Our next review submission comes by way of Haida Gwaii, a small island off the coast of British Columbia, off the West Coast of Canada. Home to one WILLIAM RUSS, aka TYCOON, an aspiring Hip Hop Producer who has just released his latest instrumental tape, INDIAN SUMMER. The G-Funk inspired beat tape promisses to add some more heat to an already sweltering season of Fun In The Sun.
Listen to INDIAN SUMMER by WILLIAM “TYCOON” RUSS here….
Heralding DR. DRE, SNOOP DOGG, & E-40 as some of his musical influences, you can start to get an understanding of what inspired the West Coast Funk soundscape of INDIAN SUMMER. From the SNOOP narrated INTRO, TYCOON makes it clear this is a beat tape full of good times. This is ride around town, bumping loud out the trunk music. JUMP IN the Cadillac. TYCOON got he system LOADED UP with bangers to make necks break. Like LUCKY LEFTY, a hella good time as TYCOON taps melodies out like his fingers were Crip Walking all over the Synthesizer. Then WOOO!!(DAH) swoops down like a UFO named Scotty and beams us up to another galaxy where TYCOON has a blast flexing on the drum pads and baselines. What he creates is fun and smile inducing. But don’t let your guard down. We’re about to go into Space Dog Fight mode as BASED OUT turns the mood into all out evasive maneuvers battle mode. This the kind of joint you want to play while playing a 1st person shooter, competing in a Crumping Battle, or driving a getaway car.
I asked WILLIAM RUSS how he decided on his Production Moniker “TYCOON”. He took some time out of his West Coast morning cup of coffee to fill us in.
“I was in the local grocery store and saw this magazine called “Fishing Tycoon”. And E-40 always used that word in his songs. So the name just clicked that day. I decided that was my hip hop name right then and there. It was a name that could manifest the lifestyle I was aiming for.”
TYCOON smooths the vibe out mid-album on LOW LOW. At this point I admit I’m impressed with the pacing of the Instro Album. So far TYC is doing what he is supposed to as a “PRODUCER”. Curating a dope listening experience, organizing the tracks in an order that tell a story all on their own. My head can’t stop nodding as LOW LOW gives way to WALK THROUGH, a joint that’s a little more Cartoon Carnival Fun House than I would like. However, FUNKY SHIZNETT makes up for it with it’s Light Hearted R&B sensibility. I can hear a younger female artist Melody Rapping over this easily, and turning it into a feel good summer banger. I might not be able to rap on it personally, but I can def hear the potential for the right person to turn it into magic.
I asked TYCOON what got him interested in making beats in the first place. He filled me in on a wild story that is worth sharing…
“That same year, 2000. I was walking around town with my buddy who was looking for weed and we ran into a kid named Steve who screamed down at us from the deck of his parents place and asked “Do Yall Rap??” . We said yes right away and we went into his house where he was recording songs on acid pro 1. We began by ripping beats from Napster. And a couple of years later I saw that 9th wonder was using the FL program on his computer so I got that and started making beats too. We actually didn’t rap at the time, but wanted to see what he was all about. That was my introduction to making music and I have been doing it ever sense.”
Through out INDIAN SUMMER, you can see how much he has learned and grown in 24 years. From the Feel Good, Poppish FUNKY SHIZNETT, he thunders in with RUGGED, a banger I could definetely snap on. This is the kind of beat DRE should have given RAS KASS, BUSTA RHYMES or RAKIM. Pure slapper!! Then POWER AID drops on you like a Low End Bomb, giving you something to pop and lock to. The more I listen to POWER AID the more I think it would make a great remix for GET UP, my dance hall anthem on THE ART ATTACK. It just has that lusty, crowded dance floor feel. He then takes you for a night ride through the city on CRAZY, a electric piano key laden joy ride after midnight.
INDIAN SUMMER, the title track and last beat that TYCOON produced for the album is another bop. It reminds me of DAFT PUNK producing a joint for TOO SHORT. Real Spacey yet dripping Jheri curl juice. Another joint worthy of riding around the city (or Galaxy in your spacecraft), bumping loud with the windows rolled down.
After a long night out partying, TYCOON brings us back to his lab where he continues to build sonic madness for the future, like the album closer DARK FUNK.
When we asked TYCOON who he is hoping to work with in the Underground he mentioned…
“I’d love to work with Apathy, Sankofa, Badseed, Mr. Criminal, Dezzy Hollow, and You, 8ch2Owens if the chance presents itself.”
From what I’ve heard on INDIAN SUMMER, the oppurtunity is definitely open on my side. I’ve already chosen a beat or two from this tape to work on over the weekend, and word in the tunnels of the underground is that The Big Beard of Fort Wayne, SANKOFA is also interested in building on some TYCOON production. We look forward to hearing his beats with someone spitting fire over them, or singing breezy magic over one of the smooth out chill beats he has shown he can cook up. INDIAN SUMMER has various levels of heat, just like its title conveys, and is worthy of being played in your vehicles sound system as you enjoy the sunny days and brisk nights of gthe summer of 2024.
Make sure you follow WILLIAM TYCOON RUSS of CARVING SHED STUDIOS on IG to stay tuned with his future releases @carvingshedstudios
Face Book: William Russ
Bandcamp: https://carvingshedstudios.bandcamp.com/album/indian-summer
Written by 8ch2Owens
Founder of Vice City Cypher, WVCC Radio, PROFRESH Publicty. With over 20 Years in South Florida’s Hip Hop Scene 8ch2Owens has carved his name into the Miami Hip Hop history books, and now uses his talents to promote the best in South Florida Indie Hip Hop and Underground Hip Hop from around the globe.
