In front of a capacity crowd at the Alexander Theatre in Braamfontein, Johanneburg Brad Tapinos, better known as ‘Tha Cutt’, took the inaugural Red Bull Thre3Style title in South Africa with a dynamite set that balanced technical might with party-rocking prowess. He will soon head off to Chicago to pit his skills against the world’s best at the world finals of the competition. Not only did the two-time winner of the SA DMC champs and official MTV Base Scratch DJ wow the judging panel of DJ Ready D, Kid Fonque and Richard the Third with his impressive technical skills, such as scratching in Hip-Hop accapellas over Kwaito beats, he had the crowd on their feet and hands in the air from start to finish. He dropped a wide range of styles, everything from old-school funk to new-school Dubstep, all overlaid with a local flavour. The competition, a first for South Africa, began in Canada five years ago and is now in its third year as a full international competition. DJ’s are required to play a selection of at least three genres in their allotted fifteen minute set. Not only are they judged on their track-selection, technical skills, creativity but also their ability to bring the house down.
Judge Kid Fonque remarked: “Saturday night was great! Big competitors doing what they do best… It was a privilege judging the event. The standard of DJ’s was so high making my job rather difficult and exciting at the same time.” Over and above getting to represent South Africa in Chi-town, Tha Cutt also won a coveted Rane-61 DJ mixer and a UDG gear bag that is an essential for any DJ. “It was such a great experience to win Red Bull Thre3style. It’s going to be awesome to represent South Africa at the finals and make everyone proud,” commented the new South African Champion after his win.
