Coming straight from the Central Valley, a local musician is constantly advancing his flow to be far superior than those around him while constantly evolving as both a lyricist and a rapper. Combining new-era rap with notions of old-school hip hop and his own vigorous flow, this creative mind determinedly stands out like no other.

Carlos Sanchez, better known as Carsan, is a rapper based in Fresno who creates music to tell audiences about his personal stories as well as the insights of being a hard-working musician “making it” in the local scene. Growing up in a family of musicians, Carsan has been breathing in music for most of his life and now he’s made it his main focus.

“I’m an artist who tells stories through my music,” stated Sanchez. “I write about what I see around me, I write about situations that I’ve been in, and I put my emotions into music to make it relatable and genuine.”

His lyrics, although rooted in personal experiences, display messages that motivate and inspire. He hopes that listeners of his music and other creators will branch off and pursue a future of success through doing what they love most in life.

Sanchez states, “I want people to know that it’s okay to be different. You don’t have to take the route that the world wants you to take. You can make a living off of what you love as long as you put your mind to it. The mind is a very powerful thing and I want the listeners to challenge themselves. You miss every shot you don’t take.”

Throughout his experience as a professional musician in the Central Valley, the journeys he’s had have taught him about reality as a musician. These truths have only helped him grow as the rapper he aims to be.

“It’s always gonna be tough and it’s always gonna be a battle trying to get what you want. One thing I’ve learned is that it doesn’t come easy and you really gotta work for it. As you approach your goals, a lot of things start to get filtered out, but those are things that never belonged with you in the first place.”

Apart from having the time to speak with us, Carsan’s team also shared with us an unreleased track called “Test.” Carsan’s Manager, Randy Huerta, has stated, “It truly is a special record. We want to focus on the ‘feel factor’ in making sure this song is felt.”

Teaming up with Madera producer ML3, Carsan delivers stabbing yet melodic rhymes reminiscing of being a small time creator while reassuring his status as “a Mexican legend, steady, making it out the basement.” Navigating through internal struggles and overcoming life obstacles, Carsan successfully conveys his sentiments into this autobiographical piece, straying away from his earlier work and establishing a shift in the mood of his music. Exciting instrumental loops and dusty percussive slams accompany the gangster ballad-esque tones set by Carsan, making sure his listeners as well as his adversaries hear his message that he’s blasting towards the top with no signs of stopping.

Carsan is striving for perfection as both a musician and as a symbol of inspiration to those who also have deep passion for expressing their creativity. He shows us that his songs aren’t just songs. They’re proof of succeeding in life by sticking with your passion.

“I want everybody to know that what I’m doing isn’t only for myself, but the entire Central Valley as a whole. There are so many creatives that get lost here because it isn’t a ‘hot spot’ like Los Angeles or the Bay Area. But if we come together and support one another, there’s no telling what we can accomplish.” (Carsan)