Name: DJ CORNBREAD | Hometown: Norfolk, VA | DJ/Music Producer

Rashidi Barrett’s (Cornbread) music and artwork represents such a brilliant blend of styles so perfectly suited to one another, that it is hard to imagine a time when his artwork did not exist. Oddly familiar perhaps because his style seems to converse with old masters, but the style itself is unique, new and emergent. There is a depth, clarity and cleverness to his compositions that is simply profound. Barrett creates bold compositions like that of Warhol’s or Lichtenstein’s, but with strange dreamlike images that deliver a narrative that reads like Magritte’s work. Barrett’s work hosts tremendous intrigue that begins the instant you set eyes on one of his paintings, realizing as you do, that you will never forget it.

Born in Naples, Italy, Rashidi Barrett is an emerging American artist currently living in Norfolk, Virginia. Barrett’s limited art training began in the early 90’s at The Glassell School of Art in Texas where his talents were recognized as exceptional. In the brief time he was there, he managed to exhibit work in Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts as a part of a statewide art show of high school students’ work. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Navy to be a Submariner aboard a nuclear powered sub, the USS Hampton.

At the completion of an accomplished military tour of service, Barrett settled down in Norfolk, Virginia’s vibrant community. There he immediately became involved with the local music and visual arts scene. In what began as an attempt to decorate his apartment, Barrett became obsessed with perfecting a vision of what was rapidly becoming his own unique aesthetic for painting. Picasso once said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working,” and Barrett was working and working extremely hard. More importantly, he did not stop.

Presently, Barrett is working just as hard and now working smarter after acquiring all the skills one acquires after passionately doing something day in day out for years. It is difficult to ignore this artist’s great drive or his incredible eye. Furthermore, it is impossible to ignore his art, as it seems to be popping up everywhere now, most recently for a solo exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Virginia. His work has also been shown in venues for art in Brooklyn, Washington D.C., Toronto, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and more.

Barrett has also seen success as a musician, DJ and Producer under the moniker DJ Cornbread. From doing DJ workshops at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, to spinning vinyl at clubs and venues throughout the region and producing beats for other artists thousands of miles away, he shares his love and talent for music. For Barrett, no division between visual art and music exists, there is only art. He has performed with artists Bernard Eure (Bobby Blunt), Nottz, Houseshoes, Camp Lo, En Vogue, Dj Bee, Skillz, Jon Bibbs, Derek 32 Zero, Tiron & AyoMari, Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, Wiz khalifa, No Malice of the Clipse and Stretch Armstrong.

Mini Mix #11 by Odu Shho on Mixcloud