Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the greatest orators of the 20th century. Decades after his passing Dr. King’s words reverberate loudly especially in the wake of recent events — namely the police killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Walter Scott and Freddie Gray. An activist who advocated for equal rights and social justice in America, his rousing speeches in the ’60s continue to influence the world long after his assassination. Over the years MLK’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech has found its way into club tracks, bootlegs and DJ sets, courtesy of mixmasters who share Dr. King’s dream of a world without racism. While the gold standard is undoubtedly Mr. Fingers’ “I Have A Dream,” which was released in 1986 by Chicago house legend Larry Heard, homages continue to surface.
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, we present tracks created by purveyors of underground music who are spreading Dr. King’s message across the dance floor, one beat at a time. Happy MLK day.
1. “I Have A Dream” ft. Martin Luther King (Josué ARM Private Bootleg 2012)
A crafty house jam with solid percussion featuring samples of Dr. King’s famous speech.
2. “I Have A Dream” – Martin Luther King, Jr. – Stickman Tribute – Cleaned Mix
Berlin’s Stickman sculpts an understated downtempo track with bass, drums and pads, and melds it to the landmark speech made on August 28, 1963. Precise work was done on tying the vocal and track together, and it shows in the quality of this bootleg.
3. Martin Luther King – DJ Jorge Andre House Mix
Jorge Andre, a DJ and salsa instructor based in London, crafts an uptempo mix that gives you something for your mind, body and soul.
4. DJ Damage – Martin Luther King Day Mix
The DJ serves up a deep, hour-long session brimming with big beats, juicy grooves and positivity.
5. “I Have A Dream House Dance Track” (DJ Tony Peoples Remix)
Keeping Dr. King’s speech in its entirety, Tony Peeples lays down a raw house track brimming with swagger.
6. Reese & Santonio – “Truth Of Self Evidence”
Techno legend Kevin Saunderson lays down tough Detroit grooves on this rare ’80s nugget.
7. Octave One – “Blackwater” (Terrence Parker Spirit of Detroit Remix)
Terrence Parker reimagines Octave One’s classic featuring Anne Saunderson, adding samples of Dr. King from his 1963 for dramatic effect.
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