NEW SHARON, Maine — One of the greatest gifts to come out of Farmington and New Sharon is rapper, musician, songwriter, producer, and philanthropist Devin Ferreira.

Currently the proudest resident of Jamaica Plain, MA, Ferreira is more loyal than ever and holds his hometown very near and dear to his heart. Born in Farmington and raised in New Sharon, both towns are also home to where his vision of being a rapper was born and nurtured.

On his most recent trip home, Ferreira fulfilled two major firsts in his music career. In less than 24 hours, he signed his first autograph and sold his first ticket. It’s very fitting that Ferreira accomplished two huge milestones where it all began. “It’s very humbling”, says a deeply reflective Ferreira. “I am very blessed.”

While home, Ferreira reconnected with his roots and spent a lot of time reflecting on just how far he has come on his journey. One of the most heartfelt moments he experienced on his trip was reconnecting with his friend and fellow rapper, Crosswords. Ferreira met Crosswords as a teenager while being inspired by hip-hop group, The Syndicate Crew. Ferreira was “inspired deeply” by The Syndicate Crew and began recording with them. Watching the Syndicate Crew create music always kept Ferreira hungry to learn more about the music industry and master his craft. Reconnecting with his roots and rediscovering where his desire for music, rap, and hip-hop all began has re-fueled his inner passion, keeping Ferreira focused, driven, and determined to succeed.

This past weekend, Ferreira had an amazing show at All Asia in Cambridge, MA. He was joined on stage by Graham King (guitar) and Marc Aijala (drums). Ferreira not only rapped, but blew the audience away with his skills on the saxophone.

The most touching moment of the night was when Ferreira was joined on stage by childhood best friend, Noah Paytas, for Ferreira’s grand finale performance. They performed “Imagine”, a deeply personal rap they penned together as teenagers at Paytas’s house in Farmington. Paytas was clearly moved by the whole experience. “To me the show was amazing! To be honest with you, being on that stage with my best friend and brother was just perfect! Being around that whole band is just uplifting. It provides the kind of energy that is hard to come by in everyday life. Each person is calm, cool, and collected and that’s why it’s like gravity being around them”, says Paytas.

Ferreira pursuing his dream is bringing together so many people from diverse communities, cultures, backgrounds, and religions. He is bridging the gap between both of his homes, in Maine and in Massachusetts. His love for both states is reflected in everything he does and it motivates him even more, to do more, so he can give back even more. Ferreira’s vision is breaking down all barriers.

Ferreira’s performance at All Asia was the launch of his Youth Music Scholarship Fund. 10% of all Devin Ferreira merchandise sales will go towards a Youth Music Scholarship Fund for high school students who have a deep love and passion for hip-hop music. Ferreira is extremely eager to help students with the same desire he was born with. “Hip-hop music saved my life”, says Ferreira. “Everyone has an inner, unfulfilled passion. I want to be able to help others, from all walks of life, unearth that passion. I want my music to inspire others, the way music inspired me.”

Ferreira, 24, is undeniably gifted and extremely talented. There is no question, he will touch lives with his music. He already is. As he continues to be inspired by his own journey, his gifts, talents, skills, and love for music continues to grow at a rapid pace. However, just being successful isn’t his main goal. What is Ferreira’s goal? Success with fulfillment.

Follow Devin Ferreira on Twitter: @DevinsMusic