Mar 24, 2025 - Culture

Meet Brax, the Richmond rapper immortalized in a Northside mural

Her name was Braxton Baker. She was a rapper, a poet and a fashion icon — and she was from Richmond.

Why it matters: One of the biggest murals in Brookland Park is dedicated to her, and we thought you should know about her if you don't already.

State of play: Baker, known as "Brax," died nearly five years ago at the age of 21 due to cardiac arrhythmia.

Her family unveiled this mural from artist J. Ford in June 2021 on the same wall as Da Spot recording studio, where Brax "spent a sizable chunk of her childhood," per the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The studio has had artists like Kendrick Lamar, Ashanti and Rick Ross record there.

Zoom in: Brax was helping teach dance classes by age 7 and went on to be a dance captain at Henrico High School, where she graduated in 2016.

Her debut mixtape "VERSE(atility)" in 2017 cemented her rise in the music industry, and when she died, outlets like Essence, Billboard, Variety and ENews posted tributes.
Her mother Letricia Loftin also said in an Instagram post that Brax was working on two albums and three novels at the time of her death.
Even now, people keep commenting under Brax's Instagram posts, writing "We will never forget about u" and "you are so missed."

The bottom line: "She was anointed to touch people," her mother told RTD in 2021. "She was anointed to inspire people."

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