DJ Spell of Hamilton, New Zealand has taken out the 2017 World DMC Online DJ Championship title earlier this month under heavy international competition and will now join the rest of the respective national DMC Champions in London this October to compete for the ultimate title of DMC World Champion. While the competition proved to be fierce, DJ Spell was the eventual comfortable winner placing ahead of five-time UK DMC Champion Ritchie Ruftone (UK), DJ Erick Jay (Brazil), DJ Buruaaaa (Japan) and thirteen-year-old DJ Total Eclipse protégé DJ K-Swizz of New Zealand rounding out the Top 5.
DJ Spell’s winning set was voted in the top 3 sets by all of the 19 judges (all various DMC winners including Cutmaster Swift, Precision, DJ Netik amongst others). So unanimous were the judges overall decision was that 16 judges scored DJ Spell the highest. New Zealand DJs stole the show, with 3 of them finishing in the top 9, while 2 Brazil DJ’s placed in the top 5 alone. DMC launched the World Online DJ Championship six years ago and previous winners include DJ Brace (Canada) DJ Vekked (Canada), DJ I-Dee (USA), Jon1st (UK), Fong Fong (France) and DJ Unkut (Germany).
The 2017 DJ World DMC Online Championship caps off an impressive rise over the last decade for the young DJ which has seen Spell take out a host of titles including the 2015 DMC World Vice Championship, 2011 NZ Redbull Thre3style, 2013 Australasian IDA as well as the 2014 & 2015 NZ DMC Championships amongst a string of other placings and titles.
Drawing musical influences from Classical to Funk since be began DJing in the early 2000s, the super talented DJ Spell is more than a pure turntablist as demonstrated through his mix & beat tapes and ability to rock any crowd whether it be a large festival, nightclub, break cipher, hip hop show and everything inbetween. Not only has he become a world-class DJ, Spell is also B-boy, graffiti artist and established beat maker/producer.
DJ Spell has shared the stage alongside artists including KRS-1, Immortal Technique, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, The Pharcyde, Big Daddy Kane, MF Doom, Mos Def and Atmosphere, played numerous events throughout NZ and Australia and will be one to watch closely at The DMC World DJ Final 2017 in London on October 1st.
