Is There Really a Wolf?

Russ Diemon’s gold certified album There’s Really a Wolf is all about love, loyalty, heartbreak and his unstoppable hustle. Since the album's release in May of last year, I’ve had it on loop in my playlists. As a DJ, I frequently get requests for songs off this album at school dances because of their quick beats or softer tempos. This album makes me feel like I can accomplish something with my life with motivational lines like “I treat my obstacles like stepping stones.”

Russell Vitale was born in 1992 in New Jersey and has always had a passion toward music. Russ has always been a D.I.Y. kind of guy, he started to write at seven and made his own beats by age fourteen. This was around the time Eminem, 50 Cent, and G-Unit were big influences on his writing. Russ’ song “Exposed” quotes all of his songs as being “mixed, mastered, engineered and written by Russ.” Russ makes his own beats, writes his own lyrics, and sing/raps them. Before the release of this album, Russ would drop singles on Soundcloud weekly. The first song on the album mentions his eleven albums previously released.

The first of three songs I would highlight is “Losin’ Control,” with a slow tempo and a catchy chorus, it makes you want to sway. “She’s falling but she doesn't think he’ll catch her, ‘cause her last relationship was a disaster.” The song is from him to his girlfriend. He is explaining that he knows she’s had a rough past but that shouldn't affect them.

Another highlightable song in my opinion is “What They Want.” This song is slow but still has Russ all over it:

“But I know what they want from me, dollars, lot of stock in me. It ain't nothing personal, it's business and I'm a commodity. But honestly, Papap would be turning in his grave, The day I let someone else become the boss of me, When there's a boss in me, I'll be damned.”

Talking about money and not succumbing to the system can make a meaningful melody. He takes his upcoming and puts it into inspiring words.

My third highlighted song is “Pull the Trigger,” another Russ produced beat that’s slow but still hits hard in bass.

“Treat the money like a lateral, I'm passing it, 'Cause my family's number one, never put 'em number two, Trying to buy a house in cash for all the times we had to move, All the times my mom cried 'cause she ain't know what else to do, All the times she lost hope 'cause she ain't know what else to lose, All the times I shoot shots 'cause I don't know what else to shoot, man.”

Not necessarily talking about pulling the trigger on yourself, but any opportunity, Russ speaks these words trying to encourage the audience. He is basically saying not to be afraid to go after what you want in life.

Out of the 20 songs on this album 12 of them are about being successful by himself and the other eight are about a girl. The first time I listened to this album it made me want to do something to be successful. Softer beats can be found in the songs about girls. Listening to the other songs you will feel empowered.

Russ is currently on tour with this album but of course is also still mixing, mastering, engineering, and writing his own songs. As a Russ fan I would give this album a 8/10. I say this because of the lack of song variety on the album. I related to this album because it was inspiring, and any songs about his girlfriend make me appreciate mine. This album is still one of my top choices to listen to when I get in my truck for a drive.