Fast-emerging rapper and songwriter, carsn., sheds light on his creative evolution and the inspirations behind his recent tracks. In our interview, he reveals that his recent single, “can’t miss a moment,” stemmed from his deep-rooted desire to freeze cherished moments in time and conveys the universal yearning to prolong transient experiences.
carsn.’s exploration beyond traditional genres showcases his perception of the boundary-blurring musical landscape today. Reflecting on his debut album Mixed 3motions, he acknowledges his transition from perfectionism to prioritizing raw and heartfelt content.
“liquor store for gossip,” on the other hand signifies an escapade and represents his spontaneous songwriting journey. Discussing his breakout single with Jammy Beatz, “Big Guap,” he recalls the uplifting party vibe that kick-started his career.
The artist teases future releases, hinting at genre diversification and frequent releases under his new brand “3rd Floor.” Ultimately, carsn. hopes to defy traditional categorization in hip-hop, valuing uniqueness and fresh takes in every track.
Can you dive into “can’t miss a moment”? What inspired its creation and the feelings you aim to evoke, recognizing the complexity of translating raw emotion into music?
What has inspired me lately is finding new ways to challenge myself creatively. That is what happened here with this single. In this case, it was more of a “dance” focused beat where I express the feelings that come along with not wanting to miss a single moment in my current life and being as present as I can be.
As I created this song in the studio, for me it was about capturing a moment and capturing the feeling of wanting time to stop. That’s the exact feeling I felt the first time I began to write and put this song together, and that’s exactly what I wanted this body of work to express. With all the emotions we go through, at some point we all have this in common. There are moments we live that can’t last forever, but we wish they forever could, and that’s what I was feeling in that moment of time.
On another note, as I continue to explore different types of genres than what I’m used to, it has made me realize the beauty in music. And with the way music is in today’s world, you are almost expected to not limit yourself to one specific genre. The rules of hip-hop/pop/electronic/rock etc. have changed and have all blended together in a way that allows for no limits, so there really are no limits to what you can create these days. And I believe this song expresses that as well.
How does this new release reflect your growth from your debut album ‘Mixed 3motions‘? How have you evolved?
I think there is a major growth in me as a person, which is now reflected in my current songs, and ones that will be coming out soon. As I worked on Mixed 3motions, I was so obsessed with every single aspect of the record being perfect, to the point where you can tell it affected the subject matter and how the message was received. I would get so technical with the tiniest of details that the end didn’t even matter. At that point I felt I was more concerned with how my music was going to be perceived from a sound quality standpoint or if it was something people would even enjoy.
Now, I simply create from the heart and ride the feeling a higher power has given me in that moment when I sit down to record. It’s almost like letting the subconscious thoughts flow out of you, like therapy in a way. I often don’t even write anymore, I freestyle the majority of the melodies and lyrics, because I have realized the beauty that lies within this process, and that’s a concept that a year ago would have seemed impossible. This has allowed me to experiment more with my voice and find new ways to showcase what I can do.
“liquor store for gossip” is a recent standout track. What does it symbolize for you, and where does it align in your musical journey?
For me it symbolizes an escape. In the moment of creating this song, my thoughts were centered around leaving behind a stressful day and just hanging out with the ones closest to me to mess around and get into some trouble so to speak. There really is no deeper meaning to the song than that. It’s a very light-hearted and fun song for me to make.
This was one of those songs that I just let come right off the head and didn’t need to write much at all. It’s a beautiful thing when that can happen, and it has taken some time for me to figure out how exactly to accomplish this. This song was a big step in the right direction for me, and more specifically for my creative process, because it showed me what I can do when the heart and mind are in sync.
“Big Guap,” your joint effort with Jammy Beatz, jump-started your career. How did this collaboration emerge and what’s your take on the song?
This was a song I made early in my career with the great Jammy Beatz, he makes some cool stuff and it was awesome being able to collaborate. This was another light-hearted and melodic song that was made with a party scene in mind. I had actually just come from a gathering with some friends and I heard this beat and immediately had to get home to see what I could create. I think it came together nicely and was a good single to put out to start up this path. With that said, I think I have improved tremendously since making this song but I was happy to see that people enjoyed listening to it because it gave me a nice boost to keep moving forward.
One of your much-loved singles, “General Gentleman,” suggests that as one rises in status, one should maintain gentlemanly conduct. Can you delve into how the song reflects this through your past relationship experiences?
I was raised in the south where hospitality and manners were engraved into me at a young age. At the time of making this song I was fresh out of a relationship and long story short, I was told I didn’t have this gentleman like conduct that I was perceived to have and that I needed to get my act together. This song is me saying “Hey I know who I am at my core, and also look what you lost.” As an artist, little things like that will stick with you and sometimes so much that it’s enough to create a whole song about it.
You have several upcoming tracks. What can fans anticipate in terms of theme, sound, and style? Any unexpected genres or collaborations?
I feel like I’m making the best music I’ve ever made. I have a whole new approach and mindset to creating and because of this I have been experimenting more with my voice. Additionally, I’m still making my own beats and instrumentals, so it’s been fun seeing what new things I can come up with. You can expect a lot more diversity in my sound and a sense of completeness to the messages I want to convey.
I’m very passionate about creating music and I want to prove that I belong here. New genres such as electronic and pop will be coming out very soon. With the launch of my new brand “3rd Floor” there will be a new music Friday release every other week. So you can expect a lot more and better quality music.
Hip-hop has definitive eras and movements, from the golden age to trap to lo-fi, where do you see your sound fitting in or breaking away?
I hope my sound doesn’t fit in. And what I mean by that is I want to keep my sound unique to what I want and who I am. I hope each single I put out can place me in a new category each time. The diversity isn’t something I really even focus on, I’ve just noticed it comes out through the variety of different music that I like to listen to. I try to approach each track I make with a new mindset each time, and do something different to keep people on their toes.
Listen to carsn.’s music below:
