DJ's

ARTICLE FROM “THE NEW YORKER” March 2014
Peter Rosenberg: A D.J. Who Actually Plays Records
BY ANDREW MARANTZ
Peter Rosenberg, whom I profile in this week’s magazine, is a rap purist and a d.j. on the radio station Hot 97. These days, many d.j.s don’t actually d.j.—some play sets straight from iTunes; others act more like record producers, commentators, or pop-culture pundits—but Rosenberg still has a thing for vinyl. (Above, you can see him preparing a warm-up set for a Freddie Gibbs & Madlib show at Gramercy Theatre.) While I was hanging out with Rosenberg, he developed a slight addiction to 45s, and we spent much of our time together in record stores, digging through crates. I encouraged him (O.K., more or less forced him) to buy “Best of My Love,” by the Emotions; stopped him from buying duplicates of several mediocre Janet Jackson records; and found him a pristine copy of “Young Hearts Run Free,” by Candi Staton. You’re welcome, Peter.
Video by Sky Dylan-Robbins