Michael Barber is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and writer from Evansville, Indiana. During his music career, Barber has been associated with Death Row Records and has been credited with studio work or marketing campaigns involving artists including Nas, Akon, Nappy Roots, Kia Shine, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Barber has released music and poetry under several names, including Determined, Indiana Smokey Bones, The Irish Jesus, and The Jesus, and more recently, Groove Kennedy. He has also served as the frontman of the musical groups Illuminati Sky and Audio Stepchild.
Early Life
Barber grew up on the east side of Evansville, Indiana. He graduated from William Henry Harrison High School. Barber later moved to Florida, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University.
Death Row Records
XXL Magazine contributor, Chad Kiser, spoke about Barber, stating that “every team needs their own Jeffrey Goines so to speak, and we have one with Barber.” Barber was signed to Hoopla Media Group and Death Row Records. He was signed after the success of his song, Sofa Bed, which he co-wrote with Nappy Roots MC, Buffalo Stille. Barber’s debut on Death Row Records and Hoopla Media Group has been moved several times due to Death Row Records dealing with bankruptcy.
Illuminati Sky
Barber formed the group, Illuminati Sky with rock metal musician, Josh Tifer, and the band toured with like Naughty by Nature, DefTones, and more. The song “Run Thru the Streets” was an anthem for the Occupy Wall Street movement and was heard in two documentary films on the occupation. The song, Take Your Time, reached the top 20 on Itunes in 2012 and was released by Interscope Records.
Career highlights
Barber produced and appeared on “Sofa Bed,” a song recorded with Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum hip-hop group Nappy Roots. The song was included on a Nappy Roots release and later reached No. 47 on a Billboard chart.
In 2018, Barber released “Quiet War,” a song addressing the opioid epidemic. The song appeared on his 17-track album Ahayweh, with proceeds from the track benefiting 7 Sisters, an Evansville organization formed by women who had lost family members to drug addiction.
“Quiet War” received national attention after President Donald Trump sent Barber a letter recognizing the song and its message. Evansville television station 14 News/WFIE reported that Trump described “Quiet War” as a “battle cry to the country.”
Groove Kennedy
Barber later began releasing music under the name Groove Kennedy. Under the name, he has released a substantial catalog of albums, EPs, and singles. His 2026 releases include Snow Covered Memories & Old Rhymes from Dusty Notebooks, Lime Wire, and Searching for Michael Barber. Following its release, Searching for Michael Barber reached the Top 5 on Bandcamp’s rap albums chart.
Before the Groove
Barber’s experiences as an independent touring musician later became the basis for Before the Groove, a 2025 memoir by author and musician Joseph Sinatra. The book recounts Sinatra’s experiences traveling with Barber on an independent hip-hop tour in 2009. During the tour, Sinatra recorded a series of lessons and observations taught by Barber that became known as “The Rules,” covering subjects such as touring, promotion, earning money on the road, and surviving as an independent musician.
Those lessons eventually developed beyond the memoir into a practical touring guide for independent musicians. Sinatra has written about how the notebooks he kept during the 2009 tour became the foundation of Before the Groove and a record of the realities of independent touring. Material based on the book and its touring principles has also been presented in educational settings for aspiring musicians.
Barber later objected to his portrayal in the book and pursued legal action seeking to have his name removed from the work.