Cosmo Baker is an East Coast based American DJ, music producer, turntablist, entrepreneur, educator and activist.
At the age of 16 he was playing at many of the city's nightclubs, including Revival, Sugarcube, and Silk City, holding one of the original resident spots alongside King Britt at the Back 2 Basics party.
In 1996 Baker created The Remedy, a weekly hip-hop event based in Philadelphia. Together with his long time partner Rich Medina, The Remedy quickly became one of the epicenters of global hip-hop culture, being deemed by hip-hop impresario Bobbito Garcia to be "the dopest continuous weekly hip-hop jam in the United States". [1] Over the course of 7+ years The Remedy hosted a lineup of diverse talent such as MF Doom, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Goldie, Coldcut, DJ AM, J Dilla & Slum Village, Madlib, Common, Black Thought, Questlove, Kurupt, Pharoahe Monch, Bahamadia, Prince Paul, Kid Koala, DJ Craze, DJ Spinna and many more. To this day Cosmo still produces events under the Remedy brand.
In 2003 Baker was one of the founders of The Rub, a Brooklyn based party and DJ collective. He left the group in 2012.
Baker has toured with Redman, Pharoahe Monch, Brand Nubian, Crooklyn Dodgers, DJ Premier, A-Trak, Roy Davis, Jr. and many others. He has toured in over 50 different countries on 5 continents.
Baker has performed with, opened for or played alongside a wide list of artists such as Jay-Z, Drake, The Roots, ASAP Rocky, Black Eyed Peas, Erykah Badu, Aloe Blacc, Janelle Monáe, Pitbull, Ty Dolla Sign, Trey Songz, Wu-Tang Clan, Run-DMC, De La Soul, Public Enemy, N.E.R.D., Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Santigold, M.I.A., Dev Hynes, Thundercat, BadBadNotGood, Moses Sumney, The Chemical Brothers, Moby, LCD Soundsystem, MSTRKRFT, Justice, MGMT, Chromeo, Hercules and Love Affair, Death Cab for Cutie, Band of Horses, Blonde Redhead and many more.
As a DJ, Baker has played alongside or opened for Biz Markie D-Nice, Diplo, Z-Trip, Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker, Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries, Steve Aoki, Mix Master Mike, Gilles Peterson, DJ Drama, Just Blaze, DJ Scratch and many others.
As of 2022 Baker lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Organized Konfusion (OK) is an alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch.
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana", but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".
Rawkus Records was an American hip hop record label, owned by James Murdoch, known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustrial.
William Braunstein, professionally known by his stage name Ill Bill, is an American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. Having gained fame in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his diverse lyrics and as the producer, founder and CEO of Uncle Howie Records. His brother Ron is rapper and producer Necro.
Tsidi Ibrahim, known professionally as Jean Grae, is an American former rapper. She rose in the underground hip hop scene in New York City and built an international fanbase. During her career, Grae's unique music and lyrical style earned recognition as a favorite emcee by many rap artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots.
Wendell Timothy Fite, also known as DJ Hurricane is an American hip hop DJ, producer and rapper. He is best known for his work with the Beastie Boys. He was a member of the groups Solo Sounds and The Afros and recorded three solo albums, featuring many well-known artists such as Xzibit, Public Enemy, Kool G Rap, Black Thought, Papoose and Talib Kweli.
Omar Gerryl Credle, better known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper and member of the group D.I.T.C. He has been involved with several underground hip hop groups, namely Crooklyn Dodgers '95, Luv NY, and Perestroika.
The Equinox is the third and final album by heralded Queens hip hop duo Organized Konfusion. It was released in 1997 on Priority Records.
Duck Down Music Inc is a New York City based record label, talent management, music-marketing, and consulting company founded by Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake in 1995. In Duck Down's 20-year existence, the company has released over 40 albums and sold more than 3 million collective copies worldwide. Home of established hip hop artists such as Boot Camp Clik, Pharoahe Monch, Black Rob, 9th Wonder, KRS-One, B-Real of Cypress Hill, The Away Team, Statik Selektah, Random Axe, Promise, David Dallas, Marco Polo, Ruste Juxx, Torae, Blue Scholars, Special Teamz and Kidz in the Hall.
The Shining is the third studio album by American hip hop producer and rapper J Dilla, who died on February 10, 2006. The Shining was incomplete at the time of J Dilla's passing and was posthumously completed by producer Karriem Riggins. Discounting the instrumental album Donuts, The Shining was the first full-length solo release by J Dilla since Welcome 2 Detroit five years earlier, and as such was highly anticipated. It was released on August 22, 2006, through BBE Records. It was his final album with his creative input, and an instrumental version of the album followed its release shortly afterward.
Desire is the second solo album from hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch, released on June 26, 2007. The album comes eight years after the rapper's critically acclaimed solo debut, Internal Affairs, which followed the break-up of Monch's former group Organized Konfusion. After a short stint on Geffen Records, a number of labels began a bidding war for the rapper, including Eminem's Shady Records, Denaun Porter's Runyon Ave. Records, Bad Boy Records and Sony Records. In early 2006, it was announced that Pharoahe had signed a deal with Steve Rifkind's Street Records Corporation for the release of his second album. The first song released from the album was "Let's Go", produced by Black Milk. "Let's Go" was featured as the B-side on the album's first proper single, "Push", released in September 2006. A music video for "Push" was also released in late September 2006, and has received play on MTV Base. The video is set in the New York City blackout of 1977. A ten-minute internet-only video for the track "When the Gun Draws" was released exclusively to AllHipHop.com on January 3, 2007. Desire features production from Monch, longtime collaborator Lee Stone, The Alchemist, Denaun Porter, Black Milk and Sean C. Album guests include Erykah Badu and Denaun Porter. The single Desire is featured in the video game Madden 08.
Lawrence Baskerville, better known by his stage name Prince Po, is an American rapper and record producer from Queens, New York City, New York. He is a founder of Ice Bearz Movement.
Todd Angkasuwan is a Thai-American music video and documentary film director.
Tronic is the third solo album by hip hop producer and rapper Black Milk, released on October 28, 2008 through Fat Beats Records. The album features guest appearances from DJ Premier, Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, Royce da 5'9" and Dwele. The album's lead single was "Give the Drummer Sum". It was produced entirely by Black Milk, except for the track "Without U", which is produced by Colin Munroe.
Marcus Vialva, better known by his stage name Shabaam Sahdeeq, is an American alternative hip hop artist from Brooklyn, New York City. He first reached fame with Rawkus Records and was featured alongside artists including Busta Rhymes, Redman, Method Man, Kool G Rap, Common, Mos Def and Eminem. Shabaam Sahdeeq is notable for his work on the Soundbombing and Lyricist Lounge series in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. In 1998, Sahdeeq collaborated with DJ Spinna, Mr. Complex and Apani B to form the hip-hop collective Polyrhythm Addicts, a supergroup renowned for its pivotal role in the explosion of late 1990s indie hip-hop. The single "Not Your Ordinary: gained a positive critical and commercial reception, which paved the way for their first album, Rhyme Related, released in 1999, and widely regarded as a hip-hop classic. After this success, the group disbanded to focus on their individual careers. Sahdeeq's distinct voice and unique delivery catapulted him to mainstream stardom on the "Simon Says" Remix alongside label mate Pharoahe Monch. He is currently releasing music independently. Shabaam Sahdeeq's recent work has been receiving rave reviews in some of the biggest hip-hop publications.
How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC is a book on hip hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.
W.A.R. is the third studio album of American hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch released on March 22, 2011 under Duck Down Records. Producers include Lion's Share Music Group, Exile, Marco Polo, M-Phazes, Mike Loe, Fatin "10" Horton, Diamond D, Samiyam, and Fyre Dept.'s Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno, while vocal features are contributed by Idris Elba, Immortal Technique, Vernon Reid of Living Colour, Showtyme, Styles P of The LOX, Phonte, Mela Machinko, Mr. Porter, Jean Grae, Royce da 5'9", Citizen Cope and Jill Scott. Scratches are provided by DJ Boogie Blind of The X-Ecutioners.
The Source Presents: Hip Hop Hits, Volume 3 is the third annual music compilation album to be contributed by The Source magazine. Released November 30, 1999 and distributed by Def Jam Recordings, Hip Hop Hits Volume 3 features seventeen hip hop and rap hits. It went to number 29 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and peaked at number 45 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Troy Donald Jamerson, better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper known for his complex lyrics, intricate delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.
PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch, released on April 15, 2014 under his independent label, W.A.R. Media, in partnership with INgrooves. The album features guest appearances from Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Denaun, The Stepkids and Vernon Reid, as well as production from Lee Stone, Marco Polo, Jesse West and Quelle Chris amongst others. The album was promoted by two Lee Stone-produced singles: "Damage" and "Bad M.F.".