2012 DMC Bay Area (San Francisco) DJ Battle Review

Presented by Spintronix

330 Ritch

April 7, 2012

By Christie Z-Pabon – DMC USA

1st: DJ Sol Rising (Skwint) – Oakland – Platter Pirates

2nd: DJ Cocheze – San Francisco – Temple of Hip Hop

3rd: Primo – Santo Rosa – Skratchpad SF

Billy Jam previews the 2012 DMC Bay Area DJ Regionals  http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2012/04/jamoeblog/return-of-the-dj-battle-prestigious-dmc-bay-area-regional-dj-battle-returns-after-noticeable-six-year-absence-.html#.T3_gYsbgxgI.facebook

Photos by Christie Z-Pabon – DMC USA at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.204712499638925.40281.178103952299780&type=3

Photos by Manuel Acosta: http://www.manuelacostaphotography.com/Events/2012-DMC-Bay-Area-Regional/22502311_Xr7nX4#!i=1799932978&k=ZVFmb8Q

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Thanks to Charles Angeles aka DJ Inbituin & the Spintronix crew, DMC is back in San Francisco!!  It was one of the best battles that I have been to in a LONG time!  I am also spoiled over this battle and my expectations will probably be too high for the battles to come. This battle went WAY too smoothly (except for the monitors that I fell over during intermission – I still have bruises from those suckers!)

1. Doors opened at 4pm. Audience got there early and packed the venue by 5pm when the eliminations began.

2. All of the judges and DJs were there on time.

3. All of the DJs read the info that I sent them to be best prepared and help the battle run most smoothly.

4. Once the audience were told not to film, they actually listened and didn’t try to be sneaky about it.

The day started off with Charles, Tee Wax, DJ Mikey and the crew loading in, hanging banners, setting up equipment.  Of the 23 DJs who registered to battle, 14 made it on the day of. All were from California except Tee Wax from Phoenix  AZ. Djs include:

Tee Wax – Phoenix AZ

Supasayan – San Francisco

Primo – Santo Rosa – Skratchpad SF

DJ Benny Contreras – Pleasant Hill

Cassette – San Jose

DJ Streak – San Bruno – Supernatural Turntable Artists

Turntablist Ajax – Sacramento

DJ Habit – Antioch – GroundSick

ONEDR – Oakland - The Others

DJ Chuck Flava – Cotati  – Asthma Funk/Planet Walkers

DJ LazyBoy aka Gregory the Great – Santo Rosa – 12inch Giants

DJ Sol Rising (Skwint) – Oakland – Platter Pirates

DJ Cocheze – San Francisco – Temple of Hip Hop

KidNeemo – Santa Cruz

Also very exciting was who was just chilling in the audience including Swift Rock, Bas One, and Vin Roc. I heard DJ Disk was there. Also it was good to see B-Boy Xzist from Ground Zero Crew, DJ Impereal from NYC and Mike Brie aka Fred Funk (DMC US Champ) live in the Bay Now too.  Mista B, Snayk Eyez and La Femme Deadly Venoms (Celskii and Deeandroid) were all on the line up to showcase.

We had a prestigious panel of judges including: Shortkut, Billy Jam, DJ Quest, DJ Apollo, DJ Cue, Jazzy Jim  and DJ 8 Ball.  After seeing all the incredible talent in the elims ( and oh the scratching!), they had to make some hard decisions – as evidenced by the scores below, on which 6 competitors would advance to the 2012 DMC Bay Area finals to perform their 6 min. sets.  It was really good to have 7 judges – when they are as qualified as these guys! 10 of the 14 DJs received points from the judges.

Scoring code: 1st place receives 6 points. 2nd = 5 points. 3rd = 4 points. 4th = 3 points. 5th = 2 points and 6 place = 1 point.

Scores from Judges after the Elimination (2 min. showcase) round

1st: DJ Streak: 4  + 4  + 6  + 6  + 6  + 5  + 6  = 37

2nd: DJ Sol Rising (Skwint): 5 + 6 + 4  + 2 + 4  + 6  + 2  = 29

3rd: DJ LazyBoy aka Gregory the Great:  6 + 3 +  5 + 1 + 2  + 1 + 5 = 23

4th: DJ Cocheze:  3 + 5 +  3 + 5  + 3 + 3  = 22

5th: Primo: 1 + 2  + 5  + 4  = 12

6th: ONEDR: 1 +  4  + 3 =  8

7th: DJ Habit: 2 + 1 + 4  = 7

8th: DJ Chuck Flava: 2 + 3  = 5

9th: Tee Wax : 2

10th: Cassette: 1 + 1  = 2

Due to his dynamite 2 min. set, DJ Streak (STA) of San Bruno CA, who I remember battling from back in the late 90s, was almost 10 points ahead of his rivals. He filmed his sets and I encouraged him to enter it in the DMC Online DJ Championships but he’s not done battling yet – I think! Anyhow – that 2 min. set was so much fun and I do hope he posts it when he’s done using it this battle season. There were no slackers in this competition though, DJ Sol Rising (formerly known as Skwint), DJ LazyBoy aka Gregory the Great, DJ Cocheze, Primo and ONEDR all brought it!

But even in the best of battles, the tides will turn and there will be enormous upsets.

After the 6 minute showcase sets were performed, DJ Sol Rising (Skwint) came out the victor. Cocheze who was in 4th place for the elims, rose up to claim 2nd place/runner up.  As you can see by the scores below at least 2 judges scored him as 1st place and some expressed that it could have gone either way.  Primo, who was in 5th place going in to the elims, unanimously received 3rd place scores from all 7 judges.

DJ LazyBoy going in to the finals said that he was just going to freestyle because he didn’t have a 6 min. set prepared. I hope to see him, Cocheze, Primo and Streak in some of the other DMC battles this year (DC, Denver, LA and NYC are on the horizon).

Finals scores

Sol Rising/Skwint : 2 + 2  + 3  + 3  +  3  + 3  + 3  = 19

Cocheze: 3 + 3  + 2  + 2 + 2 + 2  + 2  =  16

Primo: 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1  = 7

2012 DMC Bay Area 3rd Place PRIMO  won

A Stanton Black Uberstand

A Shure Reverb T-Shirt

A Gift Certificate from 12 Inch Skinz

2012 DMC Bay Area Runner Up aka Vice Champion: COCHEZE won
Stanton DJ Pro 2000 Headphones

A pair of Stanton 680 V3 MP4 cartridges

A Shure Record Bag

A Gift Certificate from 12 Inch Skinz

The 2012 DMC Bay Area Champion: DJ SOL RISING / Skwint won

A Stanton SM v3 MP4 Cartridges

A Stanton Uberstand

Stanton DJ Pro 2000 Headphones

Shure SRH550DJ Headphones

Gift Certificate from 12 Inch Skinz

- The just released Sixty-One Mixer courtesy of Rane and Serato valued at $1799!!!

+ he advances to the 2012 DMC US Finals on Aug. 4 @ Le Poisson Rouge NYC.

Since I was on the hunt for Filipino noodles (pancit) Charles aka DJ Inbituin took us to the legendary spot where the Bay Area Djs went to eat, after gigs = Lucky Chances – which was in a casino.  So DJ Sol Rising, my old friend Snayk Eyez, Tee Wax and Inbituin rolled into Lucky Chances – only to find that Mista B had beat us there and was sitting with his nieces and nephews who he took to the battle! I know it is a restaurant/casino but it felt like a very momentous occasion fro me to be in this Bay Area DJ Hip Hop landmark of sorts!

From beginning to end, this was one of the most exciting days for me in my DJ battle  organizer life – everything went smoothly, the whole day was full of energy, and the battle was one of the best! Thanks to everyone who made this possible. I can’t wait for 2013 DMC Bay Area!!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  DMC USA LINKS  :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://www.dmcdjchamps.com/
http://www.dmcworld.com/

http://www.dmcdjonline.com
http://www.dmcworld.com/dmctv

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DMC-USA-National-DJ-Battles/178103952299780?sk=wall

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dmcusa
http://twitter.com/dmcusadjbattles
http://vimeo.com/dmcusa
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOFFICIALDMCUSA
http://www.muzu.tv/us/dmcusa/
http://stores.ebay.com/DMC-USA-DJ-Gear

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