SWITCH WINS DMC WORLD DJ CHAMPIONSHIPS

On Sunday night (October 5th), Birmingham-based turntablist Mr Switch won the 29^th annual DMC World DJ Championships — becoming the first UK DJ to do so in 13 years.

First entering the competition when he was only 11-years-old, Switch has fought hard over the years, finally earning himself the coveted World Champion jacket and a custom-made gold Rane 62 mixer. He won the prize with a viciously scratched set of hip-hop and dubstep. 

“Mega pleased to have won!” Switch told DJ Mag. “The crowd gave me such a ridiculously good reaction, I just got so hyped up as I was performing, and loads of people came up to say 'that was amazing' and take photos. Having a home crowd really buoyed me up. It's the best DJ battle title in the world, and I am so proud and happy to have won.”

“All my Birmingham crew came down to support me which was great, and the after-party got a little messy. I don't think I can repeat what went down for legal reasons! What happens at the after-party stays at the after party!” he added. Well, he is a world champion after all.

Going on to explain the strategy behind his success, Mr Switch said, “I won the UK final back in May, and put a set together over the last month. For the world final I tried out a lot of new stuff but pretty much went back to using the same set. 

“The last two weeks before the final I did pretty much nothing else — microwave meals, stay in and practise!” Switch continued. “I just did little tweaks, made sure the set was cohesive, had some next-level effects and tricks, and kept it tight.”

This is not the first year Switch has tasted DMC victory; he also became the first DJ to win the DMC's Battle For Supremacy category three years in a row, following his first success in 2008.

The night also saw French trio 9 O'Clock defend their Team Championship title, and the USA's IFTW (Image From The Wood) pick up the Battle For Supremacy crown.

Recognised as the first and foremost turntablist competition on the planet, and an important part of hip-hop culture, the DMC World DJ Championships have been running for almost 30 years. In that time they've seen the likes of Cutmaster Swift, A-Trak, DJ Craze and Kentaro earn world champion jackets.

Switch was a guest in the DJ Mag lab recently. Watch his set here: 

Words: Ben Hindle