TRIBUTE · DJ · PRODUCER · RADIO PERSONALITY · PODCASTER
DJ FINGAZ
DJ, producer, radio personality, and podcaster from Boston, Massachusetts. 1989–2025.
EDITORIAL CONTEXT
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, DJ Fingaz (Francisco F. "Fingaz" Barbosa, Jr.) was a DJ, producer, radio personality, and podcaster. He died on June 24, 2025, at age 35.
ERA617 documents him in Homenaje as part of its Massachusetts urban archive. His place here is one of editorial tribute.
FEATURED PRODUCTION
Lyric video published August 10, 2023 on Nawlage's official channel (@nawlage2k5) — 1,525 views. Its own description credits him: "Nawlage - Not Reel (Prod by Fingaz)." The only verified official video carrying a Fingaz production credit — no video exists for "Junebugg Day 30" (an audio-only single) and no confirmed video exists for "Are You Okay."
BIOGRAPHY
Identity And Origin
Francisco F. "Fingaz" Barbosa, Jr. was born December 20, 1989, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Francisco P. and Joana M. Barbosa, originally from Cape Verde. He graduated from Somerville High School and attended the Berklee College of Music — his obituary uses the verb "attend," never "graduate," a distinction preserved here. He lived in Somerville and later in Randolph, Massachusetts, where he was at the time of his death.
Outside of music, he worked as a product verification technician in the dental industry — his obituary describes music and production as his creative calling alongside that work.
Career As A DJ And Producer
Fingaz was a DJ, producer, and writer active in the New England scene. According to his own Instagram bio, he was affiliated with JJP ("New England's Premier DJ Crew," founded 2003) and 2Loud, and used "2K5" as part of his public identity — the same identity he shared with Nawlage. His obituary notes that "even in his final days, Francisco was actively writing and producing" — consistent with his production credit on "Are You Okay" (2025), released roughly four months before his death.
Radio And Podcast
According to his own Instagram bio, Fingaz was directly affiliated with JAM'N 94.5 (@jamn945) and Rumba 97.7 (@rumba977boston), both real Boston commercial radio stations — an affiliation, not a formal title documented beyond what that source establishes. He also co-hosted the podcast "But I Know the DJ" alongside SNAX and DJ Cammy V, from a June 2022 relaunch, produced by Dope Entertainment.
MUSIC · TRAJECTORY
Trajectory
Documented moments, each with its source.
1989-12-20
Born In Boston
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Francisco P. and Joana M. Barbosa, originally from Cape Verde.
Source: Cartwright Funeral Home, official obituary.
2020-02-14
"Junebugg Day 30" (With Nawlage)
First documented collaboration with Nawlage — an audio-only single, no video.
Source: Apple Music (℗ 2020 2k5CkE); DistroKid.
2022-06
"But I Know The DJ" Relaunch
Co-host of the podcast alongside SNAX and DJ Cammy V, produced by Dope Entertainment.
Source: Apple Podcasts; Spotify.
2023-08-10
"Not Reel" (Prod. By Fingaz)
Production credit on the newest video on Nawlage's official channel — detailed in Featured Production, above.
Source: YouTube — official channel @nawlage2k5.
2025-02-04
"Are You Okay" — Tribute To Nawlage
Mic Vee releases "Are You Okay," with Fingaz as producer and co-writer, presented as a tribute to "The Late Great Nawlage."
Source: Shazam; specialized music press coverage.
2025-06-24
Died
Died in Randolph, Massachusetts, at age 35.
Source: Cartwright Funeral Home, official obituary.
AFFILIATIONS
JJP, 2Loud, And 2K5
According to his own Instagram bio, Fingaz was affiliated with JJP ("New England's Premier DJ Crew," founded 2003, with its own Twitch stream, @jjpradio) and 2Loud (@weare2loud), and used "2K5" as a second public identity — the same one Nawlage adopted in his own. A second identifier from his own bio, "TNG," has no independently verified meaning.
COLLABORATIONS
With Nawlage
Fingaz and Nawlage (Aquiles Jose Espinosa, of Lawrence, Massachusetts) collaborated directly on at least two singles — "Junebugg Day 30" (2020) and "Not Reel" (2023, produced by Fingaz) — and both used "2K5" as part of their own public identity. Following Nawlage's death, Mic Vee released "Are You Okay" (2025) with Fingaz as producer and co-writer, presented as a tribute to "The Late Great Nawlage."
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Production
Verified production credits, each as a featured artist/producer on another artist's catalog — never presented as Fingaz's own catalog.
PODCAST
"But I Know The DJ"
Fingaz co-hosted "But I Know the DJ" alongside SNAX and DJ Cammy V from a June 2022 relaunch, produced by Dope Entertainment.
OFFICIAL PODCAST LINKS
AUDIO ARCHIVE
SoundCloud
His own SoundCloud catalog includes remixes and mixes of his own, among them "Still Hurts Me (Fingaz Remix)" (with Tory Lanez) and a DJ mix with Angel Dior. No personal YouTube channel or Spotify artist page exists — his audiovisual footprint lives on SoundCloud and, as a producer, inside the channels of the artists he worked with.
LEGACY / ARCHIVE
Legacy
Fingaz remains documented in Boston's music industry as a DJ, producer, and radio personality — and, central to this profile, as Nawlage's direct producer and collaborator on "Junebugg Day 30" and "Not Reel," and as the producer of Nawlage's posthumous tribute, "Are You Okay" (2025).
ARCHIVE
Official Links
Official accounts preserved as part of the archive.