Rakeem Jones: Fayetteville barber Vic Blends, rapper Morray to team up for Christmas Giveback

Rakeem “Keem” Jones

“Blessings are cyclical, they will always come back in a cycle.”

So says 22-year-old Victor “Vic Blends” Fontanez, a barber and entrepreneur in Fayetteville.

Fontanez recently amassed 10 million followers on the video platform TikTok and sat with entertainment mogul Nick Cannon for an in-depth interview. Fontanez discussed his motivation for inspiring millions with videos that show him cutting random strangers' hair, while at the same time getting to know the person.

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In the interview, Vic Blends wore a blue Fayetteville State University hoodie as an ode to his hometown. The South View High School graduate believes the community is the foundation that built his career.

“We all have big dreams, hoping to be globally known for what we do, but that starts with first being a pillar in your community,” he said.

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Last year, Fontanez, along with The Two-Six project, founded by 24-year-old Morehouse College graduate Grant Bennett, were able to provide free clothing, toys, food and haircuts to more than 1,000 families in the greater Fayetteville area with their annual Christmas Giveback.

For Fontanez, the giveback furthers the notion that his purpose is far greater than haircuts. He is grateful for the amazing career and abundance of opportunity, but feels it is worthless if it is not used to make an impact.

A flyer for the Christmas Giveback, scheduled for Dec. 23 at Segra Stadium in downtown Fayetteville, NC. Barber and social media star Vic Blends and rapper Morray are headlining the event.

This year, the Christmas Giveback will be hosted at Segra Stadium, home of the Houston Astros affiliate Fayetteville Woodpeckers. The event will take place Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Christmas Giveback will provide free haircuts, toys, clothing, food and entertainment for the community. In addition, there will be resources to assist with rent and utilities, baby needs and free cell phone service.

“I want to show kids you can do great things, regardless of your occupation,” Fontanez says.

So, this year, he has partnered with another notable Fayetteville native — Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Morray. In an Instagram post, Morray writes: “I love giving back to my people ... I remember when I didn’t have it, and I never want anyone to feel like that so we going up yall!! 2-6.”

Morray never forgets where he came from.

Just before Thanksgiving, he was spotted filming a music video in the same apartments that he shot the video for his megahit “Quicksand,” with a crowd of people from his hometown. Back in August, he partnered with Cora’s Community Foundation to host Everybody’s Family Reunion and NZone Social Venue, where they distributed over 800 book bags before the start of the school year.

Grant Bennett, who runs the nonprofit Two-Six Project, co-founded with Vic Blends the Christmas Giveback in 2020. It provided free clothing, toys, food and haircuts to more than 1,000 families in the greater Fayetteville area last year. This year's event is scheduled for Dec. 23, 2021, at Segra Stadium in downtown Fayetteville.

Through collaborative efforts with community partners like Cora’s; Empact 1 Foundation; Serenity’s Grace; and Lifeline Assistance Group, Fontanez and Bennett plan to expand the impact of Christmas Giveback. This year’s event is sponsored by Adidas, Nike, Jordan Brand and Yellow Crayons, just to name a few. There will be entertainment for the entire family, such as music by DJ Ricoveli and face-painting by Falcon Focus, along with a number of surprises.

For those who want to donate to the Christmas Giveback, drop off locations will be set up at the Cool Spring Downtown District office 222 Hay St., and Rude Awakening Coffee House at 227 Hay St. For more information, follow @vicblends, @twosixproject, @djricoveli, and @undergroundkeem on Instagram.

Salute to everyone involved with the Christmas Giveback and every activist getting active. Peace.

Rakeem “Keem” Jones is a community advocate and father of three from the Shaw Road/Bonnie Doone area of Fayetteville. He can be reached at keemj45@gmail.com.

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