SCRATCH is a feature-length documentary film that explores the world of the hip-hop DJ. From the birth of hip-hop, when pioneering DJ's began extending breaks on their party records (which helped inspire break dancing and rap), to the invention of scratching and "beat-juggling" vinyl, to its recent explosion as a musical movement called "turntablism," it's a story of unknown underdogs and serious virtuosos who are radically changing the way we hear, play and create music.

The film features some of the world's best DJ's, whether they're famous for solo scratching, competing in international DJ battles, playing for rap artists, or just rocking parties with the most insane records ever dug up. Check out dynamic performances and interviews with DJ's Q-bert, Mix Master Mike (of the Beastie Boys) Rob Swift and the X-ecutioners, Cut Chemist & NuMark (of Jurassic 5), DJ Craze, The Bullet Proof Space Travelers, Babu (of Dilated Peoples), DJ Krush, DJ Premier (Gang Starr), and others, along with "old-school" innovators like Afrika Bambaataa and GrandWizard Theodore (who is widely acknowledged as having invented the idea of scratching vinyl in the first place).

SCRATCH had it's world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and has been nominated for a 2002 Independent Spirit Award by the IFP. It's now playing this week in movie theaters in New York City and being released to many other cities around the country movie theaters in the coming weeks, and it has already attracted sell-out crowds and rave reviews at over 30 festivals throughout the world. It's being supported by a 20-city live Scratch Tour of DJs and performers from the film, plus a Bill Laswell-produced Soundtrack being released by Transparent Music. SCRATCH is being distributed by Palm Pictures in North America and by Intermedia Films internationally (most recently opening in France via Metropolitan FilmExport).

SCRATCH was produced by Brad Blondheim and Ernest Meza, directed and edited by Doug Pray ("Hype!"), executive produced by Allen & Albert Hughes ("Menace2society", "From Hell"), and it was shot in 16mm film by director of photography Robert Bennett. For the record, this is not a movie about radio deejays, wedding DJ's, or techno/house/rave DJ's (who've been well-documented in several recent films), it's about vinyl-scratching hip-hop DJ's who do it live.