Orlondo Otis Hundley II, known artistically as 97OTIS, is a rapper, poet, organizer, and entrepreneur from Schenectady, New York — The Electric City. Born on August 27, 1997, Hundley is a lifelong Schenectady native, a Schenectady High School graduate, and studied Criminal Justice at Schenectady County Community College, where he was elected President of the Criminal Justice Club. He is the son of a barber and a beautician, raised in a working-class household shaped by small business, long hours, and community relationships. His grandmother was a New York State worker in Albany, and his grandfather, Michael, worked at Café Capriccio in Albany, grounding him in a family tradition of service, hospitality, and public-facing work.

As 97OTIS, Hundley has released over 90 self-produced songs, blending alternative hip-hop, lo-fi, boom bap, and poetic rap. His work is recognized for its philosophical depth, emotional honesty, and social commentary. Remaining fully independent, he writes, records, mixes, and masters his own music. His catalog has generated over 6 million total listens, reaching 600,000+ listeners worldwide, and in 2025 he was nominated for Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the Eddies Music Awards.

Beyond music, Hundley is also an accomplished American poet and author. Writing under the pen name Otis Hundley, he is the author of the American Poet Series, a five-book collection exploring working-class life, memory, grief, love, and modern American identity. The series includes Visiting Hours, Morning Tides, 15 Minutes in the Valley, Born in a Casket, and Clementines Will Bloom. Together, the books comprise more than 400 poems and reflect his commitment to accessible, lived-experience literature.

Hundley has shared his work and experience in academic settings, lecturing at colleges including Schenectady County Community College on writing, independent publishing, and creative sustainability, offering students a firsthand perspective on building a literary career outside traditional gatekeeping systems.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hundley played a key role in bringing pop-up art galleries and outdoor performances to Downtown Schenectady, transforming vacant spaces and public areas into safe, accessible cultural gathering points when community connection was most fragile. These efforts helped re-activate downtown, supported local artists, and brought people back together through shared creative experience.

He is deeply committed to building platforms for others. Hundley curates and produces artist showcases for independent Upstate New York artists, hosting events across Saratoga, Albany, Cohoes, Schenectady, and New York City, including Brooklyn, strengthening regional creative economies and connecting artists to broader audiences.

He is the co-owner of Moon & River Café, a long-standing community and arts space in Schenectady, and served as a New York Foundation for the Arts panelist in 2025, contributing to statewide conversations on creativity, equity, and cultural policy. He also brings extensive experience in political organizing, having served as a 2020 Bernie Sanders organizer and Chief of Staff for New York State Assembly and Congressional campaigns.

When Hundley launched his campaign for Mayor of Schenectady, he created a TikTok account under the username @MayorofSchenectady to speak directly to residents about local issues. Within five months, the account surpassed one million views, demonstrating strong grassroots engagement and a growing appetite for independent, locally grounded leadership.

Looking ahead, Hundley is preparing a 2027 mayoral campaign, focused on economic independence, keeping dollars local, affordable housing, public transportation, transparency, and expanding opportunity for working families, artists, and small businesses.

Across art, business, and civic life, Orlondo Otis Hundley II is guided by a single principle:
build locally, speak honestly, and leave the city stronger than you found it.