Rapper Russ Shells Out $850,000 for Uncleared Sample in Eight-Times Platinum Hit “Losin Control”

A two-chord sample in "Losin Control" cost Russ $850,000 after the track shot to multi-platinum status. The artist shared this story during a recent interview.

"I got fucked with that song. Because I forgot to clear the sample until after it was like four times platinum. I probably could have cleared it in 2015 when I made it. But I didn't know anyone in 2015. I'm just a kid in a basement. But I probably could have cleared it back then for $5,000," said Russ, as reported by HipHopDX.

"The song comes out, goes on the album, I forget about it to the point where I'm like 'I don't even remember if I sampled that.' And then I was like'Oh f*ck, I did... So the sample holder came... So I had to cut a check for like $850,000. It was an expensive f*ck up," he admitted.

The track sampled "Behind the Bank" by Oneohtrix Point Never. After eight platinum certifications in the US, the rights holders spotted their music in the hit. The issue came to light between 2018 and 2020 when the song had already gained recognition.

Columbia Records stepped in to help with the costs. Before achieving major success, "Losin Control" was initially uploaded to SoundCloud in 2015. It later found its way onto There's Really a Wolf, the artist's first album, released in 2017.

Speaking about the impact of music on the glorification of substance abuse, the New Jersey native shared his thoughts with Aria Nejati on his Apple Music show. They discussed Russ's controversial post from 2017, where he posted a photo of himself wearing a shirt that reads, "How much Xans and Lean do you have to do before you realize you're a f**king loser?"

"I'm not saying I'm the perfect role model, but I just think as an artist, you can either inspire people to self-destruct or you can inspire people to self-improve," Russ stated. "And I think a lot of the music coming out right [now] is inspiring you to self-destruct. It's the glorification of self-destruction," he added.

This case just shows how costly sample clearance can become. A $5,000 fee ballooned into an $850,000 payment once the track gained fame. Small details early on can lead to big costs down the road.