Listen to Cutmaster Swift in the mix:
‘The Missing Mix Volumes No.3’
Introducing Cutmaster Swift
DMC UK Champion (1988, 1989 & 1996)
DMC World Champion (1989)
UK Team Champion (The En4cers 1999)
DMC Hall of Fame (2001)
Without doubt Cutmaster Swift (CMS), is one of UK’s original architect’s of the DJ Turntablist culture, originally know as scratch mixing. Encouraged by his father to explore music to the full by giving him his first record player was the foundation of CMS music knowledge and DJ skills.
He began his close association with Hip Hop (1st Generation UK) as a Breakdancer, initially for fun, and during secondary school he formed the Crash Crew a 5 B-Boy outfit. It wasn’t until he was initiated into a crew called the Imperial Mixers in ’84 that he began to appear at local parks and community events following the paths of the big sounds systems like Rap Attack and Mastermind.
1987 – Tim Westwood (he would dance regularly at Westwood’s early jams) had just joined London’s Capital Radio & gave CMS the opportunity to present regular mixes on his late night show, these all eventually circulated throughout the UK’s underground and growing scene giving CMS even more popularity.
1988 – When it was suggested that he enter the DMC championships in ’88 as back up to his sparing partner DJ Pogo, it seemed like a logical move to make. “The idea was if Pogo didn’t win then I naturally would be the alternative, that way someone from our establishment would win either way.” Of course what happened was that CMS, (by his own admission one of the first real entertainer DJs), won outright, and a DMC career was carved “Winning the DMC put me on an international level; it opened up the world for me. I appeared everywhere, even Hong Kong & Australia.”
1989 – He was the first champion to successfully defend his DMC UK title and went on to win the World DJ Championships in 1990. CMS took a break and began to concentrate on music production and was invited to regularly judge at the DMC’s and even to host the championships from 1995 till 2004.
1996 – CMS came out of competition retirement to prove a point that the UK’s DJs/ Turntablist’s had grown lazy so it wasn’t a surprise he went on to win the UK DMC championships that year, he also became the first ever champion to achieve this title 3 times. This entry back into the championship also paved the way for CMS to join the DMC HQ.
1999 – DMC introduced the World Team Championships to the competition. CMS alongside his sparing buddies DJ Pogo & Biznizz finally adopted a title, The En4cers and took the UK’s first team title from the favourites, The Scratch Perverts.
Present: CMS is now fully employed by DMC & has expanded his music knowledge to produce a series of special DJ LP’s called ‘Battle Breaks’. He has also taught a certified mixing course at DMC HQ for budding DJ’s and those who want to improve their skills by learning the art form from the master. As well as this, he also produces the DMC DJ Championship’s DVD’s and his DJ skills have appeared in various music productions & remixes for artists such as Jazzie B through to Suggs (Madness). He can still be seen touring the world doing what he does best being a real entertaining DJ!