THE BLVCKHVRTS: The Bronx Punk Revolution Making Noise on Their Own Terms

 In a city built on resistance, rebellion, and reinvention, few bands embody the spirit of New York quite like THE BLVCKHVRTS. Born and raised in the Bronx, this punk collective isn’t just a band — they’re a movement. Led by frontman Trippy Rockhardt, alongside his older brother Mr. Sammich on bass, powerhouse drummer JP (Justin Padro), and their unmistakable flag bearer Jay, THE BLVCKHVRTS are dragging punk back to its roots: raw, loud, honest, and unfiltered.

“We’re a punk band. We play loud and in your face. No apologies,” says Trippy. “Punk is freedom — the real kind. Doing what makes you happy, creating what you want, living how you want. That’s the heart of everything we do.”

A Story That Never Fails to Hit Like a Power Chord

Trippy’s musical journey started long before there was distortion, screaming crowds, or Bronx courthouse concerts. His childhood soundtrack was built around Sundays cleaning the house with his mother — Bachata, Merengue, Salsa filling every room. Meanwhile, Sammich blasted rock through his bedroom walls, unknowingly shaping the future of their band.

Trippy would steal Sammich’s CDs and iPod — something Sammich “hated with a passion,” according to both brothers — and by seventh grade, the spark had been lit. Hearing Eminem’s Infinite on a school morning sealed it.

“I started writing poetry. I started rapping. I probably battled every single student at Roosevelt High in 2011,” Trippy laughs.

He learned production and engineering from one of his closest friends, Cylo Kash, and built his early sound in hip-hop — until rap stopped being fulfilling. A yearlong creative reset followed: a psychedelic odyssey with his fiancée, exploring sound, spirit, and identity through acid, mushrooms, and introspection.

From that chaos emerged the blueprint for the band’s first album, Silhouettes.

Trippy heard it, felt it, and knew exactly who to call.

Becoming THE BLVCKHVRTS

When Trippy and Sammich linked up to turn that new sound into reality, everything clicked — “like the universe had been gearing us up for this moment.” The band’s name? Credit goes to Trippy’s wife, who coined BLVCKHVRTS — a title that fit the members as naturally as distortion fits punk.

From there, the band went full DIY:

• Skatepark shows, where Trippy and Sammich’s roots in skate culture gave them an instant tribe.
• House shows on the sixth floor of Sammich’s apartment building.
• Self-shot music videos and total creative independence.
  

“Yeah, we’re the DIY kings,” Trippy says. “If you’re ever in NYC, ask a skateboarder.”

By their third album, At The Freakshow.., the band knew it was time to evolve beyond digital drums. They started hunting for the final piece — and in May 2024, fate delivered.

Invited to perform alongside legendary alt-punk icons The Death Set and Ninjasonik at Bar Freda, THE BLVCKHVRTS tore the roof off. They left with a new drummer — Justin Padro — and, as Trippy puts it, “that was the day we became a band.”

Bronx Landmarks, Skate Legends, and Punk Milestones

THE BLVCKHVRTS have already checked off achievements most bands only daydream about:

• Playing with The Death Set & Ninjasonik, two acts the band grew up idolizing.
• Becoming the first and only band in history to perform on the steps of the Bronx Courthouse on 161st Street — a legendary skate spot and a Bronx cultural landmark.
• 30K+ views on their music video for “Strangers,” all organically earned, all built through the band’s relentless DIY grind.

“We did all this with no crowdfunds, no backing. Just a PA system, instruments, and a bunch of skaters ready to lose their shit,” Trippy says proudly.

Loss, Loyalty, and Living in the Now

2023 brought heartbreak. Trippy’s two best friends and mentors, Cylo Kash and Tony Mixta, passed away. Their absence weighs heavy, but their presence is felt at every show.

“They’re with us every single night, blowing the roof off with us,” Trippy says. “There’s nothing a beer and a blunt can’t clear.”

Despite the challenges of balancing adult life, rehearsals, and individual responsibilities, the band sees it as fuel rather than friction.

“It makes our shows even rawer. We go up there, hit it, and bring the house down.”

Trippy avoids future-tripping. “I’m an in-the-moment kind of guy,” he says. “Right now we’re making kick-ass music and creating moments. Although… playing with Limp Bizkit before they retire? That’d be cool as fuck.”

What Sets THE BLVCKHVRTS Apart

The band isn’t here to play safe or fit inside the industry’s comfort zones.

“We say what we feel, bluntly,” says Trippy. “We want to bring back the raw energy punk used to have. Everybody’s scared to talk honestly now because they don’t want to get ‘cancelled,’ but how the hell are we supposed to understand each other if nobody speaks?”

THE BLVCKHVRTS don’t just play punk.

They live it.

They breathe it.

They defend it.

What’s Next: The Self-Titled Album

THE BLVCKHVRTS are gearing up to release their self-titled album mid-next year. The project already includes 14 finished tracks, with more on the way. Expect the band’s most refined — yet completely unrestrained — sound to date.

A major highlight?

An upcoming collaboration with rising female artist Cori Bratz.

“We’re mainly pushing the band itself right now, but trust — the album’s coming,” says Trippy. “And it’s fire.”

THE BLVCKHVRTS aren’t just a Bronx band. They’re the Bronx spirit with an amp plugged into it.

Unfiltered.

Unapologetic.

Unstoppable.

A punk renaissance is brewing in New York — and THE BLVCKHVRTS are leading the charge.