FVNYVNV Records' and Roaring Rhetoric's Vinyl & Poetry Night at Rozz-Tox -- November 29.
Saturday, November 29, 8 p.m.
Rozz-Tox, 2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
With FVNTVNV Records playing a range of jazz, soul, funk, and R&B, as well as music from Quad City hip-hop artists. the label and Roaring Rhetoric will host a Vinyl and Poetry Night at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox on November 29, the eclectic evening also boasting spoken-word performances by Aubrey Barnes, Sabur Muhammad, Henry Morray, and Whois Ardimus.
FVNTVNV is an up-and-coming music producer, songwriter, and physical media curator who has been a frequent visitor of the Quad Cities for some time. His style ranges from smooth sample based production, to heaving hitting original compositions and everywhere in between. His Miami-based label (FVNTVNV Records) features exclusive pressings of hip-hop vinyl and CDs of his own albums, as well as albums from extremely talented independent hip-hop artists and producers from across the country.
Aubrey Barnes, internationally recognized as Mister Aubs, is a poet, writer, educator, and community builder from Rock Island. His work has made a lasting impact on both local and international communities through the power of poetry, education, and creative expression. Cosigned by world-renowned poets such as Dr. Haki Madhubuti of the historic Black Arts Movement and Black Chakra, one of the most decorated slam poets in the U.S., Mister Aubs is celebrated not only as a skilled writer but also as a thought-provoking creative, captivating performer, and dedicated educator. He is the founder of Young Lions Roar, a literary and arts-based organization that empowers young people through poetry, creative writing, and mental-wellness practices. Through workshops, open mics, and educational programming, Aubrey fosters spaces where youth and community members alike can use their voices to heal, connect, and inspire change.
Sabur Muhammad, known on stage as “C?ue” (Clue), began writing poetry at eight years old and honing his craft by 12. A multi-year Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year winner, he later competed with the Waterloo Writing Project’s state slam team, earning consecutive second-place finishes. Sabur went on to become a two-time Iowa Poetry Association State Slam Champion (2024 and 2025), placing Top 10 nationally and winning a Tri-State title spanning Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. In 2024, he represented Iowa City at the UNESCO City of Literature Slam, ranking fourth internationally. Now a member of the Io-What State Slam Team, Sabur blends battle rap and spoken word to address inequity, uplift Black poets, and explore themes of love and community.
Henry Morray is a spoken-word poet born in Maryland and raised in Iowa. Henry attended school at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. It was at Cornell where he discovered his passion for poetry, becoming the president of the school’s spoken word and poetry club Lyrically Inclined. In his senior year of college, Henry became Iowa City’s 2022 and 2025 Champion for Slamovision, the UNESCO International Cities of Literature project. In 2023, Henry graduated from Cornell College with a Bachelor’s in Product Development and Marketing. Currently, Henry resides in the Quad Cities, where he routinely leads poetry workshops for students in the writing program Young Lions Roar and co-hosts The Roaring Rhetoric Open Mic in Rock Island. As a poet, Henry seeks to package his words in a medium that conjures mentally stimulating imagery, evokes an emotional range, and most importantly, establishes a human connection.
Whois Ardimus is an award-winning poet, author, and creative force from St Louis, Missouri. Ranked number 15 nationally at the Blackberry Peach Poetry Slam, he has been featured on right about now and the creator of Pen Up or Shut Up Battle Poetry, a groundbreaking poetry series that puts poets head to head in a one-off poetry slam. Author of Flowers Bloom When Ready, he captures his signature blend of truth, vulnerability, and grit, cementing his voice as one of the Midwest's most authentic storytellers.
FVNYVNV Records' and Roaring Rhetoric's Vinyl & Poetry Night will take place in Rock Island on November 29, merch and art will be available for purchase from FVNTVNV Records as well as the poets, and donations to the free 8 p.m. event are not required, but are greatly appreciated. For more information, call (309)200-0978 and visit RozzTox.com.
