infamous SKRATCH PIKLZ vs X-MEN battle at the MANHATTAN CENTRE NYC in 1996. I have been lucky enough to experience that spine tingling sensation when a DJ pulls off something incredible on the wheels of steel to a packed house of appreciating hip hoppers. I've even stood right next to DJ CRAZE as he delivers a perfectly executed set of next level scratching and insanely complicated beat juggles.Being based in the UK I've obviously frequented many DMC heats and finals since my first visit in 1990 when DJ DAVID from GERMANY blew the crowd away. I've always had a lot of respect for the organisation that is the DISCO MIX CLUB and for it's founder TONY PRINCE - a man who has put years of hard work and money into organising the DMCs.
I haven't always agreed with some of the judges decisions, and I guess that's always gonna happen in any sort of talent contest.All of that said, my problem with the competition now seems to be about the lack of new talent entering the competition. Have hip hop DJs found new and more exciting ways to gain fame on the turntables? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know there is a lack of skilled deck technicians in this year's heats. I recently watched some supposed "highlights" of the 2011 DMC London heat and I must be honest I was dismayed at what I saw. If the video you are about to see represents the cream of LONDON's scratch DJ talent, then I guess it's time to hang up the needles and call it a day.
In a word ... wack! The last dude's scratching is downright laughable - LONDON step ya game up!
8 comments:
I've not really kept up with the DMC's for years now. I think when they started the team battles was the last era I was into it.
This is bizarre. Is this how far it's progressed?
I know that this year is the first time that Serato has been introduced but has this device now made any old Joe legible for the contest?
I see what you mean about the last dj.
Even Chad Jackson and his snooker cue could do a better job ;-)
Repo, I couldn't have put it better myself. Around the same time the team battles began it kinda lost its edge. LMAO re: Chad Jackson!!
Kid Dyno
Myme wasn't that bad but not DMC ready just yet. Concept's routine was a piss poor knockoff of Babu's beatjuggling from the mid 90...definitely wack. Downlow should have been disqualified just for playing that "song"..is that even considered music? Who was doing the judging? Out of three Myme should have been the winner.
Much respect to Christie Z Pabon for all her work but over the past 10 years very few of deejays within the DMC battles have been actual Hip Hop deejays. Most are EDM scratch nerds trying to imitate Q bert. I believe that's HUGE part of problem of DMC's downfall.
I'll say this much, the game has not be what it once was in many years. All the great DJ's have already been seen and made a mark, everyone else is a clone (and not even a good one) of those before them. I also think that with the addition of serato people "should" be more creative but it's obvious there not. Records are meant to skip and with serato it doesn't. I haven't been impressed with or cared about the scene for years!
I hadn't attended a DMC since 96 and got back into the scene for the 07 finals. I couldn't believe it was the same competition. I think it started going downhill when custom vinyls and battle tools emerged. Part of the fun used to be 'oh shit, did you here how Cash Money ripped up LL's Get Down! Now it's just some anonymous dubstep track with dude doing the same shit with a Scratchy Seals skipless disc.
I've got no problem with Serato coming into the game, the thing that held me back from stepping up was I couldn't afford doubles of every US import I wanted to juggle. However, it is true what lots have said about this new generation not having paid dues with real wax.
The last really ill DJ I saw was DJ Vajra, dude could totally destroy this bunch of jokers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt54OfoQv_A
Ha, how can they be this bad (meaning bad not...you know the rest)?
I thought that time went forward?
Haven't been into some of the DMC sets I've seen in the last few years but at least there was an ounce of skill (although where that ended and mapping out the custom vinyl ended I wasn't sure) but this is just not good in anyone's language
I think that the inclusion of new technology will, eventually, bring new, innovative ideas. There's someone in a bedroom somewhere perfecting some mind blowingly shit-hot routine that will switch things up in the way that some of the past greats have done.
You also have to put this shit in perspective - for every Q Bert, Roc Raida, Woody or Noize there was always several hundred DJ Scratch Master Squiggle Fingers going at it with the dexterity and flair of a blind, drunk slug that got the fast-foward treatment on the VHS.
Yes, DMC 2011 is piss-poor but the best is yet to come.
I hope.
no Rock The Bells?
no Good Times?
no Peter Piper?
Bah!
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