Artist Select (May 2020) presents Russ Coson

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bay Area Recording Artist, Russ Coson has been making noise in the music scene as he grows in popularity with every new track.  With only about 6 years in the game, Russ has already put out countless tracks and features that justify his signature smooth R&B/Hip-Hop sound.  The Bay Area has always been known to produce some of the most notable talents in Hip-Hop music including current artists such as E-40, Kehlani, P-Lo, G-Eazy & more, and Russ Coson is well on his way to be added to that list.  Keep reading below as Russ goes in on our interview about his music and what’s to come:[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Ervin (Traklife):  Give us a little background on yourself and your start in music?

Russ Coson: What’s good everybody I’m Russ Coson and I’m a recording artist & producer from the Bay Area, CA. (San Jose, CA). I’ve always had music in my life since I was a kid; coming from a Filipino background we always sang karaoke at our family parties. At the age of 14, I started producing my own beats, rapping, and was also part of an R&B group my Freshman & Sophomore years in High School. At 16, I created “Junglezone Productions” which was my own Record Label & Production company (for fun, not professionally). After High School, I attended college while still making music as a hobby and past time. After college graduation, I made the decision to pursue my passion of music full time. In 2014, I was signed to an Independent Label but due to some unfortunate circumstances, I left the label in 2015 and have been an Independent Recording Artist since then. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Erv:  For future fans that have yet to discover your music, which track of yours would you want them to hear first?

Russ:  For someone who’s never heard my music before I would let them hear my song “Where I’m From” first. It’s the perfect track to catch the vibe that I’m on and it lets them know who I am in a way that’s fun, easy on the ears, and makes you dance.
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Erv:  Being from that you’re from Northern California, how much has the Bay Area influenced your sound?

Russ:  The Bay Area definitely has influenced by sound because I started making music during the peak of “The Hyphy Movement”. My style is a mix of Hyphy, West Coast Rap, and 80’s/90’s R&B. Some people may think that being from the Bay Area kind of limits how you sound as an artist but I see it as an advantage because there definitely isn’t a place anywhere in the world like The Bay. We have our own culture, language, and music that you can easily point out if you go anywhere outside of the Bay Area. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Erv:  In the recent years, Filipino-Americans including yourself have been breaking ground on making their way into the music scene. Has being Filipino-American helped shape your growth as an artist at all?

Russ:  Some people would think that not being Black, White, or of Latino decent may hinder their chances of making it in the music scene. Being Filipino-American has actually motivated me as an artist because I’m able to showcase my music and be a voice to the many people who share a similar story. It also has shaped my music by reminding myself to be authentic when I write my songs. I know that speaking the truth and being my genuine self won’t please everyone, but it will attract the right people that feel and relate to my music. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCDqGdRrB08″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Erv:  On Spotify, other than your hometown of San Jose & the San Francisco Bay Area, most of your listeners are international coming from areas such as Australia and Europe. What are your thoughts on your music resonating with people from these areas?

Russ:  I am truly grateful that my music has even reached outside of California! I never would have thought that people not from the US would be actively listening to my music but I am really thankful that they are. It shows that the world outside of the US really enjoys the type of music genre that I’m a part of. Hopefully I’m able to perform overseas internationally soon. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Erv:  For fans that are just now discovering your music, what are the first things you want them to know about you and your music?

Russ:  For new listeners, I would want them to know that my style of music is a mix of rapping and singing over Rap/R&B beats. If they’re into West Coast party music or R&B panty droppers, they’d definitely enjoy the music I create.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Erv:  Tell the readers about your most recent projects and what’s next for you.

Russ:  In 2015, I dropped my official debut album “Addicted” which was mainly R&B party music targeted more towards my female listeners. In 2017, I dropped my sophomore album “Sti11 Addicted” which also featured R&B party songs as well as some West Coast Rap songs. In 2019, I dropped my 3rd album, “Playaz Club,” which was targeted more towards my guy listeners. With that album, I wanted to showcase my skills as a producer and made every single beat on the project and I also engineered all the vocal mixing. My recent 2020 project, “Pisces,” is an R&B EP that is targeted towards my female listeners. Next, my plan is to drop a Summer project with all self produced beats and I want to incorporate both singing and rapping. I’m just enjoying the process and creating everyday. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZvcGVuLnNwb3RpZnkuY29tJTJGZW1iZWQlMkZhcnRpc3QlMkY1MkV3M1FpUzdJc0JoYXVqcXNLV3lLJTIyJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjIzMDAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzODAlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvd3RyYW5zcGFyZW5jeSUzRCUyMnRydWUlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”20440″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”20441″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Follow:

Spotify:  Russ Coson

Instagram:  @russcoson[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]