Jerome Baker: Wud up, my name is Jerome Baker The Third, I am a DJ and I am rocking with Rock Creek Social Club in Washington DC.
Okay so my first question for you is, how did you get involved with Rock Creek Social Club and what exactly is that for the people who are not aware?
JB: In terms of my involvement of Rock Creek Social Club, I helped co-found it along with a few other people and I help carry the torch on a daily basis. In terms of being involved with Broccoli City, one of the partners in Rock Creek had a relationship with the Broccoli City founders and they reached out actually last year for the initial Broccoli City Festival and asked us to come and curate the talent and we’ve just been able to keep that relationship going. We are more into hosting, host dj, and host MC role, but we also have some shirts that were selling for the festival, specifically for the festival and you know just having a presence here is important to us.
So my question to is, for the people that aren’t aware of Broccoli Festival and the Rock Creek Social life, what makes this concert unique and different from other concerts in America?
JB: Well I think the goal of this concert is to promote sustainability and green living in the urban community and I don’t think that’s a goal for any other concert anywhere. Especially when you give the urban take on it because we all we understand where we are even in the location of DC this is this is as real as it gets. Specifically, for the urban community to understand how important it is to take their health serious, to take their interaction with the environment serious, it is very important that they know like you have a role when it comes to all that stuff.
So you were talking earlier about this concert directed towards sustainability, what do you do as far as sustainability and being eco-friendly in your everyday life that other people should incorporate?
JB: I can say that I recycle. I have a recycle bin in my apartment, my daughter likes to play basketball in that recycle bin so you know I just try to be as mindful of the things that I buy and the things that I surround myself with. I actually look at what’s on the back of the can and that’s just for health reasons, I don’t want to be putting crazy stuff in my breathing space that’s going to damage my own health let alone the environment that I live in. But I have a daughter so her health is most important, so if I can raise her understanding that you have a responsibility to the environment to yourself and spread the word like that then I feel like that helps me do the part in the daily thing.
What are some of the things you think your community could do more so in the DC area, or what your collective Rock Creek Social Club can do in the future to help promote sustainability?
JB: I think we just have to do a better job at pushing it forward. I think we all understand that there is a great entertainment aspect and things here, but giving the underlined message of sustainability, healthy living is something that can be incorporated 100% more. You know sometimes we don’t see that as the goal, we don’t see the importance in that as much as we see the turn up or the making the money at the door. I think that we all have to turn the corner out here, especially how DC is changing like this city is crazy now. I’ve been out here 11 years and it does not look the same as it did before. They are knocking stuff down and putting stuff up in 90 day periods, and it’s like that’s cool and all to get your money but what are you doing to the land and the environment. Are you going for a fast buck are you even trying to put parks here? Are you trying to put in areas for people to play and grow, or are you just trying to throw up buildings to get money? At some point you lose the personality factor when that happens. You need parks and you need things that are going to give people a break from just the everyday. There are people outside sitting on rugs in the grass right now having the time of their life, and you can’t do that necessarily in certain parts of town, because that’s just not available. That said, I think that’s what’s good about having so many different people involved with Broccoli City festival.
So now, more on Jerome Baker the DJ. For people who aren’t aware of you, explain your style?
JB: My style would be I just like to stay diverse. I like to play things that we all enjoy, but sometimes we may not have the balls to enjoy in the club. I am probably one of the only guys out here that is still playing Electric feel to a black crowd. The thing is that everybody likes the song, but nobody ever thought to listen to the song in the club. I know a lot of D’J’s who enjoy the song as well, but because of the promoters and things of that nature they don’t want to lose the gig. I enjoy all types of music, half the time I’m not even going to play the same song twice. I want to make sure the experience is well-rounded because that’s the type of person I am. That’s me man, I’m diverse I’m versatile, I like Jamiroquai, I like Migos, I like Kaytranada and can’t forget the Brand New Heavies.
So my last question to you is for the readers when they see you outside whats the one thing they can expect from you as far as your DJ’ing?
JB: A good time. I play records that I like, I play records that are going to create a party atmosphere because I think that’s the environment that we live among. When you’re in a club now it’s not so much a party, you have people standing on the wall.
I hate that. But thanks for sitting down with us and good luck on all things Rock Creek Social.Â
