People love his solid safety and solid credentials. Without Russel, Gorillaz couldn't survive: he's the safety net, the linebacker, and the true defender. Very polite, educated and is a great musician. Russel himself is well adjusted, with an enviable wardrobe. The spirits that live within Russel's hulking frame pop out every so often to provide some undead rapping. 'That was a key moment.' Albarn says, 'Once we started thinking like that, the idea of 'We can work with whoever we like' kind of evolved.' Phase 1: 1998-2001Ī 'hip-hop hard man' from Brooklyn, New York, Russel draws upon spooky spirit mates to help guide his beats. Somebody like an Ice Cube, I guess.' The idea of Russel having the spirit of rappers such as Del reside inside of him is what inspired the usage of collaborators in all Gorillaz albums from then onwards. Hewlett says 'Russel is based on my love of hip hop.

Russel is based on Jamie Hewlett's love of Hip-hop, in particular, he is loosely based on Ice Cube, who is coincidentally the real-life cousin of Gorillaz collaborator Del The Funky Homosapien. Russel was taken back to Kong Studios and was impressed with the music that Murdoc was working on, so he chose to stay. While asking Russel for an obscure 50s record, Murdoc slipped a bag over Russel's head and forced him out of the shop. That's when he first encountered Murdoc Niccals. He got a job working behind the counter at Big Rick Black's Record Shack in London's Soho area. Īfter the drive-by shooting incident, Russel was sent to the UK for his own safety to live with his uncle in Belsize Park. The process of possession permanently turned Russel's eyes milky white. After the shooting, the spirits of Russel's friends came to reside in his body, the most prominent being Russel's best friend Del the Ghost Rapper. One of them was wearing a black hood who Russel identified as The Grim Reaper.

One rainy night outside a 7-Eleven Store, Russel's companions were killed in a drive-by shooting by a gang of 'gang bangers' driving a black Humvee. Īfter his old school refused to take him back, Russel attended Brooklyn High School, where he befriended many of the students that were gifted in hip-hop music. Russel didn't believe any of it until he saw a picture of a 'Russel wuz here!' graffiti written in blood on the school walls in his handwriting. He fell into a coma for the next four years, at the end of which, the demon was finally exorcised from his body by a priest named Father Merrin. Known for his good manners and eloquent speech, he attended the Xavier School For Young Achievers but was expelled after attacking several students while possessed by a demon. Russel was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 3, 1975.

A Race of Demons by J.R. Willis