Hip-Hop without Scratching?
Hip-hop is easily one of my favorite genres, with artists like Flying Lotus, Tokimonsta, Nujabes, how can it not be?The thing is I want to mix these genres without any scratching, however, I can’t even conceive as to how I would do that with CDJ’s and a DJM.
Any tutorials out there that could shed some light on my situation? I want to make the most quality and beautiful mixes with this type of music, and scratching to me would just kill the flow.
Church.
Plenty of Hip-Hop DJ’s DON’T scratch. Scratching is not something that everyone wants to do. I don’t understand why - because everyone knows that DJ’s that scratch are GODS! 
The mixing technique is exactly the same as other genres, but when mxing Hip-Hop your blends/transitions will usually only be 4 bars (possibly 8, sometimes).
People will tell you that you can also do quick transitions (cuts) between tracks, but this is very abrupt way of mixing, and I usually only do it if I WANT to be abrupt. (Stepping up the energy, or dropping a heavy track, etc…)
As long you don’t have any clashing vocals, you can make a smooth-as-hell Hip-Hop mix that flows beautifully.
You can also get clever with your phrasing - having a verse of track B starting immediately after the chorus of track A…
You don’t have to scratch if you don’t want to.. you can always blend songs together, but hip hop is probably the hardest to mix as there are a lot of different styles and tempo’s, there is always vocals and usually short intro’s that you can mix in with. So there is a lot to think about when mixing.
If your changing bpm’s between two songs the best way to do it is to drop it straight and swap the tracks, that’s kind of why some hip hop dj’s do a baby to drop the next track if they are in that situation but that is really for a more old school music technique. Todays hip hop is produced much more mix friendly.
Another great thing to do is get acapellas and put them over different instrumentals and the good thing about hip hop is you can pretty much find any songs acapella and instrumental so you have a wide choice that you can exploit.
The only thing you should really never do when mixing any vocal music is have two vocals over each other, apart from that there are no rules and you should play around with all different styles of mixing to see what suits your style of music.
Not sure of any tutorials, the best thing to do is find other like minded people and have a play with them and learn from each other.
just get yourself into a DJ pool that has intro/outros edited tracks. Learn to baby scratch and drop on the one and you should be just fine. I used to mix a lot of top 40/hip-hop and was never/am still not very good at scratching, but I’d just have to put a lot of work into finding songs that blended well and who’s beat patterns, kick sound, and rhythms were complimentary to each other. For example, Tyga’s Rack City and Drake - The Motto blended really well, and I had an intro-to-hook version of the Motto which I would blend into the second chorus of rack city which went over really well.
This is something has always been tough for me, since I like to play all types of music but hip hop has always been the one that gives me problems. I recently got some turntables in order to start to practice scratching, and I’ll be trying some of the things you guys have mentioned in this thread! Thanks.
I mean if I can mix cumbia, and other latin music, this shouldn’t be too tough right?
you definitely need to learn to baby scratch, just to drop the tracks in.
you need to listen to this my friend. it is regarded at one of the finest dj mixes in history.
http://www.mixriot.com/content/1979-2006-hip-hop-odyssey-800-tracks-48-minute-mix
+1 on the Jag Skills mix! Awesome piece of work…
..but probably not the best example of mixing w/o scratching! 
yeah but it also illustrates how you can just scratch in a track, which is pretty easy.
quick blends
These are awesome examples, I’m going to put in some serious work to learn these basic techniques. Thanks! 
there’s this too…Mixcloud. He scratches on some transitions, but there are a number of non-scratching transitions.
I checked out that 800 track mix, damn that was crazy, they must have had a dedicated swapper or something. There needs to be a proper timestamped tracklist though for sure, I spent way too much time looking for “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Girls Ain’t Nothin But Trouble (Instrumental)”. DAT MELODY.
haha when I first heard it years ago I had no tracklist.
Not to derail the thread but I just need to spread some more love for Jaguar, I consider him one of the best hip hop dj’s in the world.
He has a very firm grasp on what can be done with music, what sounds good and how to push those boundaries. He’s not just smashing tracks together.
And he does it all LIVE, (yes he uses serato, but DAMM he is quick!!)
This is his interpretation of the “Wheels of steel” mix.
I hate to shatter your illusions, but he really, really does not.
I’ve played alongside him twice.
Jaguar Skills is an absolute Ableton wizard. Incredible talent.
When he DJs, however, he’s not actually doing very much at all.
Was just about to say what Mojaxx says, he’s a production wizard and I was disappointed to discover that live he mixes every few minutes between mash ups with a bit of beat mashing, but it makes sense, if he had to do all that live it would have to be rehearsed anyway so it doesn’t make too much of a difference.
Dang what a shame. Well there is still talent there I guess, otherwise everyone would sound that good.
Exactly! I’m certainly not hating on the guy, he rocks crowds, no question.
But as fellow DJ’s I think it’s important to understand the limitations of what can be done live, and not beat ourselves up when we can’t match it.
Another example is my favourite hip-hop DJ, Jazzy Jeff. Unlike Jaguar Skills, he really does it all live.
But if you see him more than once, you can usually guess which track is coming next, because he effectively plays a ton of ‘set-pieces’ all the time.
In his case that has a lot to do with how he interacts with his MC; the MC knows what’s coming up and they work seamlessly together. Plus, he’s a touring DJ, not a resident, so the chance of someone seeing him twice in the space of a year is pretty unlikely. So why not do a show which is very similar each time, if it makes for a better show?
MOJAXX - you are my man! Agree completely with what you’re saying about JJ.
I’m guessing I don’t need to tell you about DJ Spinbad?
For those that DON’T know - Spinbad has made some of the all time greatest mixtapes. He can and DOES do it live.
But he’s also made some simply spectacular multi-track mixes that simply couldn’t be done live. This is why I love studio mixes - they give a DJ the opportunity NOT to be bound by the equipment, but to get the music that is in his head out!
Mojaxx - got any fav DJ’s that I might not know about? Along the lines of:
Jazzy Jeff
Spinbad
Skratch Bastid
DJ Yoda
Etc…
I’m totally with you on that list, Patch.
Off the top of my head, the only additions I can think of would be A-Skillz, and Krafty Kuts when they play together (Krafty is a bit ‘banging’ solo these days).
Spinbad is a great example. I heard his 80s mix so many times in wonderment before I realised it was multitrack. When you realise, the amazement doesn’t go though; it’s still an incredible achievement.
If you’re into that kind of stuff, I trust being from Bristol you’re aware of the Solid Steel stuff? I actually had a chillout mix on their show last month (madness!) and the other hour was DJ Moneyshot, who does some incredible mixes.
One recommendation for anyone reading this thread; hunt down Steinski’s Nothing To Fear.
The best mix I’ve ever heard in my life. Simply mind-blowing.
And all put together by someone who isn’t actually a DJ at all, never touches turntables.
Thanks for the heads up - “Nothing to Fear” was dead easy to find! 