Catch this fresh 5-min clip of the famous SCRATCH documentary to get a dope little dose of scratch DJ history + a peek at what went down at Future Primitive Sound Session in December 1999!
In order of appearance, this video clip features interviews & performances by : Grand Wizzard Theodore, Naut Human, Shortee, Faust, Z-Trip, Cut Chemist, Mark Herlihy & Doze Green.
WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY HERE
Filmed in 1999, SCRATCH was directed and edited by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Doug Pray.
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001 and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award by the Independent Feature Project (IFP). 🎬
In 2002, it was released in theaters nationwide by Palm Pictures and distributed internationally by Intermedia Films.
Keep in mind, there was no YouTube back then so this was insaaaanely incredible exposure for such a niche turntablist scene.
Not only did it spread the art of turntablism to the masses, but it’s fun to watch and super accessible so people also just really loved the movie… and still do!
SCRATCH received near universal critical praise and is still ranked 94% “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes to this day. 🍅
The San Fran Chronicle gets it right when they say it’s “required viewing”— especially if you’re a turntablist!
SCRATCH is a critically acclaimed film that documents the art of Turntablism and its undeniable influence on hip hop and DJ culture.
It explores the world of the turntablist — from the birth of hip-hop when pioneering DJs began extending breaks on records, to the invention of scratching and beat juggling, to the first explosion of turntablism in the 90’s through the dawn of the new millennium.
If you’re as addicted to turntablism as I am, this doc is a must watch. 👀
You’ll get to see some classic performances by some of your fave pioneers in the scene and also hear the personal stories of how these influential DJs got their start.
While not everyone who made an impact on the craft is represented in this doc (it’s only 90 minutes), SCRATCH is still very much a ‘who’s who’ of some of the world’s most influential turntablists of that era. 😻
From the ‘old school’ to the ‘middle school’ (my generation), all the peeps featured in this film made a unique contribution to the art of turntablism. Each helped shape the craft into the celebrated and respected form of musical expression we love today.
SCRATCH is a captivating turntablist time capsule just waiting for you to crack open.
If you wanna travel back in time and live vicariously through those DJs who helped to create and shape the game… you gotta watch this flick.
In addition to droppin’ an epic history lesson, it also documents a specific snapshot in time of when I was coming up as a tablist in the 90’s.
My interview & beat juggle performance was filmed in December 1999 during a show that Faust & I rocked at Future Primitive Sound Session in San Francisco alongside Z-Trip, Cut Chemist, our fave painter Doze Green and more.
Faust & I have appeared in lots of docs over the years, but nothing compares to SCRATCH. We feel so honored and grateful to be among the handful of turntablists featured in the film. 🙏
Especially during the magical era of the late 90’s when turntablism was exploding and there were plenty of dope DJs to choose from.
It was a huge privilege for us to be included and a pivotal highlight in our career that helped to shape our legacy in the scene.
Not to mention, I was the only female DJ featured in the flick.
Remember, this was during a time where female turntablists were really rare and also extremely under-represented in an (even more) male-dominated DJ industry.
In other words, reppin’ as the only female turntablist in this movie was a BIG DEAL.
Not just for me and my career, but also for other aspiring female turntablists who watched that movie, especially back then.
Representation really does matter.
With that in mind, I’m suuuper grateful to SCRATCH for giving me the opp to be that person for other sistas who may be watching and wondering if there’s a place for them in turntablism too.
This is just a 5 minute clip featuring some of my footage + a few that performed at that show with me, but if ya got the time, you should MOST DEF watch the whole 90 minute movie.
Hope ya dig it!
xo,
Shortee
#ScratchLikeAGirl
ps – FREE DOWNLOAD:
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