Backpack Kid's signature dance move, "The Floss," was all the rage in 2018, but its
time on the dance floor is vanishing faster than you can dab.
So what's a kid supposed to do?
Russell Horning is out to prove that he can turn fleeting internet fame into a full-fledged
Hollywood career.
"I was like, you know what, this backpack looks kind of cool, I'm gonna wear it on Saturday
Night Live, and then I became the backpack kid."
Introducing SwagPack Kid
Horning and him team know that his dancing shoes can only get him so far, which is why
he's wisely rebranded himself as an aspiring rapper.
So does the social media star have mic skills?
His first single, "Drip on Boat," off his debut EP, SwagPack Kid, was surprisingly well-received
by online music critics.
The Music Hype said,
"Naturally, on the pop-rapped verses, Horning brags about how awesome he is, much like most
rappers.
Give him credit though.
He does it sans profanity and tasteless, objectifying references to girls."
Horning talked to Rolling Loud about his first single, saying,
"The inspiration behind it was being introduced to the hip-hop world and how much I loved
it.
And how I needed to be in it."
Hollywood Backpack
The dancing phenomenon told the Daily Mail that he wants to add movie star to his bio,
declaring,
"I wanna see myself on the big screen a thousand times.
People think that this is all I do, the Floss dance, but I have way more talents than that,
people just don't know about them yet."
The Backpack Kid has done commercials, music videos, and played himself on television,
but he hasn't done any actual acting to date.
He does, however, have a built-in audience of more than 2 million Instagram followers
who enjoy his comedic content.
Horning is also getting his schmooze on.
He was spotted hanging with celebs at the ESPY awards and the 2019 Sundance Film Festival,
and he knows that to make the big leap into movies, he'll eventually need to head west.
He told the Daily Mail,
"I want to live in Los Angeles.
A lot of people have invited me to their cribs to make videos and I'm just looking forward
to living that [celebrity] lifestyle."
Giving back
Russell Horning celebrated his 17th birthday by dropping his debut album SwagPack Kid.
The December 19th, 2018 midnight release of the four-song EP was a surprise gift to his
fans.
While some rap purists might deem the SwagPack Kid EP as pure clickbait, Horning told All
Hip Hop that he put a lot of TLC into the project, saying,
"Over a year for four songs.
We were planning five or six, but it ended up just being four.
Cause quality over quantity, for sure."
Although Horning lives the fast-paced life of a viral sensation, he still finds time
for his community, especially kids.
Backpack Kid has visited numerous underprivileged schools across the nation to spread positivity,
hand out gifts, and dole out "flossing" lessons.
Inside Edition caught up with him an elementary school in Brooklyn, where he gifted 400 students
with new school supplies, which included backpacks, of course.
Not a Katy fan
Katy Perry might have introduced the world to Backpack Kid in her memorable 2017 Saturday
Night Live performance, but he's not a huge fan of the "Swish Swish" singer.
When asked by Hollywood Life if he would collaborate with the pop star now that he's a rapper,
he confessed,
"I'm more into hip hop.
She's more of a pop singer.
It wouldn't make a lot of sense."
We're sure Perry isn't losing any sleep over that passive-aggressive diss, but who would
the aspiring hip hop star want to make music with?
According to Hollywood Life, it's another Georgia teenage sensation.
He explained,
"My overall goal is to make music with Lil Yachty.
[...] I am a very happy person so listening to [his] happy music made me realize how happy
I really am and how much I loved hip hop.
So ever since then I always wanted to make happy music."
Backpack lawsuit
Backpack Kid was one of four celebs who sued Epic Games for copping their signature dance
moves in the smash hit video game Fortnite.
"I did that dance a couple years ago, it started blowing up on the internet, and then season
three of Fortnite it went into the game."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the disgruntled foursome voluntarily dismissed their suits
against Epic Games in March 2019, but this may not be the last dance.
The high-profile lawsuit against Epic Games has, ironically, prompted some to question
if he was even the originator of the viral dance move.
Australian radio station 96.1 FM did some online investigating and uncovered YouTube
footage of a member of a Mormon dance group busting out what appears to be "The Floss."
And get this that video is dated 2012!
According to Variety, Horning's law firm dropped its case after the Supreme Court ruled that
the plaintiffs must have their work registered with the U.S. Copyright Office before suing
for copyright infringement.
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