RHINO The Magazine Vol. 1 Issue 3 | Page 24

DJ J Scratch Tell us a little about yourself DJ J Scratch... I hail from Ventura County, CA, the 805 and have been DJing for about 36 Years. I initially started mixing when I saw DJ Chris “the Glove” Taylor DJing for Ice T at a club called The Radio. There were many pillars in my life that motivated me throughout my career, but that was one of the 1st; in addition to my involvement with a gentleman named Howard Thomas who took me under his wing at the age of 14. Do you think music played in strip clubs has a huge impact on the music industry? Huge. Many artist and labels try to break their new records in strip clubs, before releasing it to the mainstream. The idea is, if it’s a hit in the clubs, it will be a hit on the airwaves. Our industry is very honest like that. If the girls don’t like it, who will? Can a strip club DJ make or break an artist? Possibly, especially the DJs with large fan bases outside of the clubs. For instance, at the radio station I work for they always ask me “What’s the top 20 songs in the strip club?” - Because most stations want to be female friendly, and as the dancers are the ones who request the songs; the feedback is pretty accurate. What’s the difference between spinning in a regular club and a strip club? There’s no comparison. In the strip clubs you are responsible for the entire tone of the dancers and guests. So it’s important to maintain a fun upbeat atmosphere. In a night club you 24 Rhino The Magazine