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momma Cir-0mm: - Wednesday. February a, 201.; . 21 l Scratching it Ollt O O O I O O I I Local D] Vekked wins two world titles; at prestigious musrc campetztwns m Europe BYBOBVIMNM: Vecs." he has won titles at both the DMC (Wrinkle Stat? Worlds in 2012 and capped it of? with an IDA championship. rowing up in a small southern 'It wasn't until 20l I and Hamilton GOntario town where country music regional when I started doing any sort of i and the golden oldies dominated the technical stuff in front of people.” said radio dial might not seem like inspiration Meyer. “I was pretty nervous. but I had been l for a world champion hip hop DI. practicing pretty hard for it.’ I But Waterloo's lake “DJ Vekked" Meyer He won the qualifier and followed that up ; didn‘t let that lack of hip hop culture in his with a win at nationals earning him a berth ' home town of Paisley keep him from at the DMC Worlds. “Up until that point I scratching his way to a title at the lntema- didn't have any clue where I stood,” said tional DI Association Championships in Meyer. “I wouldn't have predicted that I’d i Poland in December. win.” “It opens up a lot of opportunities.“ said Meyer deferred his entry to the DMC Meyer about his most recent world title. "Dl Worlds until this year because he wasn't sure Q-Bert, a big name in turntables. flew me .. W. a“ 53%;,“ hewas quiteready. “I didn't think my routine down to San Francisco to do a showcase. .‘ , ’ t was up to the standards I'd want to bring to Those are things I never really dreamed of theWorlds.” he said. happening for a long time.” " f So he spent the bulk of 2012 perfecting Meyer, 25. said he hadn't even seen his routine and delivered it at the DMC somebody scratching until he spotted some 4 Worlds in England in September. samples on YouTube. Scratching involves . . “It was the only category that no Canadi- moving an old-fashioned vinyl record for- » an has won previously,“ said Meyer. ‘It was ward and backward with the needle on a . in the DMC Battle for World Supremacy and turntable and. generating unique sounds it came out of nowhere. and rhythms . "At the start of the year. my rough goal It’sservedasthebackbeatand thegroove I wastogototheWorldsandgetinthetopS,l for a lot of club and house music. and has ,, didn't expect to win anything," made stars of some high profile Dis that L. ' Meyer said nerves didn't play a factor at have turned it into an art form as well as its -, = ' “3* all in his performance. In fact, he felt com- own music category. The mash up, taking 4‘ ' ‘ .. % fortable in the European setting where two recognizable music artists and spinning " a: ' ‘: kw: nobody knewth except for his music. them together in a new way, has become a it»; ~ 'I realized that there wasn’t a single per- part of the pop culture vernacular and can can there who knew me and there was no be seen on such popular shows as Glee and Expectations.” said Meyer. ‘If l messed up it other music-themed shows like American wouldn't be any different, nobody had any Idol. 7' idea of what I was going to do. So when Meyer was able to spot some of 'It took a lot of pressure off of me.‘ that music magic being performed online he That newfound confidence extended to was quite literally hooked. his time in Poland in December. Once again “Before that I just heard scratching like he rose to the challenge. that on songs, I never really saw it and saw “I let the music do my speaking for me." how it was being done,” he said. “But when I Waterloo‘s DJ Vekked. aka Jake Meyer, my won world tides in England and Poland. said Meyer. "I tried to do that at least” saw that. it kind of solidified my choice." WWWUm-m He said he has a few more competitions A philosophy major at Wilfrid Laurier when he started entering DI battles back in Meyer. "I don't really do long mixed sets. I to conquer and will look to add another title University, it also appealed to his creative 2005 in Toronto. It was a regional qualifier mostly try to perform original compositions next year. side and he considers himself a musician for the DMC Worlds. the planet's biggest D] with sampling and things. And I'm open to “There's still the six minute category that instead of somebody just spinning some competition. draw from anywhere including dnrms and I'd like to win,” said Meyer. “It's the oldest tunes on the turntable. He flamed out in his first few years of base. salsa music and even from Disney running DI battle that exists right now and l “The line between a D], a producer and a competition but received some timely movies and rock songs The end result has a that’s the one everybody wants to win the musician is really. really, blurred right now." advice from the 2003 Canadian Supremacy hip-hop feel to it and has a good drumbeats most. said Meyer. "I definitely consider myself champ~Dl Rock. He told Meyer not to bat- to it andgood breaks.” “I still have some unfinished business more on the musician side than 3 Di or a tie for the sake of battling, but battle to bring It was the kick-start he needed. and has there. My plan for 2013 is I’m going to come producer, because I'm playing the turntable something new to the art form. propelled him to some lofty results in the even harder this year." Iikean instrument.” “My goal is to always to make something past couple of years. Going under the DI Vekked‘s next local music showcase is That distinction was reinforced to him new, not just play other people's stuff," said moniker of D] Vekked. pronounced ”DJ at Maxwell's MusicHouse Feb. 13. ' kg" ‘31-“ .‘V :. . 4" i; 1}“ t. ‘ 2}; 3-4: ' ‘5‘ '- . ,3?” g - we fit 6 ~. A}. ’ . .1E.§$‘; ‘ ”(a "if ”It? . 57W”?! . ~ I a .. $33., ‘51; .;; ’1 t 1”! ‘ - ya I a \ L» .. I ‘ -. in: a; .- ‘ ' ~ . ~ .» 'i 1 g 3* ‘ «34:; , if "“ .- lL A. 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