"I Love Vinyl" Brings New York Talent Back to the 'Sco

On November 15 and 16, Oberlin will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the long-playing record and the Africana community’s Kuumba week creativity celebration with several events featuring the preeminent New York DJ collective I Love Vinyl. Sponsored by Hip Hop 101,

Oberlin’s student-led hip hop programming group, in association with the Africana Studies Department, the weekend features educational lectures, hands-on workshops, and riveting DJ performances.

Founded by Ben Goldfarb ’93, who performs under the name Scribe, I Love Vinyl consists of six DJs who play only vinyl records. Members of the group have collaborated with the likes of Common, Kanye West, and The Roots, and they have toured the globe, both as a collective and independently. I Love Vinyl also includes Opuruiche Miller ’98, who performs as OP! and helped Hip Hop 101 chair Samantha Brown ’14 bring rapper Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) to Oberlin last spring.

“They will be bringing a one of a kind New York style dance party to the 'Sco,” says Brown.

The events begin Friday afternoon, when some of the I Love Vinyl DJs will give a presentation of how they make their work at 4:30 p.m. in the TIMARA studios. Attendance is limited to 25 students. At 6 p.m., the collective will give a lecture on DJ technique in Africana Heritage House, and collective member Amir Abdullah with give a lecture on the record label Strata at 7:30 in Bibbins 223. The celebration continues Saturday at 11 am, when the collective will be DJing live on WOBC. At 2 p.m., the I Love Vinyl Collective will lead ten students on a record search in Cleveland, and at 3 p.m., New York-based dancer Brian “B-Polite” Polite will lead a dance workshop. Students will have a chance to put his lessons to good use when the weekend’s festivities culminate with a dance party in the ’Sco at 10 p.m., which will feature appearances by special guest DJ Spinna and Oberlin's own And What!?, a hip hop dance company for female identifying students.

Goldfarb, who began DJing while at Oberlin, says he’s eager to return. “I can't wait to spend a sweaty, thumping night at the ’Sco!” he says. “I still think of [it] as one of the best clubs and best crowds to play for.”

Miller echoes Goldfarbs enthusiasm. “My many memorable nights playing at The 'Sco laid the foundation for my DJ career,” he says. “It is an honor and privilege to return to Oberlin with my DJ collective.”

Tickets for the dance party are available at Wilder Information Desk for $10 with an OCID and $15 without.