International Turntablist Federation Explained

The International Turntablist Federation (ITF) was an organization which held a series of DJ battles during the rise of turntablism in the late 90s and early 2000s. The ITF is notable for introducing the concept of category competitions.^[1] The categories included advancement, scratching, beat juggling, and team.^{[2] [3]}

The ITF eventually evolved into the IDA,^[4] but during its height in the early 2000s, the ITF was considered a close second to the DMC^[5] in the world of international DJ battles. Many of the winners (e.g., A-Trak, Craze, i.e. Merge, Rafik, and C2C) were prominent members of the turntablist community and were champions in other competitions.^[6]

Advancement Category Winners

• 1996 - Total Eclipse - First ITF battle^{[7] [8] [9]}
• 1997 - Vinroc
• 1998 - Vinroc
• 1999 - A-Trak
• 2000 - A-Trak
• 2001 - Woody - First European ITF Champion^[10]
• 2002 - Kodh
• 2003 - Tiger Style^{[11] [12] [13]}
• 2004 - Rafik
• 2005 - Pro Zeiko

Scratch Category Winners

• 1997 - Babu
• 1998 - Craze^[14]
• 1999 - Prime Cuts^[15]
• 2000 - Prime Cuts
• 2001 - Spryte One^[16]
• 2002 - i.e. Merge
• 2003 - Flip^[17]
• 2004 - Rafik^[18]
• 2005 - Rafik

Beat Juggling Category Winners

• 1997 - Babu
• 1998 - Develop
• 1999 - Lil Jaz^{[19] [20]}
• 2000 - Infamous
• 2001 - Jr. Flo
• 2002 - Troubl
• 2003 - Kid Fresh^[21]
• 2004 - Rasgunyado
• 2005 - Pro Zeiko^[22]

Team Category Winners

• 1997 - Beat Junkies^[23]
• 1998 - Beat Junkies ^[24]
• 1999 - Allies
• 2000 - Scratch Action Hiro
• 2001 - Nocturnal Sound Crew ^[25]
• 2002 - Nocturnal Sound Crew
• 2003 - Lordz of Fitness^{[26] [27]}
• 2004 - Lordz of Fitness
• 2005 - C2C

Experimental Category Winners

• 2005 J-RED (World's first Visual routine)

References

1. News: Dunlevy . T . Scratch city: DJing is no longer the solitary art it was a few years ago. montreal's turntablist community is booming . 4 February 2024 . . 19 June 1999 . Montreal.
2. Web site: NMS, ITF, Allies Beatdown Champs - MUSIC/DJ RELATED. DIGITAL VERTIGO.
3. Book: DJ Skills: The Essential Guide to Mixing and Scratching . Google Books. 9781136123108. Webber. Stephen. 21 August 2012.
4. Web site: Interview with IDA: International DJ Association | ArtistWorks. my.artistworks.com.
5. Web site: The X-Ecutioner: Roc Raida on Turntablism and the Evolution of the Hip-Hop DJ. daily.redbullmusicacademy.com.
6. Book: Media, Learning, and Sites of Possibility. Marc Lamont. Hill. Lalitha. Vasudevan. May 30, 2007. Peter Lang. 9780820486567. Google Books.
7. Web site: various - 1997 I.T.F. World Dj Championships. Discogs.
8. Web site: A brief history of scratching. September 24, 2015.
9. Web site: ITF . Beat Junkies .
10. Web site: Routine DJ Woody. DJ Tech Tools.
11. Web site: ITF 2003 World Finals. Youtube.
12. Web site: DJ Tigerstyle. Discogs.
13. Web site: Accomplishments : TigerStyle.
14. Web site: Craze – Artists. www.insomniac.com.
15. Web site: A-Trak vs. Prime Cuts 1999 ITF: was there a tie breaker? - MUSIC/DJ RELATED. DIGITAL VERTIGO.
16. Web site: Next up,…The always entertaining DJ SPRYTE. 88 Ways....
17. Web site: ITF 2003 World Finals. Youtube.
18. Web site: ABOUT | DJ Rafik.
19. Web site: Lil' Jaz. Discogs.
20. Book: Higgins, Dalton. Hip Hop World: A Groundwork Guide. October 1, 2009. Groundwood Books Ltd. 9781554982257. Google Books.
21. Web site: ITF 2003 World Finals. Youtube.
22. Web site: r/Turntablists - An Oral History of the International Turntablist Federation (ITF). If you read this subreddit, this was written for you.. reddit.
23. Web site: Crew. Beat Junkies.
24. Web site: Beat Junkies Retain ITF Title. https://web.archive.org/web/20200604163118/http://www.mtv.com/news/504159/beat-junkies-retain-itf-title/ . dead . June 4, 2020 . MTV.
25. Web site: DJ SSS Solution. Pow Wow Hawaii.
26. Web site: ITF 2003 World Finals. Youtube.
27. Web site: Rasgunyado. Discogs.