Black Truth News: it’s like you’ve been there, done that.
DJ Scratch: It’s not even been there, done that. It’s like damn people are still asking for me. When times have changed so many times. The different eras you know what I’m saying? For example, somebody who is 90 years old and you ask them how was your day? And they reply, I’m just happy I woke up. So for me, that’s how I feel about Hip Hop.
BTN: In comparing when you first started out with today’s Hip Hop scene, the role of the DJ has changed. Back in the day, the DJ had a more visible role to the audience and within the culture. Now the DJ plays the background a little bit more. How do you feel about the shift in the role of the DJ in today’s Hip Hop?
DJ Scratch: Well it has shifted a couple of times, it started with the DJ of course, and then he got shifted to the background. But now the DJ is running the game again; you know what I’m saying. From every aspect, like in the independent game, the DJs run it. If you want a record player, you got to give it to the DJ. You know in the ’90s, people would disrespect DJs. Now you can’t disrespect DJs, because we understand the power that we have. Now you see a brotherhood amongst the DJs. If an artist disrespects a DJ now, he will get on the phone and spread the word to other DJs. This particular artist is disrespectful and none of his records will get played and that’s how it is now. So the DJs have that power now; the artists don’t have that power now, it is back in the DJ’s hands. Nowadays, the DJ is an artist now, the DJ doesn’t need to have a rapper with them.
BTN: How has that empowerment helped you?
DJ Scratch: Well I just got off the formation tour with Beyonce with no artist. She asks me to open up for her and I come out and rock 80,000 people with no artist. And plus me still being booked around the world right now. Not as a DJ for a group, but me being booked as DJ Scratch. It is great to have DJs with an artist, but DJs don’t need the artist now. Plus the artist always takes advantage of the DJ; the game is crazy! For example, artists used to disrespect the DJs, but as soon as the artists’ career dies out and they can’t sell records no more; then they become a DJ. Because they understand the power of a DJ now.
BTN: When it comes to having skills as a DJ, you are definitely one of the top five of all time. But who do you consider the top DJs? Who are some of the people you like to watch?
DJ Scratch: Like I watching Jazzy Jeff and the young veterans lie the Beat Junkies and QBert. I like watching them because they came from an era where they understand that it is about doing what you do technical-wise and being able to rock the crowd as well. So I like watching cats like QBert and Total Eclipse. The OG’s like Grandmaster Flash and Cash Money.
BTN: We talked to Erik Sermon a couple of times and we wanted to know how your experience was with EPMD, Redman, and Def Squad.
DJ Scratch: Honestly, rocking with the original Squad is like you can’t appreciate all the great work you have done, because I’m not done. So I haven’t sat back and looked at my career.
BTN: How crazy is that to be in the game so long and done so much but still be in the moment? How is it to be you, but not really realize who you are?
DJ Scratch: I’m not really at the celebratory point in my life right now, because I’m still working. So I can’t just sit back and be like damn I did a lot of shit. But no I get it, the ride has been great and it is still great. And even today, people come up to me and say I started to DJ because of you and people have been saying that a long time. I say the same thing when I see the forefathers like Grand Master Flash and Kool Herc. When grown men who look older than me but they not, say the same thing to me and then hits me; like damn.
BTN: When the people you look up to start admiring what you do, how does it make you feel?
DJ Scratch: My main goal was to have the people before I acknowledge my skills. That’s when I considered that I made it. Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc, and those other guys say Scratch is my favorite DJ, and that’s when I considered I made it.
BTN: Do you feel like you get the same type of respect from the younger DJ’s coming up after you?
DJ Scratch: I absolutely get that respect. If you a DJ then you know who Jazzy Jeff is, you know who Cash Money is, and you know who I am. The problem is that the rappers don’t give up to the forefathers. But it’s really not their fault that a kid who is 18 years old don’t know who Biggie is. The problem is, that they don’t play Biggie music on the radio. BET, MTV and VH1 play reality shows now. They don’t play music now. When the radio play throwback music, it is from 2 years ago. These kids got to know who Biggie is, and how they going to know who Melle Mel is? It is not being taught, you can’t get mad at them; you got to get mad at the system. That’s why I created Scratchvision.com to give that vision to the kids.
BTN: What is Scratchvision.com?
DJ Scratch: It is a TV station on the internet. Basically it is radio and social media wrapped into one. And it is dedicated to the history of everything, so these kids can know. There is no outlet for these kids to know about anything that came out pass two years ago. You see Jazzy Jeff DJing there, you see Grandmaster Flash; all the greats come and DJ there live. Everybody around the world watches it because it is on the internet.