Today we’d like to introduce you to James Barber. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, James “J.Anthny” Barber is a singer, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer with a message for the world. A child of addicted parents, J.Anthny spent his life in the system, coping with early challenges through music. In his early teens, inspired by fellow rapper Lady G, now known as Gizzle, he moved from rapping to songwriting and freestyling. Through music, J.Anthny channels his life experiences, emotions, and victorious mindset, showcasing his artistic abilities. He shares a story of resilience, overcoming struggle, and a relentless drive for success. J.Anthny’s career spans decades, labels, and partnerships, with impressive professional highlights and musical benchmarks. From 2004 to 2010, he worked with The Hostiles, an independent label founded by David Brooks and DJ KCity. In 2010, he caught the attention of Lindsay “LT” Scott and joined TIU Muzic’s roster, next to the likes of King, Blxst, Amazin, Duty, and Evan Kapparelli.
After building a working relationship with multi-platinum producer Willie B while mixing records for Mickey Taelor, J.Anthny joined Champions Only 98. When Champions Only 98 dissolved in 2020, J.Anthny set out as an independent artist, maintaining his career as an audio engineer and producer. While his independent artist career continued to unfold, J.Anthny developed various professional relationships with notable artists, including MyGuyMars, Rocko, and Johnny Blaze, through his engineering work.
Since 2018, J.Anthny has built an extensive catalog. His transition from rapper turned singer is complete as he assumes the role of frontman with his latest album, “Win or Lose,” alongside DJ Kaptain. Together with DJ Kaptain, J.Anthny made history in 2024 with the first video release of “Bounce Back,” from the “Win or Lose” album, on the Formless network.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not! I had all 3 of my kids before I was 21, so fighting with trying to take care of myself and them and chase a dream was always difficult. Moving from one small label to another, placing loyalties in people, and just life itself has always been an uphill battle for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve always been an artist at heart, and I got into engineering to only better my craft, find a way to break into the industry and feed my family at the same time. Adding producing just made me more skilled, and adding all these things up has made me the amazing artist I am today. I believe the only thing that sets me apart is my work ethic because I’ve never quit, and I’ve always stayed true to the message I’ve put out in my music and that’s to never quit and always hustle.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
To support us, please grab the music from me directly on www.janthny.com, where I have the collaborative project “Win or Lose” and the “Bounce Back” Video with DJ Kaptain that you can buy from us directly through the Formless site and for those who want to actually work with me please reach out to me through my social media @therealjanthny or booking@janthny.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.janthny.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/therealjanthny
- Twitter: twitter.com/therealjanthny
Image Credits
Julian Murray
DJ Kaptain
