Do (feat. Vory)Fairytale (2026)A&R’s Corner
What They're Doing Right
City connections done right. Landing a record with Vory — Louisville's BMG-signed, Bryson Tiller-cosigned son — while Vory was in a Meek Mill run is exactly the kind of regional co-sign that travels beyond the city.
Biggest Opportunity
Louisville is having a moment — Jack Harlow, EST Gee, Vory — and Russ is multi-skilled: rapper, songwriter, and producer. Owning his own sound from the board out is leverage most artists never build.
Industry Outlook
Early but real. Production chops, co-signs, and a scene on the rise all line up. The next 18 months are about converting potential into a moment.
Mic Check
What's your biggest advantage that nobody talks about?
— answer coming soon —