BIG VENTI and LaRussell Wake Up the West Coast With a No. 6 iTunes Rap Debut

LaRussell brings his Bay Area momentum to a Los Angeles collaboration driven by sharp flows, independent ambition, and a hard-earned message of gratitude.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — BIG VENTI and LaRussell are putting the West Coast on notice with “Wake Em Up,” a high-energy California link-up that debuted at No. 6 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap chart. Released through Party Hills Music, the single pairs Bay Area momentum with Hollywood hustle—and turns a wake-up call into a statement of purpose. The placement put the duo in Top 10 company with Drake’s “Janice STFU,” T.I.’s “LET ’EM KNOW,” Cardi B’s “AH HA,” and other major releases.

From its opening seconds, “Wake Em Up” runs on urgency. LaRussell enters with an energized hook before locking into a verse packed with slick flexes, humor, and the blue-collar drive that has powered his rise. Even as the wins stack up, he keeps the focus on the daily grind, landing one of the record’s sharpest images: “It hurt every time I washed my hands, I got paper cuts.”

BIG VENTI follows with his signature double-time delivery, using his verse to take the song in a deeply personal direction. He opens by recounting a traumatic car accident that sent him 15 feet through the air and left his loved ones fearing the worst. Waking up in a hospital bed becomes more than a survival story—it becomes the emotional engine of the track.

“They countin’ some sheep, I’m countin’ my blessings / I’m countin’ on me, so I’m not even stressin’,” he raps, turning gratitude into fuel.
That tension gives “Wake Em Up” its punch. LaRussell’s verse is about refusing complacency; BIG VENTI’s is about recognizing that every new morning carries responsibility. Together, they make a record that celebrates success without pretending it arrived overnight.

The collaboration also connects two artist-led ecosystems built outside the traditional major-label playbook. LaRussell has transformed Good Compenny into a platform for independent talent in his hometown of Vallejo, while BIG VENTI has built Party Hills in Hollywood as a home for music, media, live events, and emerging artists. Both communities share the same underlying mission: create the opportunity instead of waiting for someone else to provide it.

The release arrives amid visible momentum for both artists, following LaRussell’s national television performances on America’s Got Talent and BIG VENTI’s appearance on a Sunset Boulevard billboard. It also marks BIG VENTI’s latest major rap collaboration after “FAMOUS NEIGHBOR” with The Game. He is currently recording PARTY HILLS 2, expected in early 2027.

“Wake Em Up” is being submitted for Grammy consideration in the Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance categories. More importantly, it captures two independent artists at full speed—competitive, grateful, and fully awake to the work still ahead.

“This has to be my favorite LaRussell verse—and one of my favorite rap verses I’ve heard all of 2026.”
— BIG VENTI

STREAM “WAKE EM UP”
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/bigventiandlarussell/wake-em-up

Follow BIG VENTI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigventi

Follow LaRussell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larussell

Tony Stevens
Melrose Ave Media
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