Meet Martin Baker | 88. DJ, Radio Host, Event and Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Martin Baker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Martin, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
Hey my name is Martin Baker, I DJ under the alias “88.’ I was born and raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. Being of caribbean descent in a majority african american neighborhood while also growing up in 1990’s NYC, it was almost impossible to not be impacted by the arts, music and culture that existed and dominated the city as soon as I walked outside of the door. I knew music was my thing from a very early age, i attached onto it as soon as it was introduced to me. My parents were apart of those Columbia House CD clubs back in the day, the 20 CD’s for 19.99 clubs, I was exposed to everything from hip-hop, r&b, dancehall, reggae & jazz and from there I started developing my own tastes for what I like. I remember the first album that I got hooked to, it was Funkmaster Flex’s “60 Minutes of Funk Volume 2” compilation. My first dream job as a kid was to be a Hot97 DJ, growing up listening to radio and prolific DJ’s was very awe inspiring. I knew early on.

About half way through my childhood, my parents split, and my mom ended up moving her, my sister and I to a very small town in South Carolina named Mullins. Living in the south was a huge culture shock for me, and I didn’t enjoy it much. But as I look back on that. time period, I realize that it made my ear for southern hip-hop, especially “trap” music way sharper, as the move occurred at the beginning of the South’s domination in hip-hop.

After graduating high school in 2007, I joined the Navy, and soon after I got stationed in San Diego, California. I experienced even more culture shock, but I fell in love with California and the lifestyle shortly after. I traveled the world while deployed, Singaopre, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Dubai, just to name a few. I turned 21 in San Diego, and started going to more dance music oriented clubs, because that’s what the vibe is down there, and slowly started developing my ear for dance tunes, which in retrospect, makes me so well rounded as a DJ, and the reason why I’ve been blessed to excel in this career path.

After 6 years in the Navy, I separated, I was at a point where I feel like I could fully sustain and do something creative. I always had a knack for words, and I had met a buddy with a music website he needed a blogger for. I started blogging, doing artist interviews, getting press passes to shows, then eventually started shadowing a DJ in San Diego, we’d talk about music and under his advice, got my DJ equipment, in 2016 I moved to LA, and as they say, the rest is history.

I feel like my entire life ive been subconnciously making the moves towards what I do for a living now and it’s wild when I look back on it, in the best ways!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the things I love the most about my art and my POV when DJing is that everything I play, whatever genre, it comes from lived experience. I love providing context when I DJ. I want you to realize why you should play this specific record before the next one. I aim to show people where I’m from and the life I’ve lived via music, and with being such a well-traveled individual , I’m sure that when I play the music it resonates with those in my target demographic and those outside of it. It’s not enough for me to be able to just make one type of crowd dance, I want the entire party, the entire room to feel what I’m putting down and feel included in the turn up. As a caribbean and black american, my whole style is best described as “waistline, booty bounce, f*ck music” haha. I love bringing the energy with heavy kicks, breakbeats and basslines for you to dance whatever youre stressing about away. I very much center black dance music, Jersey Club, bashment/dancehall, party rap because those genre’s make me me and are heavily part of my story.

I got to where I am professionally by knowing myself and sticking with the interests that i held onto during moments of hardship or uncertainty. As i previously stated, I took to music very early on in life, so i always knew what my lane was. I joined the Navy to have a chance in life, to see something different than what the hood was showing me on a daily basis, and when the Navy chapter of my life ended, I finally had the discipline and the financial security enough to pursue my creative endeavours. It was not easy, but I just stuck with it. I learned the most that small steps are still steps, everyone doesnt start out at the same point, but it’s how you finish. Make attainable goals, consistently nailing small wins stack up to become very. large strides forward.

More than anything I want when people hear me DJ, to teleport into my mind and understand what, why, how im feeling at that very moment. My brand is high octane, peak-hour dancefloor energy, very fun, very loose, but cohesive. You see me, you hear me DJ, and you think to yourself, “THAT TRACKS”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Anytime I have a friend in town we go to some of my favorite spots,

Best Pasta – Osteria La Buca on Melrose & Wilton
Best Jamaican Food – Ozi’s Kitchen
Hike Runyon or Griffith Park for a good hang
Hang out and grab drinks at Apt. 200, The Moon Room, Silverlake Lounge, El prado or the 4100
Best after hour spot, Certified Groovers, Fionas, Overpass or Roadblock

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
SO many deserve recognition for the part they played in my success. I’ll start off with my parents, they made sure I had what my heart desired, they made sure my interests were supported, made sure I had the tools to be and feel like the best. The Navy for giving me the grit, discipline, and work ethic. My homie Ben Jaderstrom for giving me the opportunity to blog for a reputable website, giving me the media experience, and showing me that “YO, you can make creative endeavours a legit pathway to success. DJ Beatnick for giving the encouragement to buy DJ equipment and give it a shot, ALSO driving me up to LA when I realized San Diego wouldnt be the place for my music/DJ style and introducing me to Waldo. Waldo was like my first DJ mentor in LA, and a LA legend in his own right, I was blessed to fall in with the right people. Mo Greenz was the first LA promoter to book me. Dublab Radio gave me my first radio residency. Leah Haprofff gave me my first DJ residency at The Ace Hotel DTLA. Adam Cooper (Foreignerrr) recommended my name to the Coachella folks and I played my first Coachella campgrounds party this past April. Ayo from No Plastic for keeping me on Nike’s radar, I did a few events for them and they even invited me to their offices in Marina Del Rey and gave me a bunch of clothes and sneakers to wear during my performance at Coachella. Thee Mike B for being a champion DJ and mentor to me. Ana Calderon for giving me a chance as a new DJ and booking me at Tenants of The Trees. Jared at The Friend/Moon Room. Noah at EightyTwo.

Above all else im super appreciative of every LA native that made me feel a little more at home by embracing me and supporting me and pulling up to my gigs, i feel every ounce of that love!

Website: https://www.dublab.com/djs/88

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/88superofficial/

Twitter: https://x.com/88SuperOfficial

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/88superofficial

Image Credits
First Photo by Frank Urbina
second photo by Dominic Lorenzo