DMC World DJ Championships are kick-starting in Toronto

It’s hard to imagine it, but the first DMC World Championship happened in 1985, and yes, some of you may not have even been born yet, which does not make the concept any less cool than it actually is. DMC is DJ history and what made many DJs history. You do not enter a battle without a certain set of skills and when you leave one, you are not only a better DJ, but carry a legacy of bragging rights no one can take away.

Scratching was introduced in the second year of the competition and became a staple from there on. Some of the more notable names to have gone through the DMC right of passage were DJ Cash Money, championed in 1988, the legends that are Rock Steady DJs (Mix Master Mike, DJ QBert and DJ Apollo) took the title home in 1992 and, of course, A-Trak in 1997. Some DJs move on, some keep returning and winning, like DJ Craze, who won DMC 3 years in a row (1998-2000). Mr Switch, 2015 winner, first entered the competition at the age of 11, and something tells us that last year’s victory was especially sweet.

This year the World Finals are on October 4th in London, but the ball starts rolling on August 9th, in Toronto, with the Canada East Coast Scratch Competition and the Ontario Regional DJ Battle.

So, in a nutshell, if you are a DJ, or know a DJ, or are seriously into the science of DJing and think that vinyl is king, scratching is a mad skill and seeing dudes battle from behind turntables, occasionally performing acrobatic moves, DMC is something you should definitely check out in person.

Full event list & more details here. Cover image Erick Jay.