Battle Sounds
Turntablist Festival I
John Carluccio's ongoing "Battle Sounds" documentary project is the most extensive and ambitious effort ever in capturing the true essence and evolution of hip-hop DJ-ing and turntablism. For the last two years, some of the top record manipulators on Earth have descended on New York City for the Turntablist Festival, where a continuous barrage of scratching, beat juggling, and team rountines astonish all who dare to attend. This video covers the events from November 21, 1996, and features performances from NYC's top squads: X-Men (Rob Swift, Sinista, Total Eclipse, Roc Raida, plus team routine) and 5th Platoon (Neil Armstrong, DoBoy, Daddy Dog, Vin Roc, Roli Rho). You'll also see DJ Slyce, Professor Smooth, Gabbie, Ginsu Dee, Rod, Shark from Japan, K.O., Spinbad, and D'jeanie. At the beginning of the tape there's a clip from the actual "Battle Sounds" series, with Rob Swift explaining the "Biz Routine" which brought him international prominence during the 1992 DMC Championships.
VHS NTSC, 60 minutes