The world’s longest-running, most prestigious DJ battle – the DMC World Championship Final – will take place in San Francisco for the first time ever, on a night teeming with legendary turntablists and hip-hop stars.
Twenty national DMC champions from across the globe will descend on the city to compete for the most coveted DJ title in the world, at The Midway, on November 3. Each finalist, including defending world champ K-Swizz, who is flying in from New Zealand, will have only six minutes to blow the judges’ minds. The newly crowned DMC World Champion 2023 will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Craze, A-Trak, DJ Cash Money, DJ Kentaro, DJ David, DJ Noize, DJ Fly, the late Grandmaster Roc Raida and many others.
Headlining the night will be Mix Master Mike who won two DMC world titles as part of the Rock Steady DJs and The Dream Team. His work with The Beastie Boys is also legendary, and he’ll be honoured on the night with the DMC Lifetime Achievement Award. Also appearing will be heavyweight hip-hop superstars Dilated Peoples (DJ Babu, Evidence and Rakaa), alongside iconic scratch DJ crew Invisbl Skratch Piklz (Shortkut, DJ Qbert and D-Styles), creating one of the biggest west coast line-ups of the year.
Pioneer of electronic trap and two-times French national champion UZ, aka DJ Troubl, will drop a special set, alongside DMC World Champion Kentaro, from Japan, and Prime Cuts from the UK’s indomitable Scratch Perverts, the first crew to become DMC World Team Champions. Jules Smith, DMC Events Director, said: “This is the first year DMC has hosted a live world final since the pandemic, and what a city to restart our journey; San Francisco is one of the homes of turntablism.”
Established in 1985, the DMC World Championships has been instrumental in promoting DJ culture and turntablism since its inception. With past finals held in such illustrious London venues as The Royal Albert Hall, the O2 and Wembley Arena, now is the time for one of North America’s premier venues to host this year’s competition. All ages are welcome at The Midway. Alongside the traditional DMC world final, Technics presents the DMC Battle For World Supremacy – a rapid head-to-head knockout battle – with current world supremacy champ DJ Topic, from France, defending his title.
Dan Prince, Director at DMC, commented: “We’re so excited to bring the world finals to San Francisco this year. My first experience of a DMC final was seeing Chad Jackson crowned the world’s best at London’s Royal Albert Hall, in 1987, when James Brown, Run DMC and Roxanne Shante were also on the bill. This year’s world final, however, promises to be the greatest night in DMC turntable history yet.”
What: 2023 DMC World DJ Final & 2023 DMC Battle for World Supremacy
Where: The Midway, 900 Marin St, San Francisco
When: Friday, November 3, 7.30pm – 2am