Today we’d like to introduce you to Russell Ude.
Hi Russell, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Atlanta to Nigerian parents, becoming a first-generation citizen. I’ve always loved fashion and music but had a great talent for football from a young age. I was a star linebacker at Westminster before playing at Berkeley. I 100% thought I was going to the NFL except knee injuries throughout my first two seasons forced me into early retirement.
This was tough not just because I was losing a love, but I was also losing one of my emotional outlets. The physicality of football was the best stress reliever I knew. I can’t lie, I was in a darker place for a little bit… but I didn’t stay down long and I redirected my energy toward finance and my business degree at Berkeley-Haas. I’ve always been financially savvy and a fast learner, so I committed some time to playing the markets and wound up making a good amount throughout 2019. I reinvested most of that into starting up my own financial consulting firm called Syndicate 1 Of None (S1-O.N.). I oversee a team that provides financial services to clients on the individual and corporate levels. With S1-O.N healthy and growing, I thought now would be the perfect time to expand into entertainment- supporting and adding value to creative projects. We have the ability to take any aspiring artist or content creator and connect them with the right resources they need to create and grow. Syndicate 1 of None has powered my first EP “Neoboy’s Revenge” and all of its accompanying visual and physical content. The project will feature production from Atlanta’s own ICYTWAT, UK drill legend AXL, and F1lthy of the Philadelphia producer group Working on Dying. The project’s first single releases 3/5.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a first-generation Nigerian-American born to immigrant parents, it wasn’t easy growing up in a predominantly white suburb of Atlanta where I’d often see confederate stickers on my classmate’s cars. There was a crazy amount of racism in the area, indicative of Georgia as a whole. It’s really the cities vs the rest of the state, two entirely conflicting ways of life and ways of looking at the world. It’s really scary when you live here and realize the Marjorie Taylor Greene crowd is out in full strength. I trained throughout my entire youth to play football and gave it my all every time I took the field. I love the game… it was the best stress relief. Whenever I was feeling upset about something going on in my life, I had an outlet after school where I could just truck people. I relied heavily upon that outlet for any sort of struggles going on in my life… relationships, family, school. When I couldn’t play anymore, I was lost for a bit. I always had a love and passion for music, but it was more of just beat making and freestyling early on. Once I lost football, I started messing around in my homies’ studio and eventually music became my new outlet. I have a lot of emotions and I find music the most natural way to express them. I love how much more attention mental health is getting in the black community these days but we still have a way to go. Too many people still think therapy is taboo.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While losing football was a big blow, I never put all my eggs in one basket. I followed the markets throughout high school and had incredible instruction in my business and finance courses at Berkeley Haas. After graduation, I spent a year playing the markets, growing my portfolio, and gaining experience in wealth management. In late 2019, I decided to use my contacts and resources to launch my own financial consulting company Syndicate 1 Of None (S1-O.N.). I started out with myself and an assistant consulting for start-ups and mid-sized corporations alike in addition to managing individual wealth. 2020 really encouraged me to go harder than ever and I saw the results with increased business. I was able to bring on some more staff by the end of last year, giving me more time to expand the company and to focus on my music. My upcoming EP and all of its visual and physical components will be powered by S1-O.N.’s new entertainment sector. I’m excited to offer an engine to support talented, driven creatives in their endeavors across the globe.
How do you think about happiness?
A well-curated life makes me happy. Gotta curate the architecture, home decor, your outfits. I like to travel. I like to see art. I like to be on the move. I need new scenery. I like to spend time to make sure my energy is right. I meditate. Good energy spreads, but you need to cultivate it on your own time.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.russthe404.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russthe404/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RussThe404
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/-HHOyUjmJCo
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/russthe404
- Other: https://levelmusic.lnk.to/KdLdvY
