Cornbread Corn Bred’ song morphs into festival celebrating Iowa’s rural, urban culture

A catchy Hip-Hop anthem about cornbread is the centerpiece of a new summer festival in Des Moines — featured in the Black Iowa Newspaper. Purchase a subscription for $39 and get the Black Iowa Newspaper mailed to your home.

The “Cornbread Corn Bred” song by artists Coldsaint and Entre’ Luche exposed the world to “that Midwest attitude” and sought to cultivate an Iowa sound. Now, the Cornbred Cornbread Festival is celebrating Iowa’s roots. The festival will be held from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. July 22, at Riverview Park in Des Moines. It features fashion, tech and jobs, and includes performers, cornbread-making and eating contests, a corn-hole challenge, STEM activities, food trucks, a job fair, a health fair, an awards ceremony and more. The festival is free to enter.

“We’re highlighting Iowa’s future,” said Bo James, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Hip-Hope Inc. “And, we’re promoting one Iowa culture.”

James works with K-12 students in Des Moines. His organization, according to its website, uses arts and culture to promote,

advocate and support hope wherever symptoms of hopelessness are prevalent.

Iowa might be known as the “corn state,” but James and his artists agree it’s time for a rebrand.

“We’re the cornbread state,” said Coldsaint, who co-authored the song and is part of Hip-Hope’s Music Saves program.

Before the festival, first came the song.

“Cornbread was our stab at making an Iowa sound,” Coldsaint said. “It’s all about what we do for fun out here. Small town Iowa.”

After his song with the catchy lyrics and video of him playing corn hole and loop scoopin’ along with

other images of small-town life, people began calling him cornbread.

“We created this not only to display what the Iowa sound is like and being proud of being an Iowan but also to show people in Iowa what it looks like in the future when we come together, and we’re unified,” said Entre’ Luche, co-author and artist.

“The Cornbread Festival is ultimately our take on what Iowa will look like in the future,” he said.

The song caught on, and now they want people to pack the festival.

“Who doesn’t want to be invited to come and eat some cornbread?” James said.