Key Takeaways:
- Kyrie Irving’s $11,001 contribution showcases the strength of direct fan support in today’s independent music economy.
- The Bay Area rapper is targeting 100,000 album sales in 30 days through a direct-to-fan release strategy.
- Snoop Dogg and other celebrities are backing LaRussell’s independent rollout with notable financial support.
Bay Area rapper LaRussell is taking a direct-to-fan approach with his new music — and it’s already drawing major attention from celebrity supporters. The independent artist recently received more than $11,000 from NBA superstar Kyrie Irving, signaling strong momentum behind his upcoming album, Something’s in the Water.
Born LaRussell Dwayne Thomas, the Vallejo native has been actively promoting the project through livestreams, connecting with fans while selling the album in real time. His ambitious objective is to move 100,000 copies in 30 days using EVEN, a platform he first partnered with in 2024. The service allows fans to name their own price for the music, starting at just $1 — with the option to contribute more.
After spotting the $11,001 transaction, LaRussell soon realized the donation came from the Dallas Mavericks point guard himself. On Sunday (Jan. 5), Irving joined one of LaRussell’s livestreams to publicly express his support.
“You earned it. You deserve it,” Irving said. “You worked your a** off, so I wanted to contribute to what you’ve got going on. I know you’ll pay it forward. I’m just putting my money where my mouth is. I want to see you reach your goal. Shout out to you, bro.”
Irving isn’t the only celebrity showing love. Snoop Dogg also stepped in with a $2,500 contribution, praising LaRussell’s movement on X:
“Had 2 do it!!! Nefew (LaRussell) changin tha game.”
The moment clearly resonated with LaRussell, who reflected on Snoop’s influence in a heartfelt Instagram post.
“It feels amazing knowing the people who came before me and paved the way truly respect my art and my grind,” he wrote. “I wouldn’t be doing what I do today if I hadn’t watched Snoop perform on the Up In Smoke DVD. That DVD sparked my desire to rap.”
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