What Is Backpack Kid Up To Today?

The following article includes mentions of mental health and suicide.

In today's 24-hour news cycle, viral personalities such as Backpack Kid often enjoy about 15 seconds of fame, rather than the 15 minutes artist Andy Warhol famously forecast. While Backpack Kid's signature dance move, "The Floss," was all the rage in 2018, its time on the dance floor disappeared faster than you can dab. So what is a kid (real name Russell Horning) with happy feet supposed to do?

With some surprising rap skills and a big heart, Backpack Kid is out to prove that he can turn fleeting internet fame into a full-fledged career. Keep in mind, we're living in a world where the "Cash Me Ousside" girl aka Bhad Bhabie aka Danielle Bregoli can transform from a catchphrase meme to a legit music star with an Atlantic Records deal. And if a career rebrand doesn't work out for Horning, he could always stay in the headlines by doing it the old-fashioned way ... suing someone. Here's a closer look at what Backpack Kid is up to today.

Although Russell 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. For example, he went to the Elsa Ebeling Elementary School in Brooklyn, where he gifted 400 students with new school supplies, which included backpacks, of course.

The Lawrenceville, Georgia native might have started a worldwide dance craze, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from. He has lent a helping hand to the Aurora Theater of Gwinnett County, where he first graced a stage, and he has also partnered with local outreach programs such as the Lawrenceville Housing Authority, Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), Gwinnett County Public schools, and The Boys and Girls Club of America.

Between his charity work and budding entertainment career, Horning makes time for his fan club, too. When a die-hard Backpack Kid fan suffered an injury that required the amputation of his leg below the knee, Horning lent his support by sending him autographed photos and words of encouragement, which reportedly lifted the boy's spirits.

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. "I'm more into hip-hop," he confessed to Hollywood Life when asked if he would collaborate with the pop star now that he's a rapper. "She's more of a pop singer," he said. "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? It's another Georgia rap sensation. "My overall goal is to make music with Lil Yachty," he said. That's some serious #SquadGoals. "Lil Yachty really influences my music because he introduced me to the happy vibe of trap music," he explained. "I am a very happy person so listening to this 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."

Russell Horning knows that his dancing shoes can only get him so far, which is probably part of the reason why he has rebranded himself as an aspiring rapper and musician. His first rap single, "Flossin," came out in November 2017, and the Backpack Kid has been unstoppable ever since. The internet sensation dropped his first EP, "SwagPack Kid." Launched in December 2018, the single, "Drip on Boat," from the said four-track EP, was surprisingly well-received by online critics. "On the pop-rapped verses, Horning brags about how awesome he is, much like most rappers," said The Musical Hype. "Give him credit though. He does it sans profanity and tasteless, objectifying references to girls."

Horning has since gone on to release multiple tracks. However, not all of them have received rave reviews. His 2019 single, "Balenciagas," for instance, was highly criticized. Comments on the YouTube video of the said single ranged from, "I'm gonna press charges for you damaging my ears," and, "Put the producer behind bars." That said, people's opinions don't really bother Horning. He has released many tracks post-"Balenciagas," including a six-track EP named "Redemption," which was released in December 2023.

A look at Horning's YouTube grid would also reveal that he's a man of many talents. He frequently shares videos of himself playing piano on the platform. Horning also boasts some crazy beat-making skills, earning him thousands of views on his YouTube shorts, as well as the job of composing music for a 2025 film titled "The Hit List."

Backpack Kid was one of a handful of (ahem) celebrities who sued Epic Games for copping their signature dance moves in the smash hit video game Fortnite. Originally, Russell Horning was cool with "The Floss" homage, telling TMZ: "It's not that big of a deal, I'm just glad it's in the game." Those good vibes soured after "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" (again, ahem) star Alfonso Ribeiro sued Epic Games for incorporating his trademark "The Carlton Dance" into Fortnite. 

In a follow-up interview with TMZ, Horning revealed that his mom and manager felt that Epic Games took advantage of him, so he was letting the adults handle the legal proceedings. Backpack Mom subsequently lawyered up with the legal office of Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price and Hecht, who also represented Ribeiro, and two others who felt cheated by Epic Games — rapper 2 Milly and social media star Orange Shirt Kid.

The disgruntled foursome voluntarily dismissed their suits against Epic Games in March 2019, but this may not be the last dance. "We will continue to vigorously fight for our clients' rights against those who wrongly take their creations without permission and without compensation," said attorney David Hecht to The Hollywood Reporter.

Religion is a complex subject that's arguably difficult for children to understand and abide by, especially when strict religious beliefs are imposed on their young minds. Thankfully, that wasn't the case for Russell Horning, who got the chance to delve into religion and gain a deeper understanding of it as an adult.

As Horning noted in a January 2023 interview with Rapzilla.com, he was born to Christian parents, who, despite being dedicated churchgoers, didn't bring him up rigidly. This allowed him to explore faith and religion on his own as he grew older. Although he initially couldn't grasp the concept of spirituality completely, things changed as an 18-year-old Horning started living with his neighbors during the COVID-19 outbreak. Horning, who attended church with the sole purpose of hanging out with his peers as a child, found solace in Christianity and revealed he goes to church on a regular basis.

Elaborating on his journey to faith, the Backpack Kid told the outlet, "When COVID hit ... I moved out of my mom's house, into my next door neighbors' house. ... They were very strong Christians. They'd watch [online church] every Sunday ... They didn't force me to watch online church with them ... but they always offered it to me." Though initially skeptical, Horning was ultimately inspired to rediscover religion and spirituality by the said family's happiness and well-being. Hornig added, "I still attend that church today in person."

Russell Horning's high-profile lawsuit against Epic Games has, ironically, prompted some to question if he was the originator of the viral dance move in the first place. 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! In true crime era fashion, others joined the conspiracy theory hunt, including YouTuber Eual Kennedy, who posted an even earlier video clip (dated 2011) by someone known as "Mashed Potato Man" who can be seen doing a somewhat clumsier version of Horning's signature move.

While there is no doubt that Backpack Kid introduced the world to "The Floss," there clearly are some grey areas regarding who invented it. It could all be #fakenews, or these videos could play an important role in the Backpack Kid versus Epic Games legal case, which debates if a dance move can be copyrighted in the first place.

Horning's law firm, Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht, dropped its case after the Supreme Court ruled that the plaintiffs (Backpack Kid, Alfonso Ribeiro, 2 Milly, and "Orange Shirt Kid" must have their work registered with the U.S. Copyright Office before suing for copyright infringement. Horning and the other plaintiffs may refile their cases after applying to copyright their dance moves, but this hasn't happened, as of this writing.

Apart from creating music, Russell Horning has been focused on refining his acting skills, as well. Back in 2019, a 17-year-old Horning told the Daily Mail, "People think that this is all I do, the Floss dance, but I have way more talents than that ... I wanna see myself on the big screen a thousand times and I wanna see my songs on billboards a thousand times." Horning has attended acting classes at Nick Conti's Professional Actors Studio and has been fine-tuning his method acting techniques. Having dreamt of being a movie star as a teenager, Horning has acted in several music videos and commercials and played himself on various TV shows ever since his dance moves went viral.

However, the first time he moved a big step closer to his dream was when he landed himself a brief role in the 2024 film, "Bonus Trip," which can be watched on Amazon Prime Video. He has also acted in 10 episodes of the podcast sitcom, "Flula Makes Five," from 2023 to 2024. At the time of writing, Horning is all set to see more of himself acting on the big screen — twice in 2025, at the very least. His upcoming acting projects include a Ralph Celestin film titled "Spy Balloon" and a short film called "Glory to the Nation."

While it isn't a hard and fast rule, artistic minds have often proven to be fickle, going from idea to idea. This may be the case for the Backpack Kid, who made an attempt to host a podcast, but ended up discontinuing it within a month of its release. Posting a reel on Instagram in June 2024, the internet sensation announced that he'd soon be seen hosting a podcast as Russell Horning to "start fresh in rebranding into who I am outside of this embellished social media character I have became after going viral."

In the reel, Horning noted, "Being put into a box as Backpack Kid limits what I'll be able to vulnerably say due to the perception behind the name ... Backpack kid doesn't know about substance abuse, tragic death and loss, getting arrested, mental health, life problems. Maybe he doesn't, but Russell sure does."

The first episode of his show, the "Up1 Podcast," aired on YouTube on June 28, 2024. In the episode, Horning and his "recurring" co-host, who goes by Dr. Dax and is an artist and avid traveler, interviewed an 86-year-old man and the son the said man had in his 60s. For the second episode, which also happened to be the last one, Horning interviewed four of his childhood dance buddies. While we don't know why, as of this writing, another episode has not been released.

A look at Russell Horning's Instagram profile reveals that the Backpack Kid spends the majority of his days creating content for the social media platform, where he has 1.3 million people following him. His Instagram posts are pretty varied, to say the least. Whether he's filming a movie, indulging in sports that require mental and physical resilience (like jiu-jitsu, rock climbing, and kickboxing), being musically creative, or just working out at the gym, Horning seemingly makes sure his fans and followers are kept posted.

However, besides posting life updates, the Backpack Kid also uses the platform for sharing his views on topics that he believes require attention. For starters, Horning's Instagram bio reads, in part, "Ending Racism." He's also very vocal about mental health. In an October 2024 reel shared in honor of a close childhood friend named Daniel, who died by suicide, Horning urged his followers to seek help for mental health issues if needed and to check in on loved ones to ensure they're okay. That said, Horning has spoken up about the importance of mental health awareness countless times before, trying to make a difference and help those in need.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, or is struggling or in crisis, contact the relevant resources below:

• Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.