Meet Carlos (C2six) Zamora | Catholic Hip-Hop artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos (C2six) Zamora and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos (C2six), how does your business help the community?
My work as a faith-based hip-hop artist and a public speaker helps youth and young adults to have an encounter with God. Many can relate to the message behind the music. Some have come from the same background and experiences. Others just enjoy great positive music. Even those whose don’t relate directly with my own personal experiences can appreciate that our human experience shares a desire for hope and a longing for God in common.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
At the beginning of my career in hip-hop music, I was part of a Latino rap group and we performed “gangsta rap” music, for lack of a better word. There were not many other Latinos on the hip-hop scene in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at this time. This worked against us in some ways because we experienced discrimination from other artists and industry people. But it also worked to our advantage because there was an abundance of Latino hip-hop fans who were longing for Latino artists and we filled that void. The late 90s and early 2000s was before the streaming era. If you wanted to be noticed you had to do it grassroots style and get in front of as many people as you could in person. Many artists simply did not have the ambition or the work ethic to do that much footwork. We did any necessary work that had to be done, including selling CDs from the trunk of the car, not only in DFW but throughout the US. This led to concert bookings which put us in front of the fans. Over the years we began to build a little popularity and we sold over 100,000 records, having opened showed for many platinum selling hip-hop artists.

At a certain point in time I realized that although I was semi-successful, the rap game wasn’t what I had expected and quite frankly I was miserable. Plus, I was spending too much time away from my family and I wasn’t making music that I could show my children when they got a little older. I was raised in devout Catholic-Christian household and my faith was always in the back of my mind. I had distanced myself from my faith but it was there nonetheless. One night my father and I had a heated discussion and he told me that I had a talent which is a gift from God, but he added that I was not being a good steward of that talent. In fact, I was using the talent to “spit in God’s face.” As angry as I was, I couldn’t argue with him because I knew he was correct. Shortly after that, I was invited to perform at an all ages concert locally. It was a group of 1,500 middle school and high school aged youth. I was shocked and I didn’t know how I could bring myself to perform this vulgar and violent music for such young people. I told the promoter that he should be ashamed of himself for booking gangsta rappers for teens and he flipped it on me saying, “I ain’t the one rapping it, you should be ashamed of yourself.” Point taken, I wlaked over to the VIP section and cried. I vowed to God that I would change my life and go wherever He leads me.

I transitioned to being a Christian hip-hop artist, if you wanna be specific, I was compelled back to my cradle Catholic faith and I began labeling my music Catholic hip-hop. I was unsure of how this would play out and although I had some naysayers, the support was overwhelming. It almost felt as if God put me right back on track because I was being booked at youth and young adult events all over the US to share my conversion testimony and to perform my new faith-based hip-hop. My music also led me to perform at major events in Brazil, Panama, Mexico and Canada. One of the most interesting concerts was at the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama City, Panama. My group and I were booked for four concerts throughout the week, Opening night was an audience of 250,000 people. We then had a smaller concert for a group of about 1,500 people on the streets of Panama City. Next, we were allowed to visit a youth prison and share our faith and play a private concert for the incarcertated youth in anticipation of the pope’s visit the following day. Lastly, we were one of four groups selected to play a concert on the night of Pope Francis’ vigil, closing night. We were on stage with the pope during the vigil and then we performed in front of 650,000 people.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a foodie, so we would probally spend a lot of time eating. Mexican food and BBQ are the go to spots but we also have a great variety of Asian, African and Indian food. People seem to really enjoy the Fort Worth Stockyards so that would be on the itinerary. La Gran Plaza in Fort worht is a cool place as well. Of course we have plenty of sporting events to choosing from whether it’s a Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks or Stars game. Maybe a Nascar race at Texas Motor Speedway or a horse race at Lonestar Park. On a more personal note I like taking people to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Fort Worth and Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral in Dallas. DFW if filled with things to do for all interests and age groups.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife of 25 years, Maria. My daughter Cassandra and my son Julian. My late parents, Raul and Lucia Zamora. The rest of my family which is too many people to name. My group FoundNation and El Padrecito Ministries.

Website: https://www.c2six.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c2six

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-zamora-47b79630a/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/c2six

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/c2six

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c2six

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6i4Ei7or2Kmhe4H7wv6fSU?si=BpAH6rPYS1mgA3vCqwaYlw

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/c2six/399347034