DJ Cash Money Backstage At The Roots Picnic | Questlove Show

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About this episode DJ Cash Money details the pioneering history of Philadelphia's turntable culture, crediting early DJs like Gra… AI summary

DJ Cash Money details the pioneering history of Philadelphia's turntable culture, crediting early DJs like Grandmaster Nell and Cosmic Kev for establishing the scene in the early 1980s. He explains the technical evolution of scratching techniques, specifically how he developed the 'Transformer Scratch' by combining fader manipulation with rhythmic drag scratches inspired by Latin Rascals edits. The conversation also highlights the collaborative nature of the era, featuring anecdotes about Eastro's innovative use of drum machines and Cash Money's involvement in bootlegging Trouble Funk's tracks.

Key takeaways 5

Philadelphia's hip-hop scene was established early (circa 1980-1981) by DJs like Grandmaster Nell and Cosmic Kev, who held massive influence and respect in South Philly, often performing at venues like the Hotel Philadelphia without recorded material, relying solely on their reputation.
The 'Transformer Scratch' was coined by Cash Money's MC in 1984 after Cash Money adapted a basic up-and-down fader technique he saw on a videotape of Spin Master, adding his own 'drag scratch' and rhythmic elements to create a sound that mimicked cartoon effects.
Early DJ equipment was limited and improvised; Cash Money used a $75 Gemini mixer from Sound U Market, initially damaging it with WD40 before switching to Radio Shack tuning spray for proper lubrication.
Eastro was a multifaceted innovator in Philadelphia who combined DJing, graffiti art, and electronic music production, using a suitcase full of sequenced Roland TR-303 drum machines to create live breakbeats with bass tones before the widespread adoption of such technology.
Cash Money contributed to the iconic intro of Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power' through a bootleg recording session for Trouble Funk's 'Pump Me Up,' where he performed a 10-minute continuous scratch solo that was later sampled.

Notable quotes 5 AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.

“Nell was like Cyrus from the Warriors. And wherever Nell went, South Philly was right there with like supporting them. Like a mob that would follow him.”

▶ 5:34 Describing the immense cultural influence and following that early Philadelphia DJ Grandmaster Nell commanded in the early 1980s.
“I took that [Spin Master's technique] and added all that drag, scratch, and rhythm and extending it and giving it a whole new bump where it sounded like the actual cartoon... I coined [the name Transformer Scratch].”

Explaining the origin of the Transformer Scratch technique, which became a foundational element of turntablism.
“It's that space. That's where the funk is at. You have to find it. I mess with high hats and things of that and air and that gives me these crazy sounds.”

▶ 16:39 Cash Money explaining his rhythmic philosophy, influenced by his background in stepping dance, focusing on the gaps between sounds rather than just the beats.
“He was our Mantronics... He had all these little drum machines... He had them all sequenced... One was a bass that just had a bass sound on it... The other one was just a drum. And he would set this suitcase up and just go to go to work.”

▶ 17:42 Describing Eastro's innovative live performance setup using multiple drum machines to create complex beats on the fly.
“The first 10 seconds of Fight the Power when we hear bump to bump to bump. That is from that record [Trouble Funk's Pump Me Up bootleg].”

▶ 25:29 Revealing that the famous intro sample in Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power' actually originated from Cash Money's scratch work on a bootleg Trouble Funk record.