Dissect DJs - "Baby Come Back" - Mayer Hawthorne | Career Retrospective

Episode Date: July 15, 2026

Episode 180 takes a run at tracking down the 2026 song of the summer with Mayer Hawthorne's classic remake of Player's 1777 jam "Baby Come Back!"Additionally, Ryan Castle breaks down a full deep dive into the career of Mayer Hawthorne. From venturing out of Michigan to LA to join Peanut Butter Wolf's Stones Throw record label, carving out a lane as the modern day sound of Motown, to creating the modern funk groove duo Tuxedo with fellow producer Jake One, always blending a classic throwback dance floor vibe with collaborative LA hip hop beats, synth music, lively horns, and silky smooth lyrics.Mayer Hawthorne, the smooth dude with the groove is getting dissected NEXT!Listeners of this episode might also enjoy: Mayer Hawthorne music, RnB, hip hop, dance music, disco, pop, Dam Funk, synth music, boogie, funk, Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk, Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Working Out, Mayer Hawthorne - Henny and Gingerale, Mayer Hawthorne - Crime, Kendrick Lamar, Gavin Turek, The Modern Disco Queen, Mayer Hawthorne - Baby Come Back, Tuxedo - Do It, Tuxedo - Back in Town, Tuxedo - 2nd Time Around, Tuxedo - Close, Tuxedo - Fux with the Tux, Snoop Dogg, The Ho Button, DJ mix, remix, music podcast, podcast comedy, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, album Review, Mayer Hawthorne full album review, A Strange Arrangement, How DO You Do, Where Does this Door Go, Man About Time, Tuxedo II, Tuxedo III, Tuxedo IV, G-Funk, podcasts.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I think I found it, y'all. I think I found the 2026 jam of the summer. That's right. You know this is a mission. The Dyset DJs are on every single year. And it's not been that easy the past couple of years. But I think we've made it in the form of Mayor Hawthorne. Baby Come Back.

I am Ryan Castle of the Dysect Dijs. the only DJs that like to spin it, mix it, throw it back, and dissect it. And yeah, I'm running solo today. I intended to do this one with DJ Jag as we just did a recording sesh, but we ran out of time before we can get this one in there. And I thought, you know what, seeking out the jam of the summer is too important. And we're about midway through the summer. It's time to just throw this one.

I can do this one solo. I got this. And I'm excited to do it because Mayor Hawthorne is my jam, and we'll get into that. But I will say, me and DJ Jag did just throw down on a classic throwback jam that's kind of from the 80s and a classic movie review that's also kind of from the 80s in a different way. You'll find out what that means real soon. So stay tight, but you're going to love it. Two classic episodes. But today's episode is all about Mayor Hawthorne.

And it's rare for me to hop on your solo and do a music review. But as some of you all might recall, just a few weeks back, I did a full. solo album review on Drake's new Iceman album. And I had a good time with that. And in doing so, I did a full Drake retrospective, just real quick ran through kind of his career a little bit. And I thought, you know what? I enjoyed that so much. Let's run that idea back. So in addition to breaking down today's jam, I also want to do a deep dive into covering Mayor Hawthorne, run through some of his top tracks and tell you a little bit more about the man, because I feel strongly about this one because this has been one of my favorite artists over the past two decades.

The consistency of which he has put out jam after jam has to be noted and I feel like it gets a little slept under the radar sometimes. So I would like to educate y'all on who this guy is and what exactly he's done for the music industry. And perhaps it's fitting that this song and this artist has flown a little bit under the radar because you know how it is in the music industry sometimes when you're like, that's my dude. He has fire tracks left and right and then something hits and suddenly everybody's attention starts getting shown on your low-key favorite artist, and you kind of just want to be like, hey, I've been here the whole time. Y'all don't even know?

That's my dude. So, Mayor Hawthorne, the smooth dude with the groove, let's talk about him. For the real ones that know, but especially for all those out there who might not know. I would describe him as a tribute act to throwback soul, funk, and R&B with a modern DJ dance twist. With a touch of hip-hop blend, he's a Jack of All Trade's musician who DJs. plays guitar and we'll even hop on the keys and then performs all of his own vocals with a silky smooth style that pays homage to the sole artist of the past I saw in an interview once he described one of his albums as smoky Robinson meets j dilla and that is my jam right there

if you're not familiar with j dilla he's often described as your favorite hip-hop artist favorite beatmaker who was unfortunately taken way too soon R-IP j dilla if you're a fan of silky smooth kind of lo-fi hip-hop beats, do yourself a favor and spend the day tossing on some J. Dilla beats as the backtrack for your day. Thank me later. Still my number one beatmaker of all time, but back to mayor. The other thing about him is his songs tell stories, relatable stories, about breaking up, finding the one and finding the one you think could be the one, but at the moment, maybe you're not sure, but does that even really matter? You're feeling the spark. Always told in that classic Motown style, which brings me to this. Great,

stage performer. I've seen him live and I'll get into that in a bit. He's a performative showman often wearing his classy tux look, which is why when he formed his own group in 2015, it was aptly called Tuxedo. And this is where he did his best work, in my opinion. But again, we'll get to that in a bit. I do want to go through some of his career highlights and play some of his best tracks. But before we hit those, let's throw up back to the current song of the summer, right? That is the title track of this episode after all. So, Mayor, baby come back, run that one back. That's what I'm talking about.

Mayor, throwing it back, but keeping it modern. That's what he does. A classic reintroduced throwback jam, right? Now, most of Mayor's songs are generally more of a nod to some throwback classics, but every now and then he does do a straight cover of a classic and then throw it in his own modern twist. As you heard with this one, he sort of has that poolside type DJ instrumental to kick off to really nail that summertime vibe. Poolside, by the way, another classic DJ crew that plays beats that is exactly what the name suggests. If you're unfamiliar, toss on some poolside

as your backing track for the day as well. Again, you can take me later, especially if you're sitting poolside. Then you've got to do it. But back to the cover of this track, I'm sure you've heard it But let's go ahead and give a tip of the cap to the original. It comes from a 1977 band called Player. Yep. Player. They're a British American Disco rock band that this was really their main single. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't run back the original for you.

So let's go ahead and run that real quick and see how Player does it. It is Player. Let me tell you something. I'm looking at the cover photo of this band right here. And this is 1970. British America right here. These guys. If you were to ask AI to create

what does a British American disco rock band look like in 1977, this is it. Player. So there you go. That's where the original song comes from. I'm going to give them a nod of the cap because Mayor Wood too. He's all about honoring the greats

and the classic throwbacks and they deserve it. The song is a jam. But I got to say, I like it how Mayor does it better. But that's kind of what he does, you know? He tips the cap to the year. original and then says hold my beer let me see what I can do with it with a little modern twist

but a classic track nonetheless as it was originally done and as you can hear it's got story feeling emotion right spending all my nights all my money going out of the town doing anything just to get you off of my mind but when the morning comes I'm right back where it started all again trying to forget it was just a waste of time baby come back any kind of fool could see there was something in everything about you baby come back you can blame it all on me i was wrong and i just can't live without you this guy's ready to toss it all on him that's how ready for this comeback to this relationship he's ready to go deep emotion right now of course this was all these were originally uh players words but that's kind of stuff he

finds you know he knows how to get into the relatability that his relationships breakups getting back whids whatever you want to call it his music touches on this stuff a lot you know like he'll do the music that makes you dance, but can also stir up some emotions in you, depending on perhaps if it hits you at the right time, on the right day. But before you go thinking Mayer is all about just the love songs and the baby come back type of songs, it could be argued that his best lyricism comes when he's trying to convey the opposite message. And to illustrate that, let me get into his very first hit single that really put Mayer on the map. So just a quick rundown of where he came from and who he is.

He was originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his real name is actually Andrew Mayer Cohen. So Mayor's actually his middle name, and Hawthorne was the street he grew up on. So I guess he played that old What's Your Porn Star Name that we used to do back in the days where you combine your middle name

with the street you grew up on. Which, hey, sometimes that game can produce an electric rock star name while you're at it. So Mayor took it and ran with it. And if you're wondering, Charles Carson. That would be mine. There's some ways we could retool that to make it more of a rock star name probably.

Like we could go Chaz Carson with it. Yeah, that sounds like a rock star. Or a porn star, if you like. Or maybe like a pinch hitter for the Texas Rangers or something like that. But I digress. So he grew up in Michigan and started DJing at a young age where his original DJ name was DJ haircut, which is just an objectively awesome DJ.

name. But eventually he came out to L.A. when he was signed by Peanut Butter Wolf and his Stones Throw Records label. Peanut Butter Wolf, by the way, if you're unfamiliar, is a legend in the L.A. DJ. I actually met him once because my brother, who was in L.A. DJ used to DJ one of his spots back in the day. DJ Aaron Castle, if you're curious, he's been mixing in all over L.A. for 20 plus years. But yeah, Peanut Butter Wolf actually was one of the first I ever saw to do the music video mixing in a club and that was probably 20 years ago. So yeah he's got a revolutionary vision which is why he saw something in the mayor at a young age and snapped him up. So the mayor really broke out of the scene with his first hit single as I was referring to quite the opposite message then baby

come back or maybe you could say it's the prelude to it. It was released in 2008 and it was called Just Ain't Gonna Work Out. but I got to tell it like it is and I don't want to make this any harder than it needs to be so don't cry there you go classic breakup song right there right and it should be noted the music video

kind of got a classic look to it because it's all black and white except for he's wearing his initial record which was called a strange arrangement around his neck and it has the look of like a bright red heart with the record in it and he's wearing it around his neck. Only thing in a video that has color. So classic look, classic sound.

But then in 2011, Mayer comes back with a smash album called How Do You Do? Which is the album where he really found his sound. And that was shocked full of hits. Spearheaded by another jam that hits along the same lines as that last one, with a little bit more of a sharper edge to it. And this one is called The Walk. Oh, that's right. shitty fucking attitude'll do that to him man

and you know what you can do when you show up when you come around with your shitty fucking attitude you can walk your fine long legs right out of his life that's mayor's style right there he'll put together the dope love track to you know talk about the feelings that immersed inside them when you know you're sparking that within them but uh you come around with that shitty fucking attitude

walk those long legs right out of your life you know and you know when I first discovered mayor Hawthorne which at the time probably would have been like the Mayor Hawthorne Pandora Station. I was in a situation where some of these tracks they were speaking to me a little bit, you know? As I said, Mayor's music can do that for you. And when songs speak to you,

they hit just a little bit banger, you know? That's when you're like, wait, run that one back. I needed to hear that one today. But like I said, that album was shocked. Here's another banger off that album that I've always enjoyed for a long time called A Long Time. Welcome to the motor town Yeah

Alright let me tell you something about this song That you won't even know just by listening to it This music video is a must watch It has such classic Soul Train I mean I assume it's Soul Train It could just be like another show that like Mimics what Soul Train was Because it doesn't quite have like the staging production

That I feel like the Soul Train did But it is awesome Everybody in this video is getting it It feels like legit vintage footage, and if it's not fair play to them for making it look like it, but let me just tell you, the dancing in this video is incredible. It makes the song go up even another level. So do yourself a favor if you're looking for a fun music video to throw on at a party, or even just watch while you're chilling, just be like I feel like watching a fun music video right now.

Mayor Hawthorne, a long time. You can thank me later. That's three. That's three you owe me now when we're ready for him. But Mayor was just getting started as the hits kept coming with his next. album, Where Does This Door Go? Which sounds like the perfect album title for when I'm deep in a Vegas night attempting to navigate my way through a hotel back to my room. Familiar circumstances. So this album, once again, was just loaded. Now I'm just going to play a couple quick spots from

this album real quick. But this one has one epic track with a slight different sound from the ones you've been hearing, and it features Kendrick Lamar. I bet you heard of them. And this track is called Crime. Epic epic epic stuff Epic stuff Let me tell you another cool thing I got the music video running and I did not know this until I just threw it on right now directed by Rashida Jones Legendary daughter of Quincy Jones.

A lot of legends going around a party on this episode. Also from Parks and Rec and I Love You, Man. That's cool. I didn't even know she was into directing. Take it after pops. I like your, Rashida. But if you like the vibe of that one, you'd probably also enjoy a song called Her Favorite Song. Similar sounding track on this album. But I'm trying to limit the amount of tracks I toss on as I run through this. Because it's just a lot of jams.

But here's another good one that gets back to that six. sound that once again hits another specific point in the relationship. This one's called backseat lover. That's right. If you want them to remain just your cheap backseat lover and just be a little discreet, mayer's down. Mayer's down for that again. Could this be relatable to some people? I don't know. You? I don't know. You? You? It might. You know, trying to keep it on the discreet. you know where it's at, but you're like, hey, if you want to just keep this in the back seat, I'm game. You know, that's where he's at.

Again, as I mentioned, his songs cover various different points of relationships, and even in some cases, non-relationships necessarily, you know? But he speaks them real. That's all I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. Mayor tells it like it is sometimes, you know what I mean? You really could tell a full scope of relationship story using just Mayor Hawthorneuxer in tracks, couldn't you?

Like, I might have to create a full playlist. that runs the gamut of all emotions experience, from the initial spark to getting into relationship feelings, to being in a full relationship, to that relationship ending. Then maybe wanting to repursue that relationship as our initial track speaks of, you know, and then maybe getting back into that relationship again, and then maybe it ending again, you know? There's just, you could literally play like 30 mere Hawthorne tracks that could like touch on every little single part of the gamut of emotions that the ups and downs of infatuation, love and heartbreak. He covers it all, folks, and that playlist would be stacked because then

comes 2015, where, as mentioned previously, Mayor starts his own group along with fellow producer Jake One and kind of takes on a new identity known simply as Tuxedo. Now Tuxedo has an even more signature sound that really is just perfect party music. It's just the best way I can describe it. if you ask me to in like three words or less. Tuxedo music is just can't miss for me, and it's really where Mayer's best work happens, in my opinion. It's with this group, he really establishes himself as the modern form of sort of that classy stage performer, you might see at a dope Vegas lounge that gets the dance floor

moving every night. Combining retro soul and synth sound with dance floor cuts, which is heavily influenced by hip hop as well as he would work with some epic creative beatmakers and producers, including the likes of the legendary. M.F. Doom, Benny Sings, and Dane Funk, who is another LA legend producer and funk musician, who I also met through my brother as he was also part of Peanut Butter Wolf's Stones Throw Records. For the fourth time today, if you want dope beats to background track your day, toss on some Dame Funk. You can thank me later for all four.

Maybe all at once. Your call. Balls in your record on that one. Either way, I'm giving you jams today. So there are literally way too many tuxedo jams. I like to play right now, But I'll try to keep it tight right now. Otherwise, we could be here all night. Probably their most popular one, ironically, is another classic remake, which is where we started the day. So I guess I should kick it off with that because it is aptly titled Number One. Next time you're feeling kind of lonely.

Just pick up the phone and give me a call. And you can be my special lady. And I promise, baby, we can have it all. A classic mayor spin on an epic throwback snoop dog Warren G and corrupt jam. With a little softer landing on the lyrics, so you might actually be able to play that version with your mom in the room. Not as much of a, oh my God, I got to turn the volume down on this as soon as it comes on kind of song. But that song doesn't even scratch a surface of tuxedo jams for me. I've got to lob it over the rim to the track.

We actually created a full music video for several. years back. So let's just do it. Just an epic, epic track. And I gotta say, I love the music video for this one as well as there's a big, like Filipino dude, parking cars for an audition that says tuxedo, do it, dance auditions, and, you know, he's parking cars. And then after he's done parking the car, he takes off like his valet gear and he's got a tuxedo shirt, dress for the job you want, I suppose in this case. Know your group. that you're auditioning for. There's all these dancers in there.

They're like dancing, getting ready for the audition and stuff. And he shows up with this tuxedo shirt. He's trying to get in there and dance with him. And they're looking at him like, look is this guy. So he just gets in the mirror and he's like, all right, dude, fucking just hit your moves. Oh, this fucking dance, though. They're all looking at him like, whoa, wait, hey, check them out. They'll kind of walk around him.

Next thing, guess what? They're all doing perfect choreography alongside them. Like, it's a Michael Jackson video or something. And then they end up doing a Soul Train Line thing. And I will say as an editor, they only show a couple of them, go down the chill train line, and one of them I'm like, you could definitely could have got a better one than that. Like, these people are awesome dancers. That's besides the point.

We actually created a legit music video to this back in, I'd say, about 2018. Me, Jag, Jason, and her boy Kevin Darby, the jam wagon crew. We were dancing on the train tracks of Santa Ana and such. I was really just Jones in to put together some music videos back then. The idea of, like, putting together a music video to a dope track. It's always been something I always kind of wanted to do. So eventually it was just like, I'm going to make my own. And nothing brought it to life better than Tuxedo, I thought.

But that reminds me of another Tuxedo Jam that I made another music video to in Chicago. This one is called Back in Town. That is right. This was Stark in the middle of my music video era. I was in Chicago for a few days and had a GoPro with me and was just skating all over the city. So I just started setting up shop in different cool areas and just danced around in different spots. of the city. I was TikTok before TikTok, folks. Maybe TikTok was already run. I don't know. I wasn't checking it out back then. But yeah, I was having fun with it, making fun videos to fun music. I guess

that's what led me to the dissect DJs. But let me transition to some songs that really give more of the tuxedo sound. They really liked working with the classic synth beats, upbeat horns, as you just heard in that one, and often with his female backup singers that created a vibe that really just lit up the dance floor. So real quickly, I'm just going to play a quick snippet of just a couple songs that really drive home that tuxedo sound. Yes, that song is called Close, which is pretty good the first time you hear it, but it might even sound better the second time around, which reminds me of another toxedo track called the second time around. And then let me just say, cool thing about this music video.

They have these dancers that are performing surrounded by pinball machines, and then they look at the pinball machine, and there's a mayor and his boy Jake won performing on the ping pong table. Not ping pong, pinball. Was I saying ping pong the whole time? It doesn't matter, you know what I mean.

They're in the pinball game. The ball's like zipping around them, but they don't, they could care less, man. They're jamming. And I'm almost certain this video was shot at bar 82, which is a barcade, in East Los Angeles, kind of near downtown. Another place my brother DJed frequently.

But that song is so good, right? Which reminds me of another tuxedo banger called So Good. So good, right? All right, we're getting too sidetracked with Tuxedo Jams, which just I feel like it's going to happen when you start running through Mayer's discography. I mean, obviously, I can rock. tuxedo jams all day. What can I say? I fucks with the tux. Which reminds me of another tuxedo jam called fucks with the tux. All right, all right, all right. There's actually a reason

that I wanted to get that one in there real quick because it has a signature soundbite in it that you might have heard right there at the end that mayor will hit when you watch him perform live with tuxedo. And they call it the hoe button with that little snoop dog feature. portion. Matter of fact, let's run it back right now. Just the whole button sound. Yeah. Hit it again, Mayor. So when you see Mayor perform with Tuxedo, he will actually bring out a button that he hits when he performs and it plays that sound. And holy shit, I actually just found it. I was trying to see if the sound was available on the internet somewhere, but apparently you could just buy the actual button, which makes sense. That shit sells itself. So, Ryan's birthday is October 18.

if anyone wants to send him the hoe button as a gift. He'll accept, hey, you could refer to it as payment for all the jams I've been given you as backing tracks. That could be your way you thank me later, you know what I mean? But anyways, yeah, as I mentioned earlier, I did actually see and perform with Tuxedo Ones at a spot in LA called The Wisdom, which felt like a performance that was set up in the stars because it happened almost completely by chance. Rarely do I ever, A, really go see concerts, B, look to do stuff for my birthday. A couple years back, my birthday landed on a Saturday. I thought maybe I should do something with this.

Ask somebody, where's a cool place in L.A. to maybe celebrate the birthday. They told me about this place called the Wiz Dome, which is sort of like a little bit of a pop-up spot. Well, it's the same location, but they have events pop up there. They have projections all over the little dome wall. It's kind of like what the sphere was, but like on a much smaller scale and like not nearly as much money went into it. They just literally had productions around like a dome tent. But it's a cool venue. I was like, let's see who's playing there on my birthday.

Guess what? Tuxedo was in town. I made it up my boy, Jason. We should go, right? He's like, yeah, let's do it. Then me being the idiot I was like a Friday night before, I went down to Newport because Justin told me. He's karaoke DJing coming down there and like celebrate your birthday. Ended up probably drinking way too much.

Just feel like death the next day. I'm looking at the clock. It's like five o'clock. I really don't feel like going anywhere. Jason's texting me like, hey, are we doing this? And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to power through. Let's do it.

We end up making it happen. There's like max 100 people in there. I don't know if you ever been in a venue like that where it's like a dope artist and there's just like a small handful of. of you there and on top of that you get the projections all over it was literally my favorite performance i've ever seen i am literally standing stage side they do all their tuxedo jams i'm jamming every single one of them they hit their last song and then they walk off the stage now if you're a person that goes to see a dope performance like this you know the golden rule is you're gonna wait around there

for about another 10 15 minutes see if they're really gone and guess what about five minutes later here they come back on stage mayor the band the backup singer girl who i actually actually want to give a shout out to because she is tremendous just an awesome singer and performer so i looked it up her name is gavin turek and google ai says she is commonly known as la's disco queen all right go gavin yeah the whole set piece is awesome uh so they all come back on stage with their glasses filled up and you know what was in those glasses i'll let mayor tell it that's right tuxedo hits the encore with Henny and Ginger Ale, which is not only a fantastic encore,

it's also a pretty good drink. I like the ginger ale part of it, you know. Ginger ale, underrated mixed beverage that you often forget about, often get slept on. But here's why it's such an epic memory, that specific performance for me, because, as I mentioned, I'm standing there right up against the stage.

I'm jamming, vibe into every single song because the environment is electric, and so is each song. Mayor points to me, and he's like, let's see what you got, hits the... Then he puts the... mic up to me and I lay it on him. Henny and Gingerail. And Mayor does one of those things where he like kind of looks around. He like does the head nod, you know, to his backup singer is like,

well, kind of nailed that one, you know. So arguably one of my favorite birthday memories ever. And it's all thanks to Mayor Hawthorne and Tuxedo. So anyways, that is who Mayor Hawthorne is, a steady presence in the music scene for nearly 20 years and still gone strong as evidenced by today's jam in the day, which might just be the season song of the summer. I don't know. Maybe it's just a me thing. As you can tell, this kind of vibe is my jam. But speaking of today's initial song, which feels like I've played like a 30 songs since then, and we almost have to remember what it actually sounds like.

Let's go ahead and close out today's episode by throwing that one on one one more time. Finish it out and then we'll slap it out and snap it out and get out of here, right? Mayor, one more time. There it is. The summer of 2026 is Jam of the Summer. At least, for my opinion, thus far, we still got a little bit of ways to go. We're in the heart of the summer. But you know, if we get through the end of the summer, and I feel differently, I'll say,

just like mayor over here. And maybe you got a different opinion. I don't know. Let us know in the comments. But if I found one person either find Mayor Hawthorne or Tuxedo today, and they're now lifelong fans, and I've done my job. And for the fifth time today, you're welcome. All right, let's slap it out, snap it out, just me today.

I think this one's going to be kind of obvious and easy, but for Baby Come Beard. and Mayor Hawthorne as a whole. I'm going ahead and doing it. Of course, he's getting five slaps. You got me to play like 16 jets. And by the way, I left a lot on the cutting room floor of like tuxedo gems. I mean, I really have to point out in like the 2015 to 2019 era when he was really kind of exclusively doing tuxedo stuff, that was just absolutely cooking. Go through any of those tuxedo albums.

I think they were like four of them. They're literally banger top to bottom. There it is for you. I hope you enjoy my solo pod rendition. of taking you down the footprints of Mayor Hawthorne and this year's Jam of the Summer, so far, in Castle's opinion. Hey, Tucks! Why don't you take us out with one more?

But before we do, I gotta say it. Nick!