Gilbert Russell Llantino, who goes by the stage name RUSSELL!, is proud to be Filipino-Canadian. Formerly known as rapper D-Pryde, Llantino’s R&B artistry has followed a natural evolution, shaped by his desire to make the kind of music his late mom would love. Mother’s Land, released on Aug. 13, 2025, celebrates his Filipino heritage, while also fulfilling his mother’s long-held wish that he connect with his roots. While the album is rich in Filipino pride, the music is made for a wider audience.
Select the image to access the YouTube video of the song “Candy Red 2” by RUSSELL!, featuring PARIS. & Nueve Lio
“Admittedly, a lot of the songs aren’t about being Filipino at all, or maybe aren’t exactly about my mother,” says RUSSELL! “But I think the all-around atmosphere, and the elements, are like little Easter eggs within songs, and the transitions on the album where you hear the sounds of Manila. I wanted the listener to feel like they were me, discovering this place that my mom wanted me to visit.” He also notes that he made sure to include moments with lyrics in the Filipino-based Tagalog and Bisayan languages.
One song inspired by his mom is the title track, “Mother’s Land.” A decade after her passing, RUSSELL! realized he could pay tribute to her, in both his life and his music. The song is influenced by both her homeland, the Philippines, and the vocal delivery of musicians he met there, including rapper and hip-hop singer-songwriter Al James. “I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily rapping on the song, but I tell everybody I’m barring off,” says RUSSELL!. “Being around a lot of melodic rappers that have a cool rap cadence, but also incorporate their melodies, inspired me to try it myself.”
“Candy Red 2” (with PARIS. & Nueve Lio) is the follow-up to RUSSELL!’s upbeat “Candy Red,” released in 2023 as a single. Both songs are West Coast melodic rap, blending smooth lyrical flows with hip-hop beats. “Candy Red 2” was written during a groundbreaking event for the Filipino music community: Kuya Productions, VLVT, Riot Club, and 22 Sounds hosted their first-ever Filipino Canadian Songwriting Camp in Toronto, from Oct. 25-27, 2024. Founded by Sammy Gerongco, his brother Bobby Brass, Addy Papa, and Andrew Briol – and supported by SOCAN, Warner Chappell, and other organizations – the camp brought together an impressive group of Filipino songwriters, producers, and artists from across Canada.
“To be in a room with so many people that look like me, but also love music as much as I do, was great,” says RUSSELL!, who was already familiar with many of the participating artists.
His collaboration with trap-soul Pinoy rapper Because on “2UP” is a nod to Original Pilipino Music (OPM) rap. The track came together organically at a friend’s place in Manila. “We were just being dudes, watching NBA highlights, and listening through samples when the hook and beat were being developed,” says RUSSELL!.
Select the image to access the YouTube video of the song “2UP” by RUSSELL!, featuring Because
The lyrics are sincere, and the song is about the kind of romance that lasts. With pride, RUSSELL! says, “I’m a faithful, loyal dude. One of my goals in life is to find a woman that mirrors that loyalty and wholesomeness,” though his ideal partner would have to understand how devoted he is to his music and culture.
Beyond these tracks, RUSSELL! spent nearly six months in the Philippines, over three separate trips, in a single year, building bridges, and collaborating with an impressive lineup of local artists across generations, including acclaimed acts like Jay R, MBNel, Deny, Because, Illest Morena, and Midnasty, each of whom bring their own signature styles to the album’s introspective, genre-blending soundscape.
Though Mother’s Land is infused with pride in his heritage, RUSSELL! made sure not to overdo it. He describes the album as sounding “wavy and cool,” adding, “It’s not overbearingly, patriotically Filipino, where it crosses that boundary of corny, you know?” He also describes his late mom as “wavy, and with really good taste.” After a pause, he says, “I just wanted to do something that was stylish, like her.”
After all the travel and collaborations, and fulfilling his mother’s wish, RUSSELL! has gained a deeper understanding of his roots, and what it means to carry them forward. If he has a message to fellow Filipinos, it’s this: “Be loud and proud. Let’s be really, really, obnoxious about being Filipino. Because we’re beautiful.”