#DMC40 – Five Decades Of Turntablism

We look back at how the biggest DJ battle on the planet began…

The DMC World DJ Championships launched in 1985, when a young Londoner named Roger Johnson claimed the very first title at the legendary Hippodrome during DMC’s inaugural DJ Convention. Around 5,000 DJs looked on in awe and confusion at this bold new concept—but innovation was underway, and nothing could stop it.

DJ Roger Johnson (UK)

A year later, the competition was transformed. America’s DJ Cheese revolutionized the decks, scratching his way to DMC’s first true World Champion title. The runner-up, Orlando Voorn of Holland, famously grabbed the mic from DMC founder Tony Prince and shouted: “What is this, a mixing competition or a scratching competition?” Today, Orlando is celebrated as one of electronic music’s most creative producers—a far cry from his early battle days.

By 1987, the art of turntablism began to take shape. DJs introduced props, body tricks, and imaginative scratching techniques—bicycles, kitchen sinks, even partners were pulled into routines. Chad Jackson from the UK used a billiard cue and an American football en route to the title. The venue? The Royal Albert Hall—which had never hosted a DJ before. That night, hip-hop filled the air as audiences witnessed a sound that didn’t yet have a name.

DJ Chad Jackson (UK)

In 1988, 5,000 fans returned to the Royal Albert Hall to witness a legend in the making. Flying in from Philadelphia, Cash Money redefined what was possible on turntables. Today, he’s rightly revered as an old-skool icon, but at the time, he was breaking new ground. Few DJs in DMC history have been as influential—or as loved.

DJ Cash Money (USA)

By then, everyone wanted to be part of a DMC final. Icons like Run DMC, Public Enemy, Janet Jackson, and James Brown all graced the event. In 1989, the UK’s Cutmaster Swift scratched his way to victory, becoming the first recipient of the DMC/Technics Golden Turntables. A pioneer in his own right, Swift remains a valued part of the DMC family to this day.

Cut Master Swift (UK)

In 1990, the Championships moved to the massive Wembley Arena, sharing a stage once graced by Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. The sold-out event attracted so much hype that "ram raiders" attempted to crash the show—literally. The Boo-Yaa Tribe stepped in as impromptu security, and Germany’s DJ David took home the crown before 7,000 roaring fans.

By then, the DMC World DJ Championships had grown into one of the most exciting and important events in global music culture—and it was only just beginning…