Cbabi (pronounced “Kuh-bob-bi”) Bayoc is an internationally recognized visual artist and illustrator based in St. Louis, Missouri. His vibrant work explores family, children, music, and everyday life through bold color, expressive line, and plenty of phunk!
Born Clifford Miskell, Jr., Cbabi adopted the name CBABI (Creative-Black-Artist-Battling-Ignorance) while attending Grambling State University (1992–1995). In 1997, he legally changed his name and later adopted the surname BAYOC (Blessed-African-Youth-Of-Creativity) as a legacy to pass on to his future children.
After working as a caricature artist at Six Flags Over St. Louis, Cbabi launched his illustration career. His first major client was Rap Pages magazine, where he created monthly caricatures of featured artists throughout 1998. The work caught the attention of Violator Management and led to his creation of the cover artwork for Violator Compilation, Vol. 1, featuring hip-hop icons including Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Q-Tip, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep, Fat Joe, and Big Pun.