Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Garcia.
Hi Andrew, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Yo, what’s up? My name is Andrew Chance Garcia; I am a 24-year-old executive Chef & independent Artist from Odessa, Texas, as a child. I lived with my grandparents in Crane, Texas, and attended public school until 6th grade. This was around the time when I began facing Neurological & other mental health issues such as night terrors, sleepwalking, migraines/alarm clock headaches, along with depressive, anxious, and suicidal episodes. This would lead to me moving in with my mother, Shannon, with her taking on the full responsibility from working a full-time job to schooling me at home, to taking monthly trips to Cooks Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas, in search of the answers to what I was suffering from.
The process wasn’t an enjoyable one, from blood tests, different medications, sleep analysis, and MRI’s/CAT scans; just for it all to end up only ruled as me being an early bloomer made me feel like a freak of nature an outcast, a “BlackSheep,” if you will. This long and trying time made me rebel by befriending less than positively influencing individuals who took part in activities and pastimes that were anything but legal. Somewhere within those antics is where I took up rapping and a love for making music. Then, one day, leaving one friend group to stumble across another, I met my best friend, Elijah Fuentes, who would become my leading producer and audio engineer for several years.
As Andy Tha Rapper & RobbE Beats, we started doing our first local and state-wide shows under the group name Blood Brothaz Muzik at the beginning of 2018. (We came up with this name from one of those dumb little blood-pact handshakes we did in high school.) We spent the next year and a half opening up for Texas Rap legends such as Z-RO, Paul Wall, Lil Flip, Big Tuck, and members of Houston’s Dope House Records, simply getting it in where we could fit it in. Then, as 2019 approached, life changed for Rob; he was a married man with two children, one being special needs, and I was pressured to go to college to better my future for the sake of pleasuring my mom. So, Rob and his family stayed in West Texas, and my newlywed mother and I relocated 5 hours east to the San Antonio/Austin area.
I then started attending the Art Institutes of San Antonio in September 2019 for my Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Management. I only had a little working experience besides illegal hustling and fast food/restaurant jobs, so the career path chosen was the most familiar and understood. So, between work and school, I was constantly searching for shows to get on, artists to open up for, the whole nine yards, and then covid hit and hard reset any musical progress/impact I had made in my newfound home.
Although, before you knew it, 3.5 years ended, the world somewhat returned to “normal,” I walked the stage and got a degree (twice). Now, I am the head chef at the same restaurant I started as a fry cook in when I first moved to San Antonio, back to searching for shows to get on, artists to open up for, and hungry mouths to cater to! Life can be weird and uncertain, but one thing for sure is that there are things that make their way back around to remind you of who you are, where you came from, what you’re doing, and where you’re going. Keep the faith. Don’t lose your faith in yourself, and don’t lose the faith that God has in you; keep the faith.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
No road in a life’s journey can be smooth. We all have bumps, potholes, obstacles, and challenges to face and overcome. My biggest ones as a child were wanting to be accepted by other kids. Like I was the kid that would do stupid shit that would get you in trouble just because there was a group of idiots saying they’ll be your friend if you do this. Now, it’s the opposite; I’ll do whatever it takes and is needed to keep those stupid people or situations from being placed in my life. Outside of that, I am leaning into my more adolescent and adult years. Life is the biggest challenge and obstacle to overcome. Our lives are so uncertain, and we can never go to plan. No matter how hard we try to work it out like that, something always adds itself to the equation to mess up the result we’re looking for. It can be bills and other expenses, family events, and emergencies, getting called in on your day off, or not having enough money to put toward something you want to happen. It happens, and it sucks a lot. But I’ve learned to overcome these feelings of defeat by being consistent with myself and my actions. Don’t worry about what social media and other people deem as consistent. Set a definition of consistency for yourself and follow through with it. Stay applying pressure, stay working even if you’re ready to give up, and even if it feels like no one is watching, stay busy! Stay busy because when it’s time to get up and get to it, you don’t need to be caught up in your a*s. Persistent Perseverance Presents Progress!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outside of weekly service, monthly wine dinners, and specially catered events and food services, I focus on releasing fast-paced, hard-hitting, and emotionally thought-provoking music under the self-founded record label between Rob and I, “Blood Brothaz Muzik.” My debut album, “Beginning of a Legacy,” was self-produced and recorded entirely by Rob and I; it highlights our life journey throughout the small towns of West Texas, portraying the battles between addiction, toxic relationships, spiritual, emotional, and physical conflicts, to staying true to oneself and pursuing one’s dreams throughout the negative aspects of life.
My second album, “Od2Va,” is a collaboration EP between myself and a Pacific-West Coast friend. and Native, Richard Johnson, also known as “Bearcub360.” This project was produced, edited, and mastered by a handful of people before, during, and after a 2019 trip to Vancouver—Washington, where Richard and I planned to write and record the entire project in just one week. My most recent series of releases, “The Aspen Ridge” saga, highlights a world in mid-COVID full of turmoil, uncertainty, and spiritual unrest. It aims to give people hope that they are not alone in their mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical battles.
Andy Tha Rapper aims to make “Superhero on the Rise” music, showcasing his unique lyrical capability over hard-hitting and inspirational instrumentals. With lyrics that remind listeners to embrace one’s uniqueness and individuality throughout the trials and tribulations we face on our life’s journey.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I’ve had a lot of mentors in my life. Whether it be in the family, in the kitchen, or music, I wouldn’t know the things that I know and be equipped with the skills that I have now if I didn’t make an effort to not only have someone teach me but also make an effort to ask because I wanted to know. Some people have different knowledge and skill sets than the previous one, so the more people you meet, get to know and make friends with, the more it will benefit all parties involved. Some people say to keep your circle small; others say let it grow. I’ve found that letting it grow makes it harder to manage and filter at times, but keeping it small allows you to see who you are around what, what they bring to the table, and how it can affect your parties negatively or positively. Sometimes, you meet people in life to acquire the knowledge they have to teach you, and that’s it. They’re not meant to stay in the bigger picture because they will end up restricting you from what you’re capable of or being too stuck in their ways to make the changes needed to reach a higher elevation of progress.
Pricing:
- Music – Verses & Hooks – 100$
- Music – Merchandise & CD’s – $15 – $40
- Graphic Design – $50
- Food Services – Hourly – $25
- Food Services – Specialized – $$$
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/AndyThaRapperATR
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andytharapperatr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndyThaRapper
- Linkedin: https://soundcloud.com/andytharapperatr
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Official_A_T_R
- Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCprZOt3hBRGeAb7Tg5k2vXQ
- soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dhp7BnqqTEo1pPOce0Bvy?si=uRvng9tVTjWnW7fQUlo5Wg
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/andy-tha-rapper/1446675900
Image Credits
BadVibeStudios, Blood Brothaz Muzik, La Maquina Empire, Andy Tha Rapper, HIEROGFX
