Englewood Teen to Perform Original Song at Anti-Drug Concert

Englewood teen Kenrick "Mike" Francisco will be one of 33 New Jersey high school students performing his original music May 23 at the Ninth Annual Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey's Shout Down Drugs competition.

The competition challenges high school students across the state to create original music with lyrics that contain powerful peer-to-peer drug prevention messages. The event's winner will receive a $10,000 music contract from the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey to perform at statewide events.   

Francisco and Dallas Davis, of Bergenfield, will perform their original song “100%,” at the concert, which is being held at Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

The rap duo's song sends the message that staying drug free will put you on the road to success and relates the story of "Steve", who had his leg broken when he was jumped while trying to buy drugs, cautioning, "Man, I told him 'bout copping illegal substances/Cause with illegal substances come some illegal stuff with it."

Francisco said he enjoys producing and recording music and hopes someday to get into the real estate business and the record business, as an executive.

Visit the Shout Down Drugs website for a profile of Francisco and Davis and the other teen contestants, and cast a vote for your favorite song. The duo's song can be heard in its entirety on their contestant page.

Online voting, which is factored into a contestant's final score on the night of the concert, is open until May 23.

Tickets to the show are free, but must be reserved at www.shoutdowndrugs.com.

--

Follow Englewood-Englewood Cliffs Patch on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our free daily newsletter. News tip? E-mail englewood@patch.com