FNX RELEASES FULL LENGTH MIX TAPE: "DJ JUELZ PRESENTS: FNX MUSIC VOLUME 1" ON BLACK FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25; ARTIST DEDICATES MUSIC TO HELP FEED UNDER SERVED FAMILIES IN NORWALK CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY.

The decision FNX made to release his debut hip hop mix tape on Black Friday was not without a touch of irony- the Norwalk, CT rapper has decided that he will not be selling his album at all. Instead he will be using his debut album to raise awareness for a very personal cause: feeding hungry families in the community.

Along with his new album, "DJ JUELZ PRESENTS: FNX MUSIC VOL 1," the artist launched a crowd funding campaign on Black Friday to request donations to his cause, in exchange for giving away his music as a free download. The goal of this campaign is simple: to raise as as much money as possible to purchase holiday groceries for struggling families in his community. The artist will work with local charities including the Person to Person Food Bank of Norwalk, CT to select these deserving families.

"I remember times when I was growing up where we didn't always know where our next meal was coming from," he said. "I remember picking up boxes of food from my church and community center- it was always like "Thank God good people are out there for us." 

"It saddens me that things haven't changed that much - one in six children in the state of Connecticut still don't know where their next hot meal is coming from. I've always wanted to give back, and for my music to make a difference in people's lives," said FNX, whose real name is Kenneth Shuler.

Growing up in poverty is one of the hard topics that FNX raps about that has attracted him a loyal fan base, attracted as much to his message as to his music. The artist has also tackled such topics depression, sexual and domestic abuse, and somehow finds a way to give the listener hope. In his new song, "Barely Made it Through," FNX tells his fans that if "I made it through, you can make it too." 

The FNX story is one of hardships, but it's also one of salvation, and the artist is quick to give credit where it's due. The Carver Center, run by the George Washington Carver Foundation of Norwalk, CT is the local community center he credits for keeping him in school, and focused on education. All of this hard work was not without reward- he went on to achieve a Bachelor's Degree in Business from the University of Southern Connecticut, and a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of New Hampshire. When he is not rapping, he also teaches a course in financial literacy, yet another layer of the FNX mission. 

It was at the Carver Center where FNX launched his first philanthropic event he titled after one of his songs, "Hometown Love." The event which he co-produced with Factory Underground Records, consisted of a barbecue, basketball tournament and canned food drive. The event raised 600 canned and non-perishable food items which were donated to Person to Person. "Hometown Love" is planned to be an annual spring event for his beloved Norwalk community.

FNX GO FUND ME CAMPAIGN TO FEED HUNGRY FAMILIES:
https://www.gofundme.com/fnxholidayfooddrive

FNX FREE DOWNLOAD OF MIX TAPE: DJ JUELZ PRESENTS: FNX MUSIC VOLUME 1:
http://www.datpiff.com/FnxMusic-Fnx-Music-Vol-1-mixtape.814796.html

“HOMETOWN LOVE” FOOD DRIVE ANNOUNCED FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 26

“HOMETOWN LOVE” FOOD DRIVE ANNOUNCED FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 26 

COLLABORATIVE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT & BARBECUE TO BENEFIT PERSON-TO-PERSON FOOD BANK OF NORWALK

 
PRESENTED BY NORWALK ARTIST FNX WITH FACTORY UNDERGROUND STUDIO & GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER FOUNDATION 

ADDITIONAL SPONSORS TO INCLUDE JOEL’S BARBER LOUNGE; GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN NOW LIVE TO COVER EVENT PRODUCTION COST

Norwalk recording artist FNX (pronounced Phoenix), in association with Factory Underground Studio and the George Washington Carver Foundation is proud to announce the “Hometown Love” Food Drive. This event will be taking place on Sunday, June 26 from 11am to 6pm at the Carver Community Center (7 Academy St., Norwalk, Ct). In addition to the goal of raising 500 canned food times to be donated to the Person-to-Person Food Bank, there will also be a BBQ cook-out, 5-on-5 basketball tournament, raffle, and music by DJ Connect.

Leading up to the event there is a GoFundMe campaign being run in order to cover the costs associated with the event, including food and drink, t-shirts for tournament participants, and a referee. These donations are being accepted on a rolling basis and any money raised above and beyond actual costs will go directly to Person-to-Person.

Faced with childhood homelessness, surviving abusive experiences in a shelter with his young mother, FNX found solace in music and the nurturing environment of the Carver Center, which is one of the largest providers of after school programs in Norwalk – serving up to one thousand children daily. Now, armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the Southern Connecticut State University and a Master’s Degree of Science in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University, things have come full circle for this artist through his work as an official advocate of the center. “Working with these kids is important for me because I am one of them. It’s a chance for me to show them what music and education can do. I want them to say, ‘If FNX did it, I can do it too.’”

This event serves not just to give back to the community in a tangible way, through monetary and food donations, but also by offering a day of family fun for anyone who needs a little “hometown love.” Music, food, sports, and more will all come together to celebrate the Norwalk community.

The 5-on-5 basketball tournament has an age requirement of 16 or older. The entry fee is $250 per team, which includes an event shirt for all members with a cash prize awarded to the winning team. In order to sign up, participants must contact Joel of event sponsor Joel’s Barber Lounge prior to June 14. He may be reached by phone at (203) 434-9551 or via email at JoelDaBarber@gmail.com.

The event is open to people of all ages with a suggested food donation of two cans of food with a freshness date to expire no less than one month in the future. Barbecue food items and beverage will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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“Hometown Love” Food Drive Presented by FNX & Factory Underground

Date: Sunday, June 26, 2016

Time: 11AM to 6PM

Location: Carver Community Center, 7 Academy St., Norwalk, Ct

GoFundMe Campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/hometownlove

Beneficiaries & Sponsors

Person-to-Person: http://p2phelps.org/

Carver Community Center: http://carvercenterct.org/

FNX: http://www.fnxmusic.com/

Factory Underground Records: http://www.factoryundergroundrecords.com/

Factory Underground Studio: http://www.factoryundergroundstudio.com/

Joel’s Barber Lounge: 71 Cedar St., Norwalk, Ct | (203) 434-9551