DJ SCRATCHING: THE LOST CULTURE

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Since the late Jam Master Jay's birthday was recent, a dedication was made in his honor by his son and DJ Scratch.

While watching the video it dawned on me that DJ Scratching is not as integrated and used so much in Hip-Hop and other styles of music as much as it used to be. What once was one of the essentials in Hip-Hop culture is now almost non-existent in the music world. Scratching rose as Hip-Hop did, side by side. And while the Hip-Hop culture keeps growing, scratching DJs are slowly decreasing. DJing themselves stands as a different art form than what it was.

A DJ stood for someone who would scratch, make great music combos and hype up the move. Now, with so many different styles of music, the word DJ has altered, if not, lost its meaning.

Strong examples are music DJs that are in the pop, techno pop, mainstream world.

With most of them using computerized and technological devices, most DJs in music now do not do as much work and need not much skill.

Whereas, it takes much skill to scratch, match and create beats with the combination of a pair or several sounds and songs of music.

Turntables and vinyl. The two pieces that made the DJ. But where do you see it now? Most current "DJs" do not know how to use the two items that made the scratch.

It is disappointing and comfortless. What is going to happen to the term and art of the DJ if the growing number of them who call themselves that do not do or make the the original art form? This is the culture that grounded Hip-Hop and grew with it, and now the leaves of the tree of it is dying.

We must keep growing the seeds and water it, nurture the art and keep it alive. Or else, Hip-Hop will stand alone and leave its biggest root.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVtIQn4xq_A