DJ Shiftee (born Samuel Morris Zornow on January 27, 1986) is an American DJ and turntablist renowned for his technical mastery, world-championship titles including the 2009 world DMC title.

Growing up in New York City, Shiftee began DJing around the age of 13 after receiving his first turntables and mixer. He quickly immersed himself in the competitive side of DJ culture, becoming the youngest champion of the DMC New York Regional in 2003 at age 17.

Competitive Achievements

• In 2007, Shiftee won the DMC Battle for World Supremacy.
• In 2009, he captured the DMC World DJ Championship title, earning induction into the DMC Hall of Fame.
• His accolades also include regional titles (such as DMC USA and DMC East Coast) and an IDA/ITF world vice-champion finish in 2008.

Style & Innovation

Shiftee is celebrated not only for blazing technical skills—scratch patterns, beat-juggling, rapid fader work—but also for his musicality and versatility. He often blends hip-hop roots with modern production elements, live performance flair, and teaching/educational roles in DJ culture.

DJ Shiftee is more than a champion—he’s a key figure in the evolution of turntablism over the last two decades. From his early dominance as a teenager in NYC, to world titles, to his role in education and live performance, he bridges raw technique and creative expression.

DJ LigOne is a highly respected turntablist and DJ from France, known for his technical mastery, electrifying performance style, and his standout achievements in global DJ competitions including the 2010 DMC world title.

Hailing from France, LigOne emerged in the late 2000s as a formidable talent in the battle-DJ circuit. He honed his skills both in scratching and beat-juggling, consistently raising the bar for what a turntable artist could achieve in a battle format.

Major Achievements

• LigOne won the French DMC Championship in 2009.
• In 2010, he captured the DMC World DJ Championship, cementing his place among the elite of turntablism.

Beyond competitions, LigOne has built a reputation as a producer and performer. He collaborates, produces tracks, and plays live sets where his turntable artistry is front-and-centre. His success has helped shine a light on French and European turntablism more broadly.

 

Chris Karns (born January 25, 1979, in Colorado, USA) is a distinguished turntablist, DJ, producer, and one of the most decorated competitors in global DJ battle culture. He previously went by the name DJ Vajra.

Growing up in Colorado, Karns became immersed in hip-hop and DJ culture at a young age. Inspired by early TV shows and local DJs, he developed a passion for scratching and beat-juggling. Over the years, he honed his craft relentlessly—performing in battles, refining his routines, and integrating production techniques into his sets.

Major Achievements

Chris Karns’s competitive résumé is formidable:

• Winner of the DMC World DJ Championships in 2011.
• Winner of the 2002 WSTC (World Scratch and Turntablist Championship) Worlds.
• Three-time winner of the Red Bull Thre3style competition.
• Lead touring DJ with major acts, including serving as a member of the band associated with Pretty Lights.

Style & Musical Approach

Karns is admired not just for technical speed, but for his musical sensibility. His sets navigate hip-hop, funk, trap, dubstep, and more. He treats the turntables and mixer like live instruments—scratching, juggling, and weaving complex rhythms in real-time. His production output and live band work demonstrate a broader commitment beyond battle routines.

 

DJ IZOH (威蔵) is a celebrated Japanese turntablist who has made significant waves in the global DJ battle scene. Born in 1981 in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, he developed an early fascination with DJ culture after watching a TV special on battle-DJs in the mid-1990s.

He first entered the competitive scene around 2000, participating in the Japan finals of the famed DMC World DJ Championships and gradually building his skillset in scratching, beat-juggling, and battle routines. His foundation was built on “real hip-hop” ethos, integrating body tricks and word-play into his performances, which helped craft his distinctive artistic identity.

2012 marked a pivotal year when DJ IZOH won the DMC World DJ Championship, becoming one of a few Asia-born DJs to claim the title. This achievement elevated his status domestically and internationally, opening doors to tours, workshops, and broader exposure.

What sets IZOH apart is his blend of technical mastery and musicality. His routines often fuse hip-hop roots with bass music and other genres, yet always with the turntable treated as a musical instrument. Beyond performing, DJ IZOH is committed to teaching and passing on his art and he has launched a regular column in Sound & Recording Magazine titled “The Road to Turntablists”, wherein he breaks down techniques like scratching and beat-juggling for aspiring DJs.

 

 

Mr Switch (born Anthony John Culverwell) is a British DJ and turntablist hailing from Birmingham, England. He is widely celebrated for his technical mastery and multiple world titles including winning the DMC world title in 2014.

Mr Switch first entered the world of DJing and turntablism at a young age, developing his style of scratching, beat-juggling and creative routines. He rose through the UK battle circuit, quickly making a name for himself in the 2000s.

Competitive Achievements

• In 2008 he claimed the title in the prestigious DMC World DJ Championships Battle for World Supremacy category, and went on to defend it in 2009 and 2010—becoming the first DJ to win that category three years in a row.
• Later, under his moniker Mr Switch, he won the standard DMC World DJ Champion title in 2014, marking his fourth world championship.

Mr Switch is distinguished by how he blends battle-level technique with broad musical appeal. His sets frequently shift between hip-hop, drum and bass, electro-swing, and other genres..

He has also embraced crossover performance contexts—most notably becoming the first DJ ever to perform as soloist at the BBC Proms (2011) with Gabriel Prokofiev’s Concerto for Turntables & Orchestra, merging classical music with hip-hop turntablism.

 

Dj Vekked commented on his YouTube video that he is right handed and uses his strong hand on the fader.

DJ Vekked (real name Jacob “Meyer” Vekked) is a Canadian turntablist who has carved out a celebrated place in the competitive DJ world thanks to his technical ingenuity, battle-tested routines, and prolific achievements. He won the DMC classic category of the world championship in 2015 and has won in every category of the DMC World Championships.

Growing up in Ontario, Canada, Vekked developed his scratch and turntablism skills in a region less saturated with DJ-battle legends than traditional U.S./Europe hubs. His breakthrough came when he began to win national titles and then made a global impact by claiming world championships in major formats such as the (DMC) and International DJ Association (IDA) competitions.

Among his many feats:

• He became the first DJ to win both a DMC Online World Championship and the DMC World DJ Championship in the same year.
• He has earned an unprecedented total of seven world DJ championship titles, making him one of the most decorated competition turntablists.
• His 2015 world-championship winning routine quickly became viral, garnering millions of views and crossing over into mainstream media.

What sets Vekked apart is his ability to blend raw technical wizardry (scratch patterns, beat juggling) with crowd-pleasing theatricality and musicality. He treats the turntables not just as playback machines but as instruments of performance: routines often feature custom-produced tracks, unique sound design, and clever transitions. For example, he has used custom build “turntable guitar” hybrids in his live shows.

Beyond the competitive circuit, Vekked has toured across North America, headlined major music festivals, and expanded into production and broadcast work. He has created original compositions for television shows and has worked with major brands and events—demonstrating that turntablism can bridge into broader entertainment domains.

 

Real name: Yoann Rousseau
Origin: Décines-Charpieu (near Lyon), France

DJ FLY discovered turntables around 1998, while still a teenager in the Lyon region of France. DJ FLY has an impressive battle record and he became a national powerhouse in France, winning multiple French DMC championships. He then moved onto the global stage and won the prestigious DMC World DJ Championships in 2008, 2013, and again in 2024—solidifying his status as one of the very best in the world.

DJ FLY is known for his highly technical scratching, beat-juggling, musicality and performance flair. He blends hip-hop roots with influences from electro, bass music, and even symphonic elements.

He is also a founding member of the turntablist collective Scratch Bandits Crew, in which he and other DJs produce original compositions using scratching techniques.

Beyond competitions, DJ FLY has performed around the world: in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and more. His shows range from club sets to festivals, where he brings a combination of technical skills and music selection.

He also produces music and releases specialist vinyl tools for turntablists.

DJ JFB is a UK-based turntablist and DJ and former world DMC champion.

Hailing from Brighton in England, JFB has roots in both French and Hungarian ancestry, enriching his international outlook on music and performance. His style blends hip-hop origins with drum & bass, breakbeat, funk and dubstep — his sets are eclectic yet razor-sharp, using turntables not just as playback devices, but as instruments in their own right. He’s known for routines that mix beat-juggling, scratching, genre switches, and physical showmanship.

Accolades & Competitive Highlights

• JFB won multiple UK DMC (Disco Mix Club) Championships (notably in 2007, 2011 and 2015).
• In 2021, he achieved a major milestone by taking the DMC World DJ Championship, and in the same year claimed the titles for World Beat Juggling and World DJ Team with his partner.
• He was also the Red Bull 3Style European Wildcard Champion in 2016, further demonstrating his range in both battle-DJ and open format styles.

Beyond competing, JFB frequently headlines clubs and festivals globally, bringing his dynamic turntable-based sets to audiences from intimate venues to large-scale festivals. He’s worked with major artists and brands, released edits and remixes, and been involved in music production and broadcast DJ roles (including sports league events). His live shows are characterized by high energy, genre fluidity and technical finesse — whether he’s dropping drum & bass on vinyl or executing complex routines that only seasoned turntablists fully appreciate.

JFB stands out for bridging the gap between pure turntablist art (scratching, routines) and broad crowd-pleasing DJ performance. He helped renew visibility of UK-based turntablism in the global scene.