What happened to hip-hop DJing?

[Sigma]

I've been into DJing for 20+ years. If someone said to me "I'm a DJ", if I asked "what sort of music do you play?" and they replied "hip-hop" my interest was piqued because I knew they'd be doing - or at least trying to do - something cool, rather than just basic blending from track to track.

Now, I know that there are still hip-hop DJs that are representing when it comes to skills - and there are folks on here that fit into that category - but overall, what the fuck has happened to hip-hop DJing? lol.

A hip-hop DJ, to me, is someone that mixes, can do some scratching, and can do some trick mixing and maybe a little bit of basic juggling. I'm not expecting people to cut like Qbert or juggle like Kentaro, but I would expect them to have some skills under their belt that separate them from the average "blend from track to track" Joe, or at least, that is their goal. It doesn't seem like that's the aim of new up and coming hip-hop DJs these days - in general I mean.

Does anyone here relate to what I'm saying? Or am I wrong and maybe I'm just not listening to the right DJs?

[DJNR]

I understand what you're saying, but honestly the definition of "hip hop DJ" is subjective. Everybody is going to view it differently. For example, someone might view a hip hop DJ as someone who mixes hip hop, or share your view that they need to be a bit of a turntablist. Ultimately, I think it is just a culture shift within the genre. It has become more accessible, and people listen to it with very little concern to its origin or founding fathers. The lack of knowledge for the genre is what has brought up the bland hip hop mixing DJ.

On a side note, the average person seems to have more interest in a hip hop DJ who plays tracks they know with little interruption, rather than the DJ who does all sorts of trickery.

[DJ CirKutCision]

Also probably due to Hip Hop DJs playing new "Club Bangers" that you probably wouldn't want to hear real scratches or juggles on compared the the sound of 90s hip hop which is beautiful. Plus, because of technology like cheaper CDJs, controllers, etc, less people learn on vinyl and don't try and learn turntablist tricks. I'm sure most hip hop DJs just learn a baby scratch and a chirp to throw in the next track with an airhorn and leave it at that.

[DJNR]

I don't think the availability of cheaper gear really has anything to do with turntablism. I know plenty of people who try to scratch on what they have because they couldn't afford anything better. I do agree with the "club bangers" statement though.

[c-hawk]

[sic]...because of technology like [sic] CDJs, controllers, etc, less people learn on vinyl and don't try and learn turntablist tricks.

+1 on this;

Most DJs getting in the game today (or recently) don't learn on turntables. If they're only going to be "Digitial DJs"(that is CDs or Controllers only) then most don't see a point in trying to do it any other way. I've gone from turntables to digital & turntables(old school only) and don't scratch or juggle as I did in the past (though I wasn't great at it to begin with) but it was fun trying to emulate the big boys and the basics were learned. Back then, it seemed more like a competition among DJs (when DMC was really big and rap battles were common) but now, it's just play the next track and keep the floor moving with as little interruption as possible. I have to admit, I've been drawn into the basic blending at parties with very little scratching or juggling except for intros or hot track drops. It has become an issue of time for an older dude like me and I don't practice or work on that stuff like I did back when I was younger.

With that said, I'm sure there are guys out there still doing it but they probably aren't playing out.

[Sean]

I think it's more what's been mentioned above about "club bangers". Hip Hop is dead, and with it is the art of playing it in creative manners. Right now people are just thinking about playing the biggest hits and mixing it in, and it doesn't help that the crowd on the other side of the dj booth (ie the dancefloor) couldn't care less how they're hearing their "favourite" song as long as they hear it.

[HyeToTheSky]

I think it's more what's been mentioned above about "club bangers". Hip Hop is dead, and with it is the art of playing it in creative manners. Right now people are just thinking about playing the biggest hits and mixing it in, and it doesn't help that the crowd on the other side of the dj booth (ie the dancefloor) couldn't care less how they're hearing their "favourite" song as long as they hear it.

false, you're just not looking hard enough

[DJNR]

false, you're just not looking hard enough

It's dead in comparison to other more prominent genres. It's not off the face of the earth, but it's pretty difficult to find.

[Sean]

false, you're just not looking hard enough

I don't mean dead as in non-existent. I just mean from the popular scene, and well when popularity of something goes down so do the number of people who do anything related to them, ie hip hop DJing. Which is why you don't see that many hiphop DJs anymore.

[HyeToTheSky]

http://www.djforums.com/forums/showt...Hip-Hop-thread

i think people under the stairs, oddisee, apollo brown, one be lo (binary star) and a bunch of other great artists are holding it down..some of the music is not 'club banger' material so its not a comparison of that... its just the 90's rap set the bar pretty high...and the radio and mainstream has its own genre even though they play hip hop...or should i say more like hip pop....i mean it's catchy and makes them $$$$ but you'll never catch a lil wayne or drake track on my HD