Orlondo Otis Hundley II

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.