Like many other musical instrumentalists , turntablists compete to see who can develop the fastest , most innovative and most creative approaches to their instrument . The selection of a champion comes from the culmination of battles between turntablists . Battling involves each turntablist performing a routine ( A combination of various technical scratches , beat juggles , and other elements , including body tricks ) within a limited time period , after which the routine is judged by a panel of experts . The winner is selected based upon score . These organized competitions evolved from actual old school " battles " where DJs challenged each other at parties , and the " judge " was usually the audience , who would indicate their collective will by cheering louder for the DJ they thought performed better . The DMC World DJ Championships has been hosted since 1985 . There are separate competitions for solo DJs and DJ teams , the title of World Champion being bestowed on the winners of each . They also maintain a turntablism hall of fame
DMC World DJ Championships
DMC World DJ Championships
Turntablism