About Us

Luis Gustavo Zarate, of Mexican descent was born on November 15, 1976. He grew up on the east side of Rochester, New York and began doing graffiti at the age of 10 years old. Going by the alias “Congo,” he became a member of the infamous graffiti crew, F. U. A. or From Up Above in 1989.

When he was a young teenager, Congo started airbrushing in small shop on W. Main Street and Jefferson Ave. called Touches owned by Teddy Brooks. He realized he had a natural passion for it and decided he would never put down the airbrush.

Congo graduated from Greece Olympia in 1996. After high school he joined the U.S. Marines as a Tank Crewman. He returned to Rochester and started his clothing company: Roc City clothing Co. in 1999. In 2006, he opened a retail store called RCC, which was a short lived business.

Throughout his career he has done artwork for everyone from corporate businesses to celebrities and maintains to serve clientele in the old neighborhood. 

He is currently the owner of a large retail store called L.G. Zarate Co. Located at 2921 West Henrietta Road, Rochester, New York, L.G. Zarate Co. provides clothing for Men and Women and features his own brand "LG Zarate", where you could still order one of his classic airbrushed tees or sneakers. He also provides airbrush services for custom paint jobs on motorcycles, cars, murals for homes and businesses and much more. Additionally, L.G. Zarate Co. carries name brands: Ed Hardy, Azzure, Shmack, Laguna Beach, Coogi, and Blac Label.