Detroit techno & house icon Tim Baker has passed away

The DJ/producer died on Sunday, April 4th.

A Detroit icon, Tim Baker died this Sunday with no cause of death yet determined at the moment of publication. Born in Detroit, Baker has been a staple of the international techno and house scene for the past 30 years, which has seen him DJ at some of the most famous festivals and clubs on the European continent. His passion for techno and house music began in 1984 when he received his first turntables on which he began playing music from Cameo, Parliament, B-52’s, Bauhaus, Tangerine Dream, and Brian Eno.

His regular visits to various underground clubs in Detroit such as the Majestic Theater and the Music Institute to listen to Derrick May made their mark on a young Tim, and in the 1987-1988 season, he got his first residency at the Nectarine Club sharing a booth with Jeff Mills himself. After combining his passion with his marketing studies, he graduated from Eastern Michigan University and debuted his clothing line for the club called Elephanthaus in 1993, a brand that would later become a label in 1997.

In 1998 he moved to Chicago and that change motivated Tim to create his own house label, Real Estate Records. This label mixed the futuristic vision of Detroit funk with the aroma of Chicago sound. Baker’s solo releases came out on labels like Ovum and Minifunk over the years, and he was a beloved and supportive figure in the scene up to his passing.

Read some of the tributes to Baker below.