Way Back Machine At Sensu – Indianapolis, IN

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Crush Entertainment Presents
The Way Back Machine
Special MPOZI TOLBERT TRIBUTE
Featuring
?uestlove
Cosmo Baker
DJ Indiana Jones
Danger
DJ Limelight
& The Mpozi All Stars
@  Sensu – 225 South Meridian St. – Indianapolis, IN

Rear Window Part 2 Interview With Paradigm Magazine

Here’s part 2 of the Rear Window interview series with Paradigm Magazine.

“DJs had to start pandering to the lowest common denominator, like these soulless vapid … you know like iPods. And it became less about selection, less about taste making, less about personal choice and aesthetic, and more about playing whatever pop record it is. That became the norm and that wasn’t the norm. The sounds keep on changing…it’s up to DJs to either change with it, adapt with it, or stay on top of it, otherwise you’ll just become irrelevant. If you’re a taste maker you kind of have to dictate it and kind of ride the wave wherever it goes.”

Cosmo Baker’s Top Ten List – January 2012

Starting 2012 off with some brand new tunes that are working it for me. In a nutshell, 2012 is hands down going to be the best year ever. And I cannot wait. My dear friend King Britt told me tonight “This is a very important year… Stay true.” We all have no choice, so let’s get lost in the rhythm.

Cosmo Baker’s Top Ten Mix – January 2012 by cosmobaker

Cosmo Baker’s Top Ten Mix – January 2012

1: Willie Hutch “Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Kon Edit)”
2: Barbara Tucker “I Get Lifted (Special ReKwest Sabo Dub)”
3: Craze & Heartbreak “Summer Riddim”
4: Moon Boots “Off My Mind (Original Mix)”
5: Onra “Keep On Loving Me”
6: Parallel Dance Ensemble “Shopping Cart (Maxxi Soundsystem Remix)”
7: Gav Memnos & Dexter Kane “Dirty Cash (Original Mix)”
8: Volta Bureau “Hope (Volta Bureau Dub)”
9: Todd Terje “Ragysh (Original Mix)”
10: Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. “Somebody To Love Me feat. Boy George & Andrew Wyatt (Casper Lacoste Remix)”

BAKERS DOZEN BONUS

11: Jonas Rathsman “Tobago (Original Mix)”
12: Metronomy “Everything Goes My Way” (Ewan Pearson Dub)
13: Disco-nnection “Movin’ On”

Trenton Makes The World Takes

My friend Jesse Serwer of Okay Player’s Large Up asked me to pontificate on some personally formative record that had a particular Jamaican influence and immediately I knew what I was going to speak on. Being from Philly, I was raised on Poor Righteous Teacher, YZ and the whole New Jersey rap-reggae hybrid sound. So I had to throw two personal favorite, and relevant jawns up in the mix.

Cosmo Baker has the distinction of being one of the only DJs we know that pretty much every other DJ rates. Not only does the co-founder of Brooklyn party/remix collective The Rub have impeccable taste, skills and instincts when it comes to playing records, but he’s a veritable font of knowledge about hip-hop, soul, reggae and every other music genre that matters. Fortunately for us and readers of his fine website, he likes sharing that knowledge. Here, the Philadelphia native breaks down Almighty & K.D. Ranks’ “Trenton Where We Live” and “U Can’t Escape The Hypeness” by Blvd. Mosse, two records that highlight the little-known role that nearby Trenton, New Jersey played in the meshing of rap and reggae in the early 1990s. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.