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Learn about Career and Life of DJ Q Bert

DJ Q Bert is one of the most famous DJs in the world, and he has worked hard to achieve his success. In this blog post, we will take a look at his career and life. We will also discuss some of the techniques that he uses to create his amazing mixes. So if you are interested in becoming a DJ, make sure to keep reading!

Who is DJ Q Bert?

Richard Quitevis, also known as DJ Qbert or Qbert, is an American turntablist and composer who was born on October 7, 1969. He won the 2010 America’s Best DJ award, won the DMC USA Champion title in 1991 (solo), and won the DMC World Champion title in 1992 and 1993.

As one of the most creative turntablists in the world, DJ Q-Bert is well known. The DJ, who was born in San Francisco, invented a number of extremely intricate scratching methods (including the iconic crab scratch), placing a strong emphasis on quick, percussion-driven motions and the creative use of spoken word samples. In addition to official albums and mixtapes, he has also launched an online DJ school and produced innumerable DJ battle tool records and instructional films. He was born Richard Quitevis and made his debut in the early 1990s underground turntablist scene. He later joined the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, a group of Bay Area DJs who would go on to achieve fame.

The Piklz were committed to re-establishing the DJ’s position in rap music, along with other Bay Area groups like the X-Men and the World Famous Beat Junkies. Q-Bert and the Skratch Piklz, which also included Mix Master Mike, DJ Disk, D-Styles, and Yogafrog, advocated a shift away from the empty showmanship DJ’ing had become in favor of the crucial components of technique and musicianship. They did this by looking backward into the past of rap and forward into its future. Each member of the group handled duties such as solos, basslines, and drums, operating as a band. In particular, Q-Bert set out on a mission outside the rap scene in an effort to remove myths about the DJ’s craft by imparting knowledge and spreading the turntable gospel.

DJ expertise for Q-Bert was acknowledged as early as 1985. He started DJing in 1990 alongside Mix Master Mike and DJ Apollo. Following a performance in New York City, the group received an invitation to join the renowned Rock Steady Crew. The Rock Steady DJs, as they advertised themselves, accepted. The Rock Steady DJs (later known as the DreamTeam after Apollo quit in 1993) won the World Championship the next three years after Q-Bert won the American division of the Disco Mixing Club (DMC) World Championship in 1991. Since they were deterring other DJs from competing, they were requested to refrain from participating in any more events. They were urged to refrain from participating in upcoming competitions because they were deterring other DJs from joining, but Q-Bert eventually joined the competition’s judging panel and was inducted into the DMC Hall of Fame together with Mix Master Mike.

Beginning with Battle Breaks, ascribed to Psychedelic Skratch Bastards, Q-Bert and the other Rock Steady DJs released battle tools and breakbeat songs through their Dirt Style Records label in 1992. In 1993, Quitevis released fighting tool albums under the name Darth Fader (often with DJ Disk, under the alias Scarecrow Willy). The mixtape Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik by Q-Bert, a 60-minute relentless scratch and breakbeat extravaganza that made The Wire magazine’s essential Turntablism Primer list in January 1999, helped raise his popularity.

The introduction of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz in 1995 led to more prominence. The group performed worldwide throughout the latter part of the 1990s. They also produced a number of mix CDs, videos, and the 1996 EP Invisibl Skratch Piklz Vs Da Klaz Uv Deth, which was released by Asphodel. While teaching seminars and tutorials on DJ history and technique in middle schools, high schools, and universities (as well as on the Turntable TV videos), various members of the group took their craft outside of the live performance setting.

Q-Bert contributed his skillful scratching to Dr. Octagon’s Dr. Octagonecologyst album in 1996. The epic Wave Twisters Episode 7 Million: Sonic Wars Within the Protons, probably the first turntablist concept album, marked Q-traditional Bert’s solo debut in 1998 after two volumes of the Needle Thrashers battle tool series. Wave Twisters won a lot of praise from the critics and was later made into an animated feature film. During their farewell performance at Skratchcon 2000, where Q-Bert gave a lecture, The Piklz announced their dissolution in 2000. Aside from inventing the QFO, an all-in-one mixer/turntable that was released, Q-Bert continued to distribute DJ tools and movies through Dirt Style and Thud Rumble (sometimes under the puppet persona Skratchy Seal).

A full vocal album starring Kool Keith, Mr. Lif, El-P, and others called GalaXXXian and the Kickstarter-funded Extraterrestria were both published by Q-Bert in 2014. A very small number of copies of both albums were available as a box set with nine die-cut jigsaw pieces that each contained unique tracks, mixes, and breaks. The albums had stand-alone digital releases, and the puzzle parts were also offered separately. In 2016, The Skratch Piklz reformed and issued their debut album, The 13th Floor, via Alpha Pup and Thud Rumble. In 2017, Q-Bert released the self-explanatory double LP Dirt Style Twenty-Fifth Anniversary 1992-2017, which featured hundreds of scratch samples.

DJ Q Bert’s early life

On October 7, 1969, Richard Quitevis was born to Filipino immigrants from Bacolod, Negros Occidental, and Ilocos Sur. Luther Burbank Middle School and Balboa High School, where he attended while growing up on Moscow Street in San Francisco’s Excelsior District, are both where he received his education. Qbert received his first Fisher-Price turntable when he was a little child, but he didn’t begin playing with records until he was 15 years old. He was influenced by the local hip-hop scene’s street performers and graffiti painters in the middle of the 1980s. In a DJ duel held in the cafeteria of Balboa’s school, Mix Master Mike and he initially met; the two have since been close friends.

DJ Q Bert’s career

In 1990, Mix Master Mike and DJ Apollo recruited Qbert to join them in a band named FM20. When FM20 was performing in New York City, Crazy Legs noticed them and offered them to join the Rock Steady Crew. They agreed to the invitation to join the crew. They subsequently went on to win the 1992 Disco Mix Club Global DJ Championships (DMC) world championship under the name Rock Steady DJs.

Additionally, Qbert was a founding member of the group Invisibl Skratch Piklz. The Skratch Piklz were the first turntablist crew to use the band concept in turntablism, layering drums, basslines, and scratch solos on top of one another, even though there were other turntablist crews before the Invisibl Skratch Piklz.

Together with fellow Skratch Piklz, Qbert produced the Turntable TV video series. The first five episodes, which are no longer available, were broadcast on VHS and featured DJ-related demos, showcases, skits, and other material.

The solo albums by Qbert include Wave Twisters from 1998 and Demolition Pumpkin Squeeze Musik from 1994. The latter record, which was eventually adapted into an animated film with the same name, was produced mostly using samplers and rhythm machines as opposed to turntables. In contrast to the way that Disney’s Fantasia was created, the animators and digital artists for the 2001 film Wave Twisters had to create pictures and movements to the pre-recorded music.

More recently, he collaborated with Vestax to create the all-in-one scratching tool known as the QFO. The QFO combines the crossfader of a mixer with a turntable. He released the Ortofon Qbert turntable cartridge in 2006 as a new product.

Through the ArtistWorks website, Qbert introduced the Qbert Skratch University in May 2009, an engaging online learning environment and community for DJs. DJ Q-Bert received a DMC Legend jacket during the DMC World DJ Championships 2016 event.

 

Awards and credentials

  • America’s Best DJ 2010
  • DMC USA Champion 1991 (solo)
  • DMC World Champion 1992 – Rock Steady DJs (Qbert, Mix Master Mike & Apollo)
  • DMC World Champion 1993 – Dreamteam (Qbert & Mix Master Mike)
  • DMC DJ Hall of Fame (along with Mix Master Mike)
  • Featured in Hang the DJ by Marco & Mauro La Villa – Cannes Film Festival, France
  • Appears in the documentary film Modulations – Sundance Festival, Utah
  • Appears in the documentary Scratch – Sundance Festival, Utah
  • Appears in his own animated/live-action movie Wave Twisters
  • FAQs

    What is the real name of DJ Q Bert?

    The real name of DJ Q Bert is Richard Quitevis.

    Where is DJ Q Bert from?

    DJ Q Bert is from San Francisco, California.

    How long has DJ Q Bert been Djing?

    DJ Q Bert has been DJing since the early 1990s.

    What are some of DJ Q Bert’s most popular songs?

    Some of DJ Q Bert’s most popular songs include “Wave Twisters,” “Super Seal Scratch Sentences,” and “Skratch Makology.”

    What is DJ Q Bert’s website?

    DJ Q Bert’s website is http://www.djqbert.com/.

    What is DJ Q Bert’s worth net?

    DJ Q Bert’s net worth is estimated to be $8 million.

    Where does DJ QBert live?

    DJ QBert lives in San Francisco, California.

    What is DJ QBert nationality?

    DJ QBert’s nationality is American.

    What turntables does DJ QBert use?

    DJ QBert uses the Vestax QFO and the Rane TTM 57SL.

    What language does qbert speak?

    DJ QBert is the owner of Skratch Makademiks.

    Is Fix-It Felix a real game?

    No, Fix-It Felix is not a real game. It is a character in the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph.

    How did DJ QBert start his career?

    DJ QBert started his career by winning a local DJ battle in San Francisco.

    What is a DJ?

    A DJ is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. DJs typically use turntables, mixers, and headphones to control their sound.

    What does a DJ do?

    A DJ typically plays music for an audience, using turntables, mixers, and headphones to control their sound. DJs may also create remixes of songs or produce original tracks.

    What is scratching?

    Scratching is a technique used by DJs to create unique sound effects by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable.

    How do I become a DJ?

    There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as becoming a DJ requires a combination of talent, practice, and networking. However, some tips on how to become a successful DJ include studying the craft, honing your skillset, and building industry connections.

    How much do DJs earn?

    DJs typically earn an hourly wage, with rates varying depending on the size and location of the event. For example, a DJ playing at a small club in a small town may earn $50 per hour, while a DJ playing at a large festival in a major city could earn $500 or more per hour.

    How many hours do DJs work?

    DJs typically work for 4-8 hours at a time, although their work schedule will vary depending on the size and location of the event. For example, a DJ playing at a small club in a small town may only play for 2-4 hours, while a DJ playing at a large festival in a major city could play for 8 hours or more.

    What is the difference between a DJ and a producer?

    A producer is someone who creates music, either by writing and recording original tracks or by remixing existing songs. A DJ, on the other hand, plays recorded music for an audience. While some DJs also produce music, it is not a requirement of the job.

    What is the difference between a DJ and a turntablist?

    A turntablist is a type of DJ who uses turntables to create music, often by scratchin vinyl records. Turntablism is considered an art form, and turntablists typically have extensive training in music theory and composition. while all DJs use turntables, not all DJs are turntablists.

    What is the difference between a DJ and an MC?

    An MC, or emcee, is a type of rapper who introduces and plays music for an audience. While all DJs play music for an audience, not all DJs are also MCs. Additionally, while all MCs play music for an audience, not all MCs are also DJs.

 

Conclusion

If you are interested in learning more about DJ Q Bert’s career and life, or if you would like to contact him for a booking, please visit his website at DJ Oneman. We hope you have enjoyed this article and that it has given you some insight into the world of one of the most innovative and well-respected DJs in the industry.