RUSS drops cinematic trailer for new album ‘W!LD,’ out June 27

After much anticipation, RUSS has unveiled the trailer for his upcoming album W!LD, which will be released on June 27, 2025. Instead of a mere trailer, the announcement was made public through a short film. In keeping with the album's title, the trailer is set in the wild setting of a jungle and exhibits two versions of RUSS, the artist: one that exists inside the cage and one that exists outside.

After releasing a couple of cryptic teasers that generated speculation, RUSS is providing fans with plenty to discuss in the new trailer. In the nearly 2-minute-long snippet, RUSS appears to be writhing in agony while trapped in a cage. The viewers can clearly sense the struggle RUSS endures as he searches for a way to escape his current predicament using a key.

Just when it seems like all hope is lost, an alter ego of his comes in to save the day and offers him a way out of the cage. Although initially hesitant, the version of RUSS caged inside reluctantly accepts his other self's help to escape from the cage. The two then wander off into the unknown, as curtains fall, ending the trailer. This has sparked various theories on social media, with fans debating the meaning behind the trailer.

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RUSS Artwork and Album Title Breakdown

While many theorize that it depicted RUSS' internal struggle with himself, others have suggested the possibility of it being a fictional dream of the artist. RUSS has been planning for the release of W!LD for quite a while, and the new trailer exponentially increased the excitement for his upcoming record even more. In a recent post on X, the artist shared his artistic vision for his upcoming album:

The artist lays out his approach for this new record – an exploration of the internal ‘wild’ landscape with the knowledge that the unfamiliar is okay, and how joy as well as hardship go hand in hand. He posted,

"The title ‘W!ld’ represents my evolved perspective on life’s inherent unpredictability and the transitional phase between resisting life’s challenges and embracing them. It just as easily could’ve been called 'The Unknown'. After I got external success, my focus naturally shifted inward, realizing that there was a whole world I hadn’t explored yet. My internal one. At this point of my journey I’m really interested in navigating the "wild" of my internal landscape so that I can engage with my external experiences with a renewed healthier and more grounded mindset. This album isn’t about me naively or arrogantly entering the unknown, but confidently proceeding, newly armed with the understanding that both joy and hardship are integral to the journey."

RUSS also reflected on how he used to approach success, the concept of self and how it has evolved with time.

"I used to think that once you achieve external success, there would be no more problems. Smooth sailing from here on out LOL. But holding grief in one hand and gratitude in the other simultaneously is just how this sh*t (life) goes. I previously struggled with resisting that thought and kind of had a 'fetal position' mentality, but now I excitedly (hence the exclamation point) embrace the 'wild' adventure into the unknown, knowing that growth and self-discovery await, and that I’ll be okay regardless of the ups and downs."

RUSS also offered a personal interpretation of the artwork. He details that the ambiguous animal in an open setting is looking back, ready to venture into the unknown as past mistakes guide it. He stated,

"The artwork is an ambiguous animal out in the open looking backwards. Maybe it’s a wolf. Maybe it’s a horse. Maybe we don’t know what it is. That element really spoke to me because maybe I don’t know what the evolved version of me looks like and that’s ok. Not knowing what the unknown holds was what kept me from venturing out into it. God forbid I get pleasantly surprised LOL I really love how the animal is looking backwards too. It’s honest because to me that presents me looking back at my comfort zone while being out in the wild. It’s like ‘Fine, I’ll leave but lemme look back one more time before I do cuz man this is scary'. Y'all ever seen ‘The Croods?’ Anyway, yea the stance of the animal symbolizes my journey of leaving familiarity and ‘safety’ behind to explore uncharted (therefore scary) territories."

The artist also establishes how, although he is seeking the unknown, he is confident in his approach and ready to embrace whatever life throws at him.

"I also feel like the ‘blank canvas’ vibes of the white background represents the freedom I seek and the vast unknown I am attempting to embrace. The absence of clutter or distractions emphasizes my pursuit of clarity and liberation, both internally and externally. There’s a rawness and loneliness about this art too which mirrors my own internal landscape as I go into a new phase of my life."

RUSS is the jack of all trades, a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor - all rolled into a single package. To round things off, he is also a New York Times bestselling author, situating him uniquely. With the trailer touching upon the themes of struggle, confinement, and eventual freedom, RUSS' upcoming album promises to be a wild ride indeed!