carnival beats

BUN B “DRAPED UP”

Photo by Steven Barston

AS MUSICAL MASTERMINDS behind this summer’s most sizzling Southern singles, blood brothers Salih and Tomar Williams brought Houston’s underground to the mainstream. Sampling dusty freestyles from legends like Lil’ Keke and Big Pokey then layering them over a gritty drum track and live instrumentation, the two-man collective Carnival Beats provided sonic soundtracks for Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sidewayz,” Mike Jones’ “Still Tippin’,” and Bun B’s solo debut “Draped Up.”

“Like how Kanye West is showing love to old hits from the ’70s,” explains Salih, 31, “I had a lot of respect for cats putting it down in Houston (who) didn’t have a chance to get on a national level.”

Raised in the Lone Star State, the Williams brothers grew up on a diet of jazz, gospel and DJ Screw mixtapes. Their mother sang in church, and their father played saxophone in a Jazz band. By the time they were teenagers, they could play keyboards, drums, bass and trumpet between both of them. And along with other siblings, they formed a band and gigged in smoky juke joints of the chitlin circuit for the next decade. “We got tired of playing in that live scene,” remembers Salih, “so we started banging out tracks. I quit my job and stepped out on faith.”

That faith earned them Big Moe’s 2000 regional hit “Barre Baby.” Before long, other notable indie labels like Swisha House and Dirty Third Records came courting their signature sound. “We wasn’t trippin’ on going national,” says Tomar, 36. “We was having fun just to hear ourselves banging on a local level.”

Far exceeding their own expectations, they recently polished off tracks for Chingy, Trick Daddy and Usher and have inked a publishing and distribution deal with Universal Music Publishing Group. “We’ve been beating together for so long that our styles are intertwined,” says Tomar, “it really doesn’t matter where it comes from; as long as it’s hot.” CARLTON WADE

Check out the latest issue for more of the hottest up-and-coming talent...

Or get 8 Issues for only $12, Subscribe Now! Save 70% off the newsstand price!!!