Scratch is a 2001 documentary film, directed and edited by Doug Pray.[1] The film explores the world of the hip-hopDJ from the birth of hip-hop when pioneering DJs began extending breaks on records, to the invention of scratching and beat juggling, to the more recent explosion of turntablism. Throughout the documentary, many artists explain how they were introduced to hip-hop while providing stories of their personal experiences.[2]
Afrika Bambaataa presents a neighborhood in the Bronx which used to be called "the house of hip-hop" where violence and gangs were common. After a trip to Africa, he created what is known as the Universal Zulu Nation, a group of socially and politically aware rappers, B-boys, graffiti artists and other people involved in hip-hop culture.
The importance of the DJ is shown by how he or she selects and controls the music with respect to the audience's needs. The relation and differences between DJs and MCs are explained, going through their roles in the music industry.
DJ QBert explains how turntables function, describing each part. He compares it to "talking". When Mix Master Mike scratched with DJ QBert, they used their scratching to communicate together. They describe it as an art and a form of intelligence. Other artists describe the popularity it had in the 1980s amongst youth at parties and battles. Many of them achieved fame through their talent in battles. Some of them made the existence of the DJ without the MC possible. This chapter features DJ Marz, DJ Eddie Def, DJ Cue, DJ Quest (Bullet Proof Space Travelors), Billy Jam, Dave Paul, DJ Relm, DJ Flare, DJ Shadow, Apollo, and Rob Swift (X-ecutioners).
Turntablism
This section describes the beginning of turntablism, which involves the manipulation of the turntable. DJ Babu was the first to describe this method using this term. He believes that the turntable can be a musical instrument “as long as you see it as [one].” Babu explains that turntables have notes, measures, different beats, timing, and rhythms. An interview with John Carluccio presents the method used to communicate compositions by transcribing scratching onto paper.
Battling
Battling became popular as a result of Steve Dee’s attitude that there is always room for improvement. Various DJs are shown commenting about the competitiveness of the industry especially now that there are competitions, such as the Disco Mix Club where DJs have six minutes to showcase their skills and abilities. Each competitor works on their set and practices their routine for months beforehand.
DJs with MCs
Scratching, like each of these elements, draws from all the others. By definition, scratching does not stand still. As Steve Dee puts it, "Hip-hop is asking you a question, and that question is, what are you going to do?" Discussing the ways that battling shapes his art and profession, Dee confesses, "I'm competitive. If it's drawing a straight line, I wanna draw the straightest line."
Digging
This concept of competition does not keep turntablists apart. Rather, they make a point of working together, sharing ideas, encouraging one another, and going on record "digging" jaunts. DJ Shadow leads the camera through a basement so stuffed with records that he can barely walk through, calling it "my little nirvana". Several scenes show artists playing with one another: Mix Master Mike and DJ Qbert; Shadow and Cut Chemist working with Steinski; and Jurassic 5 with Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark.
Making beats
The fifth chapter of the film explores the art of producing beats and examines the future of the DJ industry. DJ Premier describes the evolution of beat-making throughout the past 30 years and his life as a record producer. DJ Swamp from The Allies explains some of the beats that he has put together and describes how many artists have begun playing vinyls that are made specifically for turntablist and battle DJs.
Doug Pray then goes to the 2000 NAMM Show in Los Angeles, California. There they conduct a series of interviews that mostly aim at describing the optimistic future of the industry.
The chapter closes by describing the influence that the Invisibl Skratch Piklz has had on the industry.
Full circle
The final chapter of the film reviews the goals and aspirations of some of the most recognized DJs in the industry and what they hope to achieve via the distribution of their music. DJ QBert explains his understanding of the interconnectedness of the human race and how his “destiny” is to better the lives of others through his music. Grand Mixer DXT describes how good he feels about being the role model of so many DJs. Mix Master Mike states that his goal is to show the world that there’s “something really cool out there, you know, something different.” The film ends with Z-Trip and Cut Chemist performing together side by side on four turntables. This is also known as a 2 x 4 performance.[3]
Scratch was released to near-universal critical praise, with 93% "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes.[6]Stephen Holden in The New York Times wrote that, "Watching D.J. Qbert, a leading hip-hop musician from the San Francisco Bay Area, manipulate two turntables with one hand and a sound mixer known as a fader with the other to create a sizzling polyrhythmic landscape of sound effects is not unlike watching the fingers of a great jazz or concert pianist fly across the keyboard."[7] He also called the film "exhilarating."[7]
The Los Angeles Times said, "Scratch does what a fine documentary does best: It extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world, then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively ... [Scratch is] a highly entertaining and encouraging documentary."[8]
Ain't It Cool News listed it as one of the Top 5 Films of the Year and wrote, "Scratch is like having a camera there when Robert Johnson went down to the crossroads. It's like having a camera there when BB or Miles played their first show. It's a record of living history - a very important history and don't let anyone, anyone, tell you otherwise ... Scratch is so strong ... it's beautiful and utterly, knowingly true. And that's about the most impossible thing to do on-screen ... I can't celebrate this film enough."[9]
