Our Story

StayRooted is based in DFW, TX and focuses on one thing: collaboration. StayRooted was founded by Josh Barkes and Taylor Pittman in 2022 for artists, writers, and musicians creating from the underground up. We are dedicated to uplifting creatives and cultivating a community driven by history, culture, and a love for their craft. Josh’s passions lie in music, particularly the Hip-Hop community, and Taylor’s in marketing and creative writing, where she dabbles in the many facets of literary arts.

At StayRooted ENT, we believe in the power of stories to connect people and strengthen communities. Located in DFW, our mission is to provide a platform for diverse voices, encouraging collaboration and dialogue. Through our projects, we tell authentic stories that resonate with our audience and foster a sense of belonging. StayRooted ENT is home to StayRooted Studios, offering instrumental packs, mixing and mastering services, videography, photography, and graphic design. 

 

To be rooted is to be centered in one’s self, environment, and community. We believe that being rooted is not about staying still, but about knowing where you come from so you can grow wild in any direction. What started as a concept turned into a creative ground for artists and writers to anchor themselves, to grow, and to be seen.

 

We aim to amplify underrepresented voices and encourage artists to explore and elevate their own communities. By spotlighting individuals and creative ecosystems, we seek to strengthen the bonds between artists and the places that shape them. We publish bold, revolutionary work that is rooted in truth, identity, imagination, and transformation. Dig Deep, StayRooted. 

Meet the StayRooted Founders

Josh Barkes, CEO & Lead Producer

Taylor Pittman, COO & Marketing Director

Josh pushes the boundaries of genre in search of a fresh take among a saturated market, gravitating towards music that moves with purpose—lyrics with a message, drums that move the body and soul, a transition that forces a double take, or a beat drop that evokes a stank face.  

 

Josh is the Head Producer of StayRooted Studios, where collaboration is the key ingredient in pushing one’s music to the next level. He strives to inspire creativity and offer a different perspective, enabling artists to discover their style through innovative sounds. 

 

Josh produces music spanning across a variety of sounds, including boom bap, trap, lo-fi, electronic, and experimental rock. He’s released solo experimental hip-hop instrumental projects under the name Blu i. Additionally, he has worked with DFW and Denton local artists in the production and recording of several projects, including the No Sleep EP, a collaboration between Vic Bougee and Blu i, and several singles with the DFW underground hip-hop legend OLDIRTY SPACECADET. 

Taylor writes everything from speculative fiction to video game cinematics. Her work leans speculative, often dark, and always character-focused; she is fascinated by moments when the ordinary turns uncanny. 

 

Taylor is the Editor-in-Chief of the Rooted Literary Magazine and works as a freelance editor. Her fiction work has appeared in Neon Origami Literary Magazine, Nat 1 Publishing, Wingless Dreamer, and more. Her background blends creative writing, digital content creation, and editorial work.

 

Taylor is also pursuing opportunities in narrative design and editorial storytelling within the video game industry, particularly on projects that strike a balance between creativity and structure, such as lore development, dialogue writing, and world-building. You’ll probably find her singing karaoke, gaming, lurking in bookstores, or listening to D&D podcasts when she’s not writing.