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DJ supremacy documented >> John Carluccio's Battle Sounds turns the tables on hip hop DJ culture by SCOTT C
This is where John Carluccio's Battle Sounds: Hip Hop DJ Documentary starts, effectively tracing the roots of DJ battles and performances. "From what I've seen and heard in my experience in hip hop culture, I've always had a different view than what the media chose to spotlight," says Carluccio. "The media chooses to look at just rap music and emphasize its violence, obscenities and its poor role models. What the media doesn't show us is that there is a whole culture of kids in hip hop music who aren't dealing with drugs and violence--they're too busy studying, practicing, creating and reinventing the art called hip hop deejaying." Battle Sounds is being called the definitive movie on the art of turntablism. Originally conceived in 1994, Carluccio and his crew formed a film and video collective that documented over 200 hours of interviews and perfomance footage by some of the world's best battle DJs. Starting with DJ Grand Wizard Theodore and a few anecdotes about how he happened upon the scratch, it's off to the races. We're taken on a ride--fittingly presented in the original hand-held video format--featuring all kinds of battle clips from back in the day to right up to the present. Carluccio gets props for showing just how dedicated a lot of these guys are to their craft: there's no fooling around when it comes to elevating yourself and your artform--and the DJs in the film drive that home loud and clear. We get a look at what exactly goes through X-Man Rob Swift's head while coming up with a battle routine, complete with the emotional devastation that follows a loss. We get to see Q-Bert talking about how he used to bite styles from Mixmaster Mike and make them better. All of this sheds light on a world of talent and artistry that is finally starting to get the respect that it deserves. Unlike a few other DJ films that have been released over the last little while, Battle Sounds assembles interview footage from some of hip hop's most revered DJs and innovators, including DJ Jazzy Jay, Clark Kent, DJ Aladdin, Mixmaster Mike, Rob Swift, DST, Prince Paul and Daddy Rich Battle Sounds: Hip Hop DJ Documentary will be screened Dec. 5 at the Rialto, at 7pm ($6), and 9:30pm ($12, $15 door). Later film followed by performances by A-Trak, Sugarcuts, Total Eclipse and more. Info: 997-3743.
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Today's DJ can no longer be regarded as somebody who just plays records for the masses. They're no longer just taking requests, keeping us "up to date" and doing weddings and such. And they're definitely not there just to back up the rapper anymore either. In 1998, we're dealing with "turntablists" who tour the world, competing for titles based on innovation, creativity and originality.