U:Move

      Do you remember that every year about this time, people always talk about the chemical in turkey that “makes you sleepy,” supposedly?  Well, you’d better throw all of that nonsense out the window by the time Cosmo Baker of The Rub crew invades downtown KC at the Czar Bar on the night after Thanksgiving. 
      The Disco Risque’ dance party, presented by u:move and Think 2Wice Records, will surely be a one of a kind event this year, focusing on rare/classic dance music, from disco to boogie to house.  If everything goes as planned, you will definitely be working off some of that feast from the day before. 
      But about this mystery sedative inside turkey, perhaps it’s just a cop out for people to avoid their in-laws with their feet up in a recliner pretending to sleep, sneakily opening one of their eyelids from time to time to check their watch.  There will be no clock-watching at this party on the 27th, that’s for dammed sure.  And if you’ve had enough of your in-laws, just keep hope alive that you won’t kill yourself before the u:move party the next night.where your other fam will be celebrating some classic records. 
      Enough of the turkey talk.  Below, we have an exclusive interview with Cosmo Baker in which he talks about how former Mayor Giuliani screwed up the music scene in NYC in the 90’s, what music projects he has slated for the future, and why Whitney Houston’s new album is the jam.

Chris Mills:  Back in 2004, I interviewed a local DJ by the name of Joc Max, who’s done work for DJ Spinna, DAS-Efx, etc. He said in this interview that when he went to New York for the first time that it wasn’t the New York that he dreamed about, that the NY of his dreams wasn’t as “controlled” or as “easily influenced,” and that “New York was no longer New York after ‘87.” Cosmo, I read one of your biographies online wherein you said that former Mayor Guiliani basically screwed up New York in the 90’s. How was the music scene in NYC specifically affected by Giuliani’s reign?

Cosmo Baker:  Growing up in Philly, which is a quick train ride to New York, it had this allure of this wild place where basically anything goes, and a lot of that came through in the music of the time. I spent a time living in New York in the mid-90’s and the city still kind of had that particular energy. There were all these classic hip-hop records that had come out, the club scene was really popping, and in a sense musically New York was really reasserting itself. But Giuliani started going in on all the “Quality Of Life” laws and zeroed in immediately on clubs and nightlife. Basically outlawed dancing in clubs in New York. The blow wasn’t immediate but a lot of DJs were out of work because of it, and it contributed to me moving back to Philly for a few years, but the residual effect was tremendous down the line. Clubs stopped worrying about music and focused solely on selling drinks - the rise of “bottle service” culture and whatnot. It just basically sucked the vibrancy out of nightlife, and music that was an extension of the night life culture. But then again, there were revolutions against that as well, kind of like the whole Brooklyn movement. It’s New York, though. You can’t hold back it’s creative spirit forever.

CM:  Tell us about your graffiti background. Would it be appropriate to label graff writers as a kind of “secret society”? Why/why not?

CB:  Ah well I was pretty much in the graffiti world since I was a kid, it was something that was all around me. Philly was always bombed, and in fact it’s “Wall Of Fame” was only a few blocks away from my house, and I would pass by it every day on my way to school. So when I was in grade school I was writing. My first name was ASTRO and it was directly inspired by a particular piece by ESTRO, I just straight bit it and changed a letter! My second graffiti name wasn’t really that inspired - I called myself KLOWN for a few months. Absolutely terrible. But anyway I wrote before I was DJing and was pretty serious about it in the 90s. I actually got in trouble with the law and, after going through some shit, decided that in order to straighten up my act I was going to delve headfirst into my hobby as a DJ… so in a sense, graffiti made me who I am, and DJing actually did save my life. But yeah, it’s apt to say that graff is a secret society. It’s the type of thing that can never actually be co-opted by an sort of commercialism. Not saying that graffiti writers cannot have any sort of commercial success - quite the contrary. However, in it’s most pure essence it’s 100% underground and insular. I guess the legality issues have a lot to do with that.

CM:  What’s your record pick of the year, regardless of genre, and why?

CB:  That’s a tough call because the year isn’t over yet! And a ton of artists drop heat in December… but let me try. First thing I thought of was Miike Snow “Burial.” It’s such an amazing song. Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings” is also a strong contender, as is Major Lazer “Pon De Floor.” Hip-Hop album-wise I really loved the Raekwon, the Royce da 5’9” and the Rick Ross album. Oh yeah, and Whitney Houston’s “Million Dollar Bill” is like the top
comeback record of the decade.

CM:  What upcoming projects do you have slated for the coming months and beyond?

CB:  Working on production both with original material as well as a re-edits project that I have going on, Cosmo edits of some classic soul and boogie records that’s going to be called “The Gold Standard.” Also, I teamed up with my man 4th Pyramid and we have a rap / funk group project called “Sheen Brothers” and we’re starting to record that within the next couple months. I’m expecting a late first quarter release for that, and some of the guests we have for the record are bananas… really psyched about all this music!

CM:  Being that you’re now a New York “local,” but raised in Philly, who were you pulling for in the World Series that just ended last week?

CB:  I’m a Philadelphia Phillies fan until the day I die. There’s no question about that! And it was tough, but I walked around NY with my P hat and all that shit, flying my colors! I caught a lot of heat for that, but still I couldn’t go out like a sucker!