New York music journal Wax Poetics is preparing to auction off a Mariah Carey demo tape from Arthur Baker’s archive. Loyal fans are familiar with Carey’s early days when she was a backup singer for freestyle artist Brenda K. Starr. Carey’s eventual breakthrough to get a solo deal was greatly helped by Starr connecting her to music industry folk, most famously Tommy Mottola. Baker shares the story of how he attended the same party where Carey met Mottola and how he also received a copy of the tape. It’s interesting to see Baker talk about listening to the tape at his studio and finding out that Angie Stone was there too. Wax Poetics has previously held auctions for items from Don Blackman, Bootsy Collins, Louie Vega, and D?mFunk. Alex Bruh, co-owner and CEO of Wax Poetics explained in a press release the value of Carey’s demo.
“This tape is one of the most sought-after items we have come across. It captures the exact moment an era-defining artist was emerging, before the world knew her name. Our mission has always been to preserve and grow music culture with care, context, and respect. This release honors one of the greatest singers and songwriters of our time by preserving a rare piece of her story.”
Baker, who just released an autobiography about his life as one of the seminal producers of the ’80s, had not listened to the Mariah Carey demo again until he recently found it. Whoever wins the tape will also receive a verified certificate of authenticity, archival notes, and historical context from Baker’s collection and the Wax Poetics archive team. The bidding window is December 2nd until December 11th at 3 PM. You can place a bid on the Wax Poetics website.
