Wax Poetics, the New York–born music journal revered for its deep-dive storytelling into music and record-collecting culture, announces its most historic archival release to date: an ultra-rare early Mariah Carey demo tape sourced from legendary producer Arthur Baker’s archive. The auction opened on December 2nd at 3 PM ET and will be live until December 11th.
Originally launched in 2001 as one of the most revered print journals dedicated to the roots and evolution of music culture, Wax Poetics relaunched last year as a premier, editorial-driven collectibles marketplace, blending archival journalism, video features, and cultural documentation with authenticated artist-sourced ephemera and memorabilia. The platform connects iconic artists, producers, and estates directly with collectors, preserving musical heritage through historically significant items.
At the center of this drop is one of the only original demo tapes in existence, handed to Arthur on the same night Mariah Carey was discovered. Containing early, unreleased recordings that sparked the beginning of one of the most influential careers in modern pop and R&B, the tape represents a pivotal piece of music history – a life-changing recording for the legendary artist that has gained mythical status over the years.
The MARIAH CAREY DEMO TAPE story
Alongside the news, Wax Poetics and Arthur Baker shared a video detailing how he unexpectedly stumbled upon a young Mariah Carey while attending a Christmas party in New York, where Carey personally handed him the demo tape featuring covers and raw, self-written songs she recorded with Brenda K. Starr. Baker took her to his studio that night, and upon hearing three tracks, realized he had discovered a once-in-a-generation talent.
Arthur Baker recalls, “I stick the cassette in, and the first three songs are all hits, and I’m thinking holy shit it’s Madonna meets Whitney. She writes like Madonna sounds like Whitney. This is it, I’ve discovered gold.”
The auction will include the tape along with a verified certificate of authenticity, archival notes, and historical context from Baker’s collection and the Wax Poetics archive team.
Ultra-Rare Mariah Carey Demo Tape
“This tape is one of the most sought-after items we have come across,” says Alex Bruh, co-owner and CEO of Wax Poetics. “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.”
This release follows highly successful auctions with Don Blackman, Bootsy Collins, Louie Vega, DāM-FunK, and Arthur Baker, marking the platform’s continued evolution into a leading curator of significant verified memorabilia and collectors’ items.
About Wax Poetics
Since 2001, Wax Poetics has been delivering deep-dive journals covering everything related to record-collecting culture. Wax Poetics has now evolved into a premier music collectibles marketplace, connecting artists, collectors, and fans through rare and exclusive items, bridging music storytelling with unique memorabilia and items. The Arthur Baker Collection follows auctions with funk icon Bootsy Collins, house legend Louie Vega, DâM-FunK, and Tony Wilson/Factory Records. For more information, visit waxpoetics.com.
About Arthur Baker
Arthur Baker started DJing in the early-70s in his native Boston and released his first production in 1977. Moving to New York in the early 80s at the peak of disco, Arthur first heard Kraftwerk’s ‘Trans-Europe Express,’ and he was inspired to transpose that evocative melody with an electronic drum track, which eventually became Afrika Bambaataa and Planet Patrol’s iconic “Planet Rock,” the first electronic hip-hop tune, which had a monumental impact as electro-funk was born in NYC.
As well as pioneering the ‘cut ‘n’ paste’ sampling technique, Baker also foresaw the coming dance music trend by hiring DJs to help mix his own releases to give maximum impact on the dancefloor. In the intervening years, as a producer and record label head, Arthur has released countless records and remixes and continues to DJ internationally.
Alongside rapper Nas, Arthur is currently working on a Broadway musical adaptation of the classic hip-hop film Beat Street. He also curates the Dancemasters compilation series and presents the ‘Baker’s Revenge’ radio show on SiriusXM.
Update:
Wax Poetics has confirmed the sale of Mariah Carey’s demo tape for $54,050.
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