Born in Fontana, California, Barker began drumming at an early age. He began playing for the Aquabats in 1996, but left to join Blink-182 in 1998, which encountered mainstream success with "Enema of the State" (1999). Barker established himself as a versatile drummer, producing and making guest appearances in music projects of numerous music genres including hip hop, alternative rock, pop and country. He also starred in an MTV reality series named "Meet the Barkers". He was involved in a plane crash in 2008, but he recovered and released his debut solo album, "Give the Drummer Some", in 2011. He has continued to work with rappers, releasing extended plays with Yelawolf and Asher Roth and Nottz, as well as with Blink-182 and the Transplants.