Born in our nation’s capitol, as Garrick Perry, Force was introduced to Hip-Hop at an early age by his father, a D.C. area D.J. He grew up surrounded by the sounds of house parties and immersed in songs of legends such as Afrika Bambaataa, and Kurtis Blow. Garrick quickly gained a profound love and appreciation for Hip-Hop culture. After spending countless hours in his father’s basement studying Hip-Hop’s forefathers and honing his craft and unique style, the boy who would be Force began sharing his love of verse with his peers on school playgrounds. That was where he found his calling.
During his middle and high school years, Force spit verses to anyone who would listen to him. It was at local coffeehouses where Force gained his emcee chops and developed his skilled phrasing and clever writing style. After moving to Western, MA to attend Amherst College, it was only a few short months before Force became lead vocalist for a local Hip-Hop/ Funk band which allowed him to lay his trademark smooth vocals over everything from Digable Planets tunes to Herbie Hancock classics. While in college, he led a number of bands, which fused jazz, classical, and rock music with pure Hip-Hop flavor. Force tore through the five college scene, and quickly established himself as one of the Valley’s hungriest new artists.After graduation, Force remained in the Valley and formed the Hip-Hop trio known as Rival School with fellow Amherst alums Trauma (James Reed) and Ages (Andrew Unger). The three crafted a number of songs and performed with acts such as The Beatnuts, E3 and up and coming star Miri Ben Ari. The collaboration was short-lived, but Force…not one to give in to setbacks, embarked on his solo career and quickly established himself in the Northampton music scene.
From co-creating Northampton’s first weekly Hip-Hop showcase, Speakeasy, to hosting a number of open mics and M.C. battles, he has unwaveringly sought to share his passion for hip hop with others. Force’s continual involvement in the Hip-Hop scene has shown that he is more than capable of holding his own, recently sharing the stage with artists such as Breez Evahflowin, Grand Buffet, and the Heiruspecs.
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