Black Audio Society is a collective effort lead by Gum.mp3 for the conservation and enjoyment of black music. The aim is to identify sociopolitical context, analyze the development and mixture of genres over time, and imagine the future of black music in both theory and practice. Through guest mixes and periodic deep dives into the history of this music, B.A.S. serves as an alternative destination for black music discovery and appreciation.

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This episode of Black Audio Society [Live] takes place at Le Mondo in Baltimore. I was joined by local DJ’s Cheeky Willie and DJ Diaspora for an intergenerational vinyl-only night. In this two hour segment, Willie and Diaspora guide us through a whirlwind of breaks, downtempo, house, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

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William Hicks has had a bunch of DJ names and nicknames throughout the club and rave scene, but most recently he’s known as Cheeky Willie. He’s been DJing 25+ years, touring and having residencies mostly in Baltimore, DC and Philadelphia. He started the radio show Audio Infusion at Morgan State University in 1999. A few years later, he went down to Florida to open up a nightclub with some friends Envy Lounge. In 2022, he opened Mount Vernon Records in Baltimore, a true destination for DJs, producers, and heads who want the finest selection of dance music. He’s a member of the Read St. Alliance — a non profit based on the eponymous Read Street near Mount Vernon in Baltimore, of which the goal is the cultivate support for Read St as a historical arts area of its own right in the city.

DJ Diaspora started buying records in her hometown Chicago, inspired by underground house parties in the 90s. While living in several cities along the US east coast and in London, she drew additional influence from the underground dance music culture and history of each place, culminating in her deep, alive, and eclectic style. DJ Diaspora has opened for such innovative artists as Femi Kuti & the Positive Force, and DJ Rekha of Basement Bhangra; she’s performed her vinyl sets at events as varied as a late night party at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Portrait Gallery, a fundraiser for the Bermuda Board of Tourism, and after hours spaces in Baltimore. She has had residencies at many venues across DC, Philadelphia, NYC, Chicago, and Baltimore, where she lives currently.