FNX & Factory Underground Present: HOMETOWN LOVE2 2.0 Charity Barbecue and Basketball Tourmanent

FNX & Factory Underground Present: 

HOMETOWN LOVE2 2.0

Charity Barbecue and Basketball Tourmanent

CARVER CENTER

17 Academy Street,

Norwalk, CT 06850

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Factory Underground recently partnered with our music recording artist and Carver alumnus Kenneth Shuler (FNX) to help Carver Foundation of Norwalk succeed in Fairfield County's Giving Day. Now we are planning the second annual Hometown Love event at the Carver Community Center!

 The day will include a ten-team “5 on 5” full-court basketball tournament drawing players from New York and from across Connecticut. Guests will enjoy games and a grand barbecue cookout. The family-fun event will include a renowned DJ, an inflatable bounce-house, face painting and much more!

Please join premier national risk specialists Willis-Towers Watson Insurance in sponsoring the event!

The fundraising goal is to raise at least $10,000 for Carver summer camp scholarships and to collect more than 1,000 non-perishable or canned food items to be distributed to families by Person-to-Person.

DONATE HERE: https://www.carvernorwalk.org/#/hometown-love-2-saturday-52017/

FNX's original inspiration to launch Hometown Love at Carver in June 2016, (and here for another feature in The Hour) was to create a fun, interactive community-pride event, and to feed as many people as possible with a canned-food drive. Love of community is certainly reflected in the title of the event, named for one of his more personal songs. FNX’s inspiration for this event arises from his personal story that The Hour and other media have written about in the feature articles referenced above. Carver played a significant role in FNX’s academic and professional music and business success.

Carver today is the largest provider of after-school programs for middle and high school students in Norwalk.  Carver summer learning programs include Summer Enrichment (5- to 13-year-old students at two sites); Freshman Summer Success Academies for graduated 8th-grade students transitioning into 9th grade at Norwalk and Brien McMahon High Schools; and summer learning experience for 5th-grade students transitioning into middle school. Since 2005, 100 percent of Carver’s seniors have graduated on time and nearly 100% of our graduates go on to college. 85% of Carver students graduate college within 6 years.

Hometown Love Sponsorship packages:
$2,500 Presenting Sponsor

•  Name and/or logo displayed on tournament trophy
• Presenter at tournament award ceremony
• Prominent signage on event banner and full-page ad in the event program journal
• Cocktail Reception and Thank-You Concert at the Factory Underground in Norwalk
• Name and/or logo featured on Caver, FNX Music, and Factory Underground websites and social media
• Sponsor support exalted in all press relations
• Meet & greet with all VIP attendees

$1000 Hometown Love Champion

• Cocktail Reception and Thank-You Concert at the Factory Underground in Norwalk
• Signage on event banner and full-page ad in the event program journal
• Name and/or logo featured on Caver, FNX Music, and Factory Underground websites and in social media
• Sponsor support exalted in all press relations
• Meet & greet with all VIP attendees

$250 Hometown Love Team (limited to ten team sponsors)

• Basketball team sponsor with name on the team's t-shirt
• Half-page ad in event program journal
• Named on event page on Carver, FNX, and Factory Underground website and in social media

$100 Hometown Love Friend (No limit to the number of FRIENDS! Your name listed in the event program journal!)

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.

--

“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

FNX DEBUT SINGLE "RUBBER BANDS" WORLD WIDE RELEASE MAY 30: NEW ARIST HONORS HIP HOP CULTURE WHILE BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES

FNX "RUBBER BANDS" DEBUT SINGLE 

WORLD WIDE RELEASE 

MAY 30, 2016

NEW ARTIST HONORS HIP HOP CULTURE WHILE BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES

FNX is a rapper and hip hop artist of unique style and origin. At the core of his music is a story of perseverance and positivity; overcoming life obstacles amidst a journey of self-discovery. He was born Kenneth Shuler of Norwalk, Ct--long before would he would turn to music as an outlet for his teen anger and depression. Faced with childhood homelessness, surviving abusive experiences in a shelter with his young mother, the at-risk teen found solace and self-awareness in rhyme. Yet with so much of rap culture based on boasting and bravado, there aren’t many other rappers of such humble beginnings that could boast of a Bachelor Business Degree from the Southern Connecticut State University and a Master’s Degree of Science in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. FNX is an artist unlike many of his peers.

Distinguishing himself early as a rapper of technical skill and lyrical intelligence under the adopted stage name Symon Feenixxx, his early work “Young Black Males” garnered the attention of industry veterans. That early persona, adopted from the 1993 film Demolition Man, was reminiscent of rappers Ghostface Killah and Method Man, whose own names were inspired by comic book and movie characters. “I took on the name [alias Simon Phoenix from the movie Demolition Man] because Phoenix was a villain who was ruthless and vulgar – which was my approach when I first got heavily into writing my own music,” said Shuler. Finding the persona limiting however, the maturing artist thus found the need for a new name to define his growing artistry.  With this came “FNX,” pronounced “Phoenix,” which he identifies as a sharp turning point in his life and career.

Yet even with a more focused handle on his music, the artist found himself facing unexpected challenges. When asked to write a song to promote a friend’s health club, which he happily agreed to do, he became very aware of how reliant he was on using curse words in his rhymes, including the obvious use of the “N Word” so often used in hip hop culture. Rising to this challenge, however, he completed the song “Pushing Heavyweight,” which FNX fans can expect to hear on his first full album in Fall 2016.

Now embracing his ability to rap authentically in a style free of profanity, shedding another stereotype of hip hop culture in the process, FNX hope this will allow his music to positively impact on listeners of all ages. This change in style will be heard in his new song “Rubber Bands,” that will be the first single released worldwide by FNX on May 30, 2016, in association with Factory Underground Records.

Yet even as his own personal phoenix rises from the ashes of his poverty stricken beginnings, FNX has his eyes set firmly on goals that go far beyond hip hop music. An advocate for the George Washington Carver Foundation of Norwalk, which he credits with keeping him off the streets and pushing him to graduate from high school with honors, FNX isn’t waiting for musical success to give back to the community.  “For me the music is a vehicle-- it’s the message that is important to get out there,” he says. That message, one hip hop fans may also find surprising, as yet another stereotype of the culture is discarded, is financial literacy.

“There is so much flaunting of money in hip hop imagery,” he say. “Making paper, acquiring wealth and showing it off. This what we are teaching our kids in the so-called underserved, inner city communities. Who is teaching them how to take care of their money, how to stay out of debt, how to stay clear of crime, and not go to jail?  Questions like these have helped fuel an educational course in financial literacy FNX started teaching in 2015, which he hopes to expand at the Carver Center to include working with children and families in the community.

In many ways, working with the Carver Center, one of the largest providers of after school programs in Norwalk--serving up to one thousand children daily--is FNX coming full circle in his life. “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.”

Check out more on FNX here:

Official Website: http://www.fnxmusic.com/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fnxmusic1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fnx_music

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/fnxmusic1

READ MORE ABOUT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER CENTER

RAP ARTIST FNX "HOMETOWN LOVE" FOR NORWALK, CT-BASED CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER IN NEW HIP HOP MUSIC VIDEO

RAP ARTIST FNX "HOMETOWN LOVE" FOR NORWALK, CT-BASED CARVER COMMUNITY CENTER IN NEW HIP HOP MUSIC VIDEO

In his new rap music video titled "Hometown Love, filmed on location at Norwalk, Ct-based Carver Community Center, hip hop artist FNX returns to his local hometown roots. The video is an homage to the Connecticut hip hop music scene he is proud to represent, as well as to the community center he credits for major contributions to his success. Filming at Carver was in many ways a homecoming for FNX, himself a Carver-alumnus. "Hometown Love" is FNX coming full circle from the point where his story first began. 

It hasn't been an easy life by all accounts: Growing up in poverty, forced into homelessness as a child, with his mom finding refuge in an Atlanta shelter. Yet it is a story of perseverance, overcoming life obstacles and eventual triumph. A story that may have ended a million other ways than FNX as a graduate of Southern Connecticut University, and a member of prestigious Greek-fraternal order Phi Beta Sigma. 

"Returning to Carver was profoundly important to me. The kids you see in my video- those kids were me back in the day. I realized how important it is for me to be a role model that they can relate to- not just being a hip hop artist, but one with a positive message about what hard work can lead to. I want these kids to know that they can achieve their dreams, because if FNX did it, they can do it too."

The video for "Hometown Love" begins with a phone call, and a voice drawing the artist away into the night. Leaving the Norwalk, Ct-recording studio Factory Underground, where he recorded much of the music on his debut album, he meets with an associate, taking possession of a mysterious duffel bag. 

"I don't explain what's in the bag at first and I leave people to wonder....but then- spoiler alert - it's FNX shirts, and I'm giving them away at the Carver Center. It was a lot of fun to shoot this video, which was like shooting a short film," FNX explains. With a cameo by Factory Underground producer Kenny Cash, "Hometown Love" was directed by John Runs.

"Hometown Love" may be seen on the FNX-branded You Tube channel and on his website www.FNXMusic.com

Donate to Carver Foundation: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1433892