The Source |Russ Clarifies Roc Nation Comments, Says Issue Is About Ownership Not Jay-Z

Russ is doubling down on his criticism of Roc Nation’s distribution model, while making clear his remarks are not personal.

Appearing on The Truth Hurts podcast with Jeff Weiss, Rosecrans Vic and Free on February 24, Russ addressed backlash tied to his comments about Roc Nation reportedly taking 15 percent for distribution services. He framed the issue as a straightforward business calculation rather than a swipe at Jay-Z.

“It wasn’t a knock at Roc Nation or Jay Z,” he said. “It was just look — this is a self-uploading distro service. That’s it. There’s a million of these and it’s all the same shit.”

Russ argued that in a marketplace where artists can independently upload their music and retain full royalties, giving up a percentage requires serious justification. “There’s places where you can do it and keep 100%, so why would you give 15%?” he asked.

He compared the service to existing platforms, adding, “It’s literally TuneCore, DistroKid but just under the umbrella of Roc Nation,” he said. “You think that, well shit though like I bet you go to the Brunch though… you’re falling for it.”

Despite his critique, Russ acknowledged the business logic. “The independent scene is making up such a high market share so it makes sense RN wants to get in on that,” he explained, calling it “the fastest growth part of the business.”

He also revealed that Jay-Z relayed messages to him through journalist Brandon “B.Dot” Miller multiple times, signaling the discussion reached executive levels.