North of New York City and across the Tappan Zee Bridge is the vast region of upstate New York. From the surface, it is a suburban outskirt that reflects the general American landscape. But scratch that same surface and you will find a landscape littered with prisons and struggling cities plagued with the same elements that made NYC notorious in the later decades of the 20th Century.You see the names of these towns as you drive up the I-87. Poughkeepsie. Newburgh. Albany. Syracuse. Buffalo. Niagara Falls. Rochester.The city of Rochester, or “Roc City†as it is affectionately called, is the home to one of New York’s highest murder rates as well as one of its shining lyricists; Brandon White aka Bushido Garvey.Born in Washington, D.C., but raised in Rochester, NY, White saw his city plagued by the ills that affect virtually every inner-city community in the country; joblessness, violence, poor housing, inadequate education, drugs and self-destruction. “Too many New Yorkers believe that nothing exist above Yonkers. They believe that drugs, violence, and city bustle stop at Yonkers. The general perspective of Upstate New York couldn’t be more false. Many people, those in NYC and those out of state as well, see it as this woodsy mass of a state where there is no turmoil,†says White.Not one to let negative elements get in the way of his vision and his hustle, Bushido Garvey took to rhyming at a young age, and conjured up the name Bushido Garvey while attending state college at New Paltz. “Bushido†is reference to a strict samurai code that involves order and discipline. “Garvey†is a reference to noted 19th century philosopher Marcus Garvey, who believed that knowledge of one’s roots would ultimately free all African people. Conjunctively, they concisely outline White’s style and poise; sharp and disciplined but enlightening and intellectual at the same time. White has taken the most enlightening elements of Black culture, Hip-Hop culture and the upstate city culture to create a brand of Hip-Hop that is equally conscious and compelling.With musical influences such as Nas, Bill Withers, Common, Aesop Rock and Wu-Tang, Bushido Garvey is aiming to make an impact as large as the people that influence him. With honest lyrics, soulful beats and a whole hearted integrity guiding him, he is ready to show the world an Upstate of Mind.
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