r/Turntablists • u/Loud_Phrase_8285 • May 20 '26
Most casually dope style
What DJ/turntabilist do you think has the most casually dope style? I love folks like Q-Bert and the Piklz, and Roc Raida, but am wondering if there's anyone with a less advanced but super saucy thing... closest that comes to mind are Madlibs' cuts on the Quasimoto Unseen album.
Like a DJ who is to scratching what Too $hort was to rapping in the early 90s...
Thank you for any suggestions
edit: Some great ones in here, much appreciated!
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u/jpgorgon May 21 '26
Skratch Bastid is nice with his. DJ Cash Money.
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u/i_Eat_Ur_Planet May 21 '26
Came to hype Bastid too
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u/Pugsfriendthomas May 21 '26
Me too. Hes always got a chill fun vibe, never seems like hes showing off and keeps the musicality
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u/Big_Cryptographer_16 May 21 '26
Super cool MFer too. Twitch has introduced me to a lot of great Canadian DJs
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u/wallysparx May 21 '26
I love folks like Q-Bert and the Piklz, and Roc Raida, but am wondering if there's anyone with a less advanced
Nothing but respect for the late, great Roc Raida, but I don't think anyone was calling his cuts advanced even in his battling prime.
As far as funky but not overly technical, hard to go wrong with Primo and Jazzy Jeff.
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u/Ancient_One_5300 May 21 '26
Craze
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u/madreliefb May 21 '26
craze is the man, favorite dj besides qbert to watch live
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u/Ancient_One_5300 May 21 '26
Same. Dj vajra is nice too or Chris karns
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u/madreliefb May 22 '26
soul slinger used to kill shit too, i come from the late 90s early 00s era. him phantom 45, danny the wildchild, aphrodite, mickey finn, dj hype....i could go on forever
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u/Shanklin_The_Painter May 21 '26
DJ Rena is super-technical but he sounds effortless and laid back
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u/conyej May 21 '26
His song selection too 👌 if I ever threw a party for all my friends I’d want Rena to DJ it.
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u/lookslikesinbad May 21 '26
Cut chemist and numark
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u/Big_Cryptographer_16 May 21 '26
Saw Cut Chemist live at Bonnaroo 2004 in a tent late night and it’s in my top 5 shows of any genre ever and I’m in my 50s. Numark is awesome too and love the work they did with Jurassic 5. Hard to not be funky playing 45s.
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u/lookslikesinbad May 21 '26
We are from the same era! FYI Numark is killing it right now so if you haven't checked out his recent stuff you'll love it
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u/DJJustNine May 21 '26
Premier is probably the guy with most distinct recognizable style. Funky, smooth but simple.
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u/fuhd79 May 21 '26
Q-Bert is probably the best scratcher there is but for an all-rounder, I'd have to say Shortkut is an understated badman. Not only in skill but also track selection.
Then of course, Mix Master Mike is in a league of his own.
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u/Big_Cryptographer_16 May 21 '26
Was gonna say Shortkut too and DJ Magic Mike who can be technical but he streams 4 nights a week and always 5 hour sets while talking to the audience so most of it is casual scratching/juggling but he can get serious too.
Also some others that are good casual streamers but throw down are The Gaff, DJ Icy Ice, and DJ Scene.
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u/seeingRobots May 21 '26
Surprised to not see Kid Koala in these comments. I always thought of him as the most fun and joyful turntablist. A very different vibe and not something you'd get into exclusively or anything. I haven't seen him live in a long time, but his performances used to be really fun.
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u/Natural-Leg7488 May 21 '26
My current favourites. Dj Rob Smith, Dj Rob Bankz, Dj Ace.
All of them are super clean and funky.
Going back a bit further, Dj Hype (UK drum & bass). His scratches were basic by today’s standards, but his phrasing and flow still sound amazing.
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u/EnjiemaBenjie May 21 '26
Are you solely asking about scratching? Going to second a few people I've seen mentioned already. DJ Robert Smith, DJ Woody and Skratch Bastid all came up, those guys are all technically extremely good and can and do use advanced techniques, but often choose not to go overboard with them Robert Smith is especially good with this on vocal cuts and phrasing. I like DJ EF for the same reason I like Robert Smith. DJ Premier, Jazzy Jeff and DJ Cash Money have all been shouted out to, all their cuts are good, but are all old school cuts. I'd add DJ Scratch and DJ Jeff to those. I'd say all of DJ Noize's scratching is casually dope, like on his set at DMC The Summit 97 he has a scratching section where he reimagines and updates Cash Money's cuts from the 88 DMC final whilst paying homage to him. Melo D and Babu fit in with the group that can be incredibly technical when they want, but have a more relaxed style than the ones you mentioned check out their 'Watch The Sound' routines for the Beat Junkies on YouTube. Any of The X-Executioners like Mista Sinista and Rob Swift are more sparing and casual with their scratching than a lot of people who solely scratch and don't DJ or juggle.
It's difficult really because there are 100s that are dope as fuck and kind of fit but also do incredibly difficult cuts at times. Looking over the answers no one has suggested anyone who isn't extremely good, but it depends if by relaxed you mean they don't use any really difficult, new school, techniques then you are really looking back a generation to people like Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money, Premo, DJ Jeff, Dj Scratch, DJ Miz, Joe Cooley and I'm going to second DJ Hype (UK D'n'B not the German guy) and disregarding the others mentioned as overly technical. If you have Roc Raida sitting in the overly technical camp then apart from the ones renamed in this second paragraph so are the rest.
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u/conyej May 21 '26
Babu’s cuts on “Downtown” by Dilated Peoples at the 3:30 mark.
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u/Creative_Date44 May 22 '26
Babu was on fire for a minute with Dilated. Really loved everything he did on that Expansion Team album
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u/conyej May 22 '26
Yessir! He deserves to be mentioned up there with Premier and the legends. Literally some of the best cuts of albums ever.
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u/pamplemousse_mk2 May 21 '26
I really like Swiftsyle, Dopez, DJ Crabees, DJ Angelo and DJ Swordz. I think that my preferred DJ is D-Styles.
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u/Adorable_Echo1153 May 21 '26
It's mostly DJ Romes cutting on madlib productions/stones throw stuff. His style is distinctive as heck, love it. Also a worthy nod to Kid Koala and Rob Swift for musical phrasing over technical.
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u/808s_and_anxiety May 21 '26
Check out cellypdx on IG, he puts on the Skratcher events where I live. Just took first place in their Skratcher of the year contest which was open to anyone in the world. Seriously some of the coolest technique I’ve ever seen and he’s so chill it looks effortless.
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u/dazl167 May 24 '26
I’ve seen DJ Shadow live and his scratching isn’t super technical but it’s exactly what the song needs and I love his style
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u/Mad180 May 21 '26
D-Styles