Friends and business associates confirmed Baker's passing on Sunday, April 4th.
Tim Baker, the Detroit-born DJ and producer, died on Sunday April 4th.
Publications like Clubbingspain and friends of Baker's, such as Alan Oldham, confirmed his passing, though the cause is not known at this time.
Baker, born in Detroit, began DJing in 1984. A few years later, he'd secure a residency at the Nectarine Club alongside Jeff Mills. In the early '90s, he launched a clothing line called Elephanthaus and began gigging around Europe, making a 1994 appearance at Tresor. Elephanthaus, a clubwear label, would eventually expand as a recording imprint, mostly serving as a home for Baker's releases. He'd relocate to Chicago in 1998, launching a house-oriented label called Real Estate Records. 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.
Speaking to Clubbingspain back in the year 2000, Baker spoke about his first time playing Tresor in the early '90s.
It was probably my first performance outside of the United States... . I had been playing music for an hour and I looked at people and saw all the German clubbers dancing and having a good time. And I was like, "Wow, here I am, a guy from Detroit on the other side of the world doing something that I love."