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Shawn Bernard (FEENIX) is a true achiever. He grew up in the worst neighborhoods of Edmonton, Alberta and lost both his parents to drugs at a young age. He, himself, got into a life of drugs, gangs, crime and frequent incarcerations. As a youth he would rap at house parties and later founded a rap group that evolved into a high profile nationwide gang. In 2004, while locked up again for a stabbing and facing many years in jail, the drug death of his sister and the apprehension of his kids caused him to reach a breaking point. He vowed to turn his life around.
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Shawn Bernard (FEENIX) is a true achiever. He grew up in the worst neighborhoods of Edmonton, Alberta and lost both his parents to drugs at a young age. He, himself, got into a life of drugs, gangs, crime and frequent incarcerations. As a youth he would rap at house parties and later founded a rap group that evolved into a high profile nationwide gang. In 2004, while locked up again for a stabbing and facing many years in jail, the drug death of his sister and the apprehension of his kids caused him to reach a breaking point. He vowed to turn his life around.
Since the day his beloved sister died, Shawn realized he had to change his lifestyle and has returned to the rap career he dreamed of for almost 20 years. He is now concentrating on his professional music career.
In 2007 he released his first CD, “Tha Real OG” which earned him a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award nomination. His second CD, “On Tha Rise” was also nominated for the 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. In 2009 Shawn was nominated yet again at The Canadian Aboriginal Music awards and won "Best Rap or Hip Hop Video". He is now in the process of shooting and releasing more music videos and also performed at The Aboriginal Pavillion at The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. Several of his songs have had nationwide radio exposure and he recently released his new album “COLLABANATION” which features artists such as Keith Secola, Inez, Joey Styles, Tomislav and many more.. Shawn is often featured on T.V, in print media and on radio interviews.
Shawn’s message is real and his songs are upbeat, positive and profanity free. He won the audience vote for favorite stage performer at the 2007 Dreamspeakers Festival and was on the cover of the Rez X Comeback issue, Spring, 2008. He also starred on an NFB short documentary on his life called “Walking Alone” which told his story of his recovery, music and family.
Shawn has completed the Aboriginal Family Support Worker program at Norquest College and now works with youth and adults living in high risk lifestyles. When not working or spending time with his family, Shawn promotes independent artists and visits schools and communities sharing his life story and showing that he is living proof that anything is possible.
