Independent rapper Russ Diemon has once again sparked a conversation about the music industry’s obsession with numbers. In a series of recent posts, Russ took aim at the streaming culture that dominates today’s charts, calling out artists who “fake their streams” while defending those who build genuine fanbases through real sales and support.
On X (formerly Twitter), Russ wrote, “Spotify should remove the public display of streams. Half the streams are fake anyway, and you don’t know who’s doing what. LMAO as it should be.” He followed that up by saying Spotify “knows exactly who’s faking” but simply adjusts their numbers quietly, removing fake plays and cutting them from playlists.
That statement set off a wave of online debate, especially because Russ has long been one of the few mainstream artists openly criticizing how streaming platforms measure success. According to a report by LoveBScott, Russ said the entire system is misleading fans and hurting independent artists. “You don’t know how many of those numbers are real,” he wrote, suggesting that many popular artists benefit from artificial boosts funded by labels or bots.
The rapper’s frustration isn’t new. Earlier this year, he also took issue with Billboard and Luminate, saying that the chart system was unfair to independent musicians who sell albums directly to their audience. He accused Billboard of favoring major-label artists and even claimed that they “cheat artists” by removing real independent sales while allowing others to bundle or inflate their totals.
Fans quickly connected his comments to the recent debate around Taylor Swift’s album sales, as many online critics had questioned how her records continued to post massive first-week numbers. While Russ didn’t name her directly in this particular thread, he’s made it clear before that artists who still sell physical albums deserve respect. For him, it’s not about who’s bigger but rather about who’s real.
disclaimer I haven’t listened to a Taylor swift song in like 10 years but I’ve just seen so many brain dead takes on this albums success that I gotta say something lmao
— RUSS (@russdiemon) October 8, 2025
billboard only counts 4 physical sales per customer and 1 digital sale per week fyi and her building a fanbase… https://t.co/12hmB6oHPn
Russ’s core message is simple: the industry has become too focused on metrics that don’t reflect reality. He believes streams can be bought, manipulated, and inflated, but the connection between artist and listener, the kind that leads to someone buying an album, showing up to a show, or following every release can’t be faked.
Also Read: Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” Is Shattering Streaming Records and Owning Pop Radio
It’s a perspective that hits especially hard coming from Russ, who’s built his career outside the label system. From his early days uploading music independently to selling out arenas on his own, he’s built a fanbase that genuinely supports him. His words cut through because they come from experience, not bitterness.
In an era where everyone’s chasing numbers, Russ Diemon is reminding the industry that what matters most isn’t how big your stream count looks — it’s how real your listeners are.
