Top 10: Memorable Years & Moments in Dj History

The four elements of hip hop are DJ´ing, graffiti writing, raping, and break dancing. History shows how turntableism, through the individual talents of emerging turntablist, has widened the definition not only of hip hop but popular music in general. For many people, including myself, Dj´s invented hip hop.

This top list was posted by our own DJ master – Dj Frow. Below you’ll find his personal favorite moments in DJ history. Peace!

10. 1970 – The release of Technice TurnTable model 1200

The release of the 1200 naturally deserves a spot on the top ten chart of memorable Dj moments in history. Technics released the original SL-1200 as a hi-fi turntable. It is unclear who actually invented the Technics turntable. Apparently it was 2 Technics & Panasonic engineers that were working in Europe at the time.

9. 1975 Grand Wizard Theodore – Inventor of Scratch

The story behind the invention of the Scratch is almost too logical to be told. Growing up in the Bronx, Grand Wizard Theodore discovers the scratch by accident in 1975. Rumour has it that he was mixing away in his bedroom when his mum told him to be quiet and instead of stopping the record with the stop button he used his hand instead and it made a nice sound.
He then came back to the turntables and experimented with pulling the record back and forth across the needle, giving birth to scratch.

8. 1979 – SHG release “Rapper’s Delight”

Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is released. While they didn’t really utilize the skills of a DJ, this song had a profound influence on the sound of commercial hip-hop during the early 1980′s.

7. 1982 – “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” single

Grandmaster Flash’s 1982 single “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” was Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s first record to demonstrate hip-hop Dj-ing skills. This record also helped to popularise the scratch sound.

Afrika Bambaata’s “Planet Rock” samples Kraftwerk and creates electro. Afrika Bambaata’s influence was massive as they had a new sound that was very distinctive and original.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” becomes a hit. “The Message” is seen by many as the first serious rap record.

6. 1987 – DMC (Disco Mix Club)

The DMC (Disco Mix Club) holds its first annual DJ Competition.

5. 1991 – Q-bert wins DMC

Q-bert makes history when winning the DMC world championships. With DJ Q-bert a new category of Djs emerge: the turntablist. The trurntablist creates art by creating new music using emerging scratch and mixing techniques. Turntabelism becomes a culture of its own, while DJ-ing remains a part of the four elements of hip hop.

4. 1992 – Introduction of thhe “Flare” scratch

DJ Flare introduces the “Flare” scratch. 92′ also marks the year of the first scratch / battle record that was designed for ease of kutting and tricks because of the samples being on beat one after the other. It was called “Battlebreaks”. The idea was then given to Darth Fader and the rest is history. Mixmaster mike follows his career with the beastie boys.

3. 1995 – New DMC challenge: The creation of music with turntables

In a DMC competition Q-bert and Mix Master Mike retire from the DMC to become judges and enter a new challenge, the creation of music with turntables, which later would lead up to the emerging of turntableism.

2. 1996 – The I.T.F’s first world championship DJ competitions

The I.T.F. (International Turntablist Federation) holds it’s first world champioinship competitions.
Showcasing the new era of turntablism, the historic battle at the Rocksteady Reunion between ISP and the X-Men (now called the X-Executioners) took place.
Thud rumble is established and Q-Bert gets filmed as a starring role in the movie, “Hang the DJ”, which gets picked up by Miramax and plays in theatres in Europe, Canada, and the U.S.

1. 1998 -2000 – Dj Craze “three years in a row”

DJ Craze wins the DMC-world championships three years in a row. In my opinion DJ Craze is the #1 turntablist champion. With a foundation of drum ´n´ bass he is the modern King of turntableism