Arthur Baker started DJing in the early 70s in his native Boston and released his first production in 1977. Moving to New York in the early 80s at the peak of disco, Arthur first heard Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" and was inspired to transpose that evocative melody with an electronic drum track, which eventually became Afrika Bambaataa and Planet Patrol's iconic "Planet Rock," the first electronic hip-hop tune, which had a monumental impact as electro-funk was born in NYC. As well as pioneering the "cut 'n' paste" sampling technique, Baker also foresaw the coming dance music trend by hiring DJs to help mix his own releases to give maximum impact on the dancefloor. In the intervening years, as a producer and record label head, Arthur has released countless records and remixes and continues to DJ internationally. Alongside rapper Nas, Arthur is currently working on a Broadway musical adaptation of classic hip-hip film Beat Street. He also curates the Dancemasters compilation series and presents the "Baker's Revenge" radio show on SiriusXM. He lives in Miami, Florida.

"These insider stories are written with genuine love and passion for humanity's greatest cultural endeavor, and with the sly wit of the natural raconteur. Baker is as meticulous in his search for the perfect sentence as he is for the perfect beat." - Irvine Welsh

"Working with Arthur was the most exciting and inspiring thing I have ever done in music. He is a fountain of knowledge as the anecdotes in this book prove." - Peter Hook

"A one-of-a-kind producer who changed hip-hop and dance music... Baker's largesse and likeability pull him through as celebrity revelations pile up." - Andy Cowan, Mojo

"One heck of a story and Baker's a top conductor." - Electronic Sound

"A candid, comprehensive read [. . .] Every chapter of Looking For The Perfect Beat is absolutely mesmerising." - David Nobahkt, Buzz Magazine

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Pub date: 2026-10-20

Length: 400 pages