NOWADAYSMIX SERIES 50BABA T
For our 50th mix of the series, we’re happy to welcome Babajide Tikare, AKA Baba T, A London-based photographer and DJ with a finely tuned ear for groove. As the founder of the radio show and club night Don’t Touch My Fro!, he’s built a space that celebrates black musical heritage and forward-thinking sounds. His mix for Nowadays Magazine is a blend of the familiar and the unexpected. What’s in this mixtape? This mix comes from a slightly different corner of my library than what I might usually play at peak time on a dance floor. With summer now in the air, I wanted to create something with more of a feel-good, wind-down feel – a mix that lovers of old-school house and disco could still move to, but made for those post-party moments when you’re chilling with a tea but still crave something groovy in the background to keep the spirits high. It’s a 3 hour meander through soul, funk, boogie, disco, jazz, with flashes of soulful house and Latin sounds – a blend of the familiar and the unexpected, featuring some pretty killer edits with tracks from the likes of Eros, Larry Heard, 52nd Street, Five Letters, Gorillaz, Aroop Roy, Roy Ayers, Joe Church, Idiater Edwards, Cannon Soul, and more. It was a lot of fun putting this selection together and showcasing new finds alongside music that I’ve been listening to for years. I hope y’all enjoy! Favorite food and where? I’m from Hackney, London, and honestly, there’s too much good food here to choose from – so much variety from all over the world. Two places I find myself at all the time are Beyti Ocakbaşı and Hanimeli, Turkish restaurants in Stoke Newington/Dalston. I always get the cheese and spinach gözleme or a mücver with an ayran every time. Who do you look up to? (In personal life) So many people – I’m constantly inspired by my friends. Ben, for instance (whom I run my party with), is one of the most can-do people I’ve ever met, and I really admire how calmly he handles whatever’s thrown his way. My mum too – so creative and sharp, and her attitude towards craft and perfection really inspires me. She knits and cooks prolifically and always asks for honest feedback because she always wants to tweak it to improve. That mindset has definitely rubbed off on me – the idea that things can always be pushed a little further next time. That classic music album we all need to know about? I’ll go with Mister Magic by Grover Washington Jr., partly because I feature it in this mix, and I think the lead track with the same title has one of the most badass bass lines going. I can listen to it on a loop. The cover is also magnificent. Somewhere you would like to live and get old? In an ideal world, I’d live seasonally between London, Berlin, and Marseille. I need a city for sure, and one that attracts a variety of interesting characters. But London will always be my anchor point long-term, I think. I love how much there is on offer here, and I think it makes up a big part of my outlook and identity.
