Hailing from the vibrant coastal community of Ocean Beach, San Diego, BARCODE813 is an artist who embodies the essence of authenticity and raw expression in his music. For him, being an artist transcends mere performance—it’s about baring one’s soul, embracing vulnerability, and delivering unapologetic honesty with each lyrical verse. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing in OB, BARCODE813 infuses his music with the rich tapestry of experiences from his hometown, crafting narratives that resonate with both sincerity and depth.

From the laid-back vibes of San Diego‘s beaches to the bustling streets of Southern California, BARCODE813‘s music serves as a reflection of his journey through life. With influences ranging from iconic rock bands like Rush and Sublime to the groundbreaking artistry of rap legends like Mac Miller and Vince Staples, BARCODE813‘s sound transcends genres, weaving together a captivating narrative that speaks to the complexities of the human experience. In each track, he invites listeners to join him on a deeply personal voyage—one defined by authenticity, vulnerability, and an unwavering commitment to staying true to oneself. He is another artist that we can see being added to top 5 list coming soon! Check out our interview with him below:

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Classic Entourage Magazine: Can you share an experience where you felt particularly vulnerable while creating your music, and how did that vulnerability contribute to the final piece?

BARCODE813: At the end of the day, all of my music comes from a place of lived experience, so it’s all very real and somewhat vulnerable to me. I think if i were to narrow it down to a specific moment where the feelings were heightened was when we finished making 100lbs. I originally wrote the song while living in arizona, and going to CRAS (an audio engineering program) expressing what it feels like to feel lonely while on your path of self discovery, the struggles that come along with, and moments that heightened the feeling of that experience . it touches upon dropping out of college, being out of sight out of mind/ being forgotten about, and heartbreak.

While we were mixing the song, “Colt .45”, my homie roommate, and co-engineer for the project, thought we should add an intro-outro to the song to tie it all together. What you hear at the beginning and end of the song is what we came up with, and it reflects upon the feelings of having my walls up after my friend unfortunately committed suicide the month prior. Even though the song is a little dark, it’s a beautifully vulnerable moment to me in a sense where I want to connect with people I’ve never met, by sharing feelings that might be uncomfortable to talk about and using them as a pillar of relatability. At the end of the day, everyone’s going through somethin, might as well try and be the most understanding person in the room.

CE Mag: How do you navigate the balance between authenticity and commercial appeal in your artistic expression?

BARCODE813: Awesome question, and to be honest I don’t know. It’s probably the hardest thing/concept for me to grasp when it comes to making music. For me, I enjoy being genuinely and unapologetically myself at all times, whether the song is a banger or it’s an intellectual piece of modern art, what you get is me being me at face value. I think the commercial side of things mainly relies on how much you post on social media and how catchy the hook/song is, regardless of what’s being said.

As much as I love expressing my creativity via music and other forms of art, I find it hard to be on social media like that in general. I feel like I see a lot of people pushing their music without focusing on the craft itself, and it shows, I’d rather be on the other end of the spectrum where I want to create quality music and have a niche/organic following of people who sincerely fuck with me for being me.

CE Mag: You mentioned the influence of different places on your identity. How has each place you’ve lived in impacted your artistry and perspective?

BARCODE813: even though this could be a movie it’s own, I’ll try and keep it concise. in short, yes, very much so. If i could tell you how much every place has shaped me in a specific way we’d be here for a millennium. From having grown up in San diego, more importantly Ocean Beach (OB), to going to UC Riverside and dropping out, moving to arizona, coming back to LA, and living in 3 different spots since being here, every place has a unique set of memories.

In all honesty, I think I’ve lived in 14-15 different places within the last 3-5 years and every place whether it be a house, or a new city/state has attributed to part of my story telling aspect in my music, further making me reflect upon the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything else in between. All the places I’ve seen and or lived have all taught me something different about the world as well as myself.

CE Mag: Beyond music, what other forms of creative expression do you find yourself drawn to, and how do they influence your music-making process?

BARCODE813: Creativity is the essence of my life, potentially my life’s purpose, but selfishly don’t want to label it that because life can change in a split second. When I was a kid, I loved to draw, paint, and was always a fan of any other hands-on projects that reflected my imagination, and still do. These days, I think my sense of creativity is best described through my ability to cook/my love for food, having made it to the top50 home cooks for master chef last season, as well as my love for graphic design, from merch to videos, and think both are reflected in my music a lot. In terms of graphic design all videos and posts, Spotify canvas are all done by me, no AI, no nothing. In means a lot to me to be able to design what I’m feeling, equally so put my ideas on a plate and make it taste incredible.

CE Mag: Could you discuss a specific song or project where you intentionally highlighted your flaws alongside your strengths? What was your creative process like in achieving that balance?

BARCODE813: Oh, 100%. The last project I dropped, RESIDUE III: The Last Chapter, is a collection of songs that I released in 2020 before becoming an audio engineer/somewhat knowledgeable artist, having no clue what I was doing, and honestly was dumb embarrassing to listen to, and over the course of two months, I transformed them to become the songs I wish they were when I originally recorded them.

Looking back, I was probably clowned on behind my back for how they sounded, and high key valid of them for doing so, but that thought, and my girlfriend, lit the fire under my ass to redo them because they always had potential to be great songs, and now that I possess the skills, was able to accomplish anything I wanted to, sonically or verbally. It was a bittersweet project but grew more than words can describe in terms of being an artist, and engineer.

“I think I try to honor her the most by pursuing something I love and trying to make it my life, as well as being successful, in hopes she looks down on me from heaven with a smile on her face.”

BARCODE813

CE Mag: In what ways do you see your music evolving in the future, considering the influences and experiences that have shaped your artistic journey thus far?

BARCODE813: I’m always looking to become a better artist, engineer, and producer, so metamorphosis is key within the realm of my creativity. Growth is the name of the game, and the only thing certain in life is uncertainty, death, and taxes. I like experimenting with different sounds, cadences, and genres. To keep it real, my music will always evolve because I like to fuck around and find out, do I know exactly how? no clue… but always expect new/different/better every time I drop a song or project.

CE Mag: How do you honor the memory of your mother in your music? Are there specific themes or emotions that you consciously incorporate to pay tribute to her?

BARCODE813: Beyond referencing her when I do, I always try to keep in mind I do things in her image because I’m my mother’s keeper. Even though it’s rap music, I try and say chick and woman/women instead of b****es and h*** as much as possible, but there’s only so much you can do as a white Jewish dude in the rap game, there’s also a huge difference between b****es/h*** and chick/women so I try to emphasize that situationally/accordingly lol.

I think I try to honor her the most by pursuing something I love and trying to make it my life, as well as being successful, in hopes she looks down on me from heaven with a smile on her face. We’re creeping up on 20 years since she passed, and a lot has changed with the world and myself. I just wanna make sure she knows I’m still her boy.

CE Mag: What role do you believe storytelling plays in the music you create? How do you approach storytelling within your songs?

BARCODE813: To me, it’s the foundation of my music, and my creativity in general. Never wanna be considered cap for any reason, everything I rap about is what I’ve lived, seen, experienced. There’s a few times I’ll reference experiences I’ve lived and use them in combination, as in things experienced at different times but referencing them together, nonetheless true to me and my life.

CE Mag: Can you describe a moment when you felt a significant shift in your approach to music-making or in your artistic identity?

BARCODE813: I actually took a 2-year hiatus from releasing music while enrolled at the audio engineering school I attended and later trying to regain my herrings in CA after moving back. the two-year hiatus came out of embarrassment and not having the skills to be able to achieve the sound I desired to. This past year I released two mixtapes, and a “studio” album for a total of 33 songs.

Those 2 years honestly made me feel a lot of ways about my music, creativity, and the future and this past year I finally broke out of the cage and mental barrier holding me back from being the artist I wanted to be. at the end of the day, externalizing your creativity is the most important thing s/!artist to do. Last year was my version of saying “I hate me or live me… I’m back, b****”

CE Mag: How do you perceive the connection between your personal growth and the evolution of your musical style over time?

BARCODE813: In terms of growth, I’d really love to collaborate more with different artist of different genres because being able to express creativity in a different way, language, or setting means everything to me. I’d love to become a better lyricist storyteller, producer, and engineer, I apply the growth mindset to all walks of life. I just want to be the best/most creative person I can be at the end of the day.

Make sure to follow BARCODE813 on his socials: Instagram // Soundcloud // Youtube

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