Styles of the Tiger, a quick chat with Tigerstyle...

As part of all the interviews we conducted at the 2003 DMC world finals, we managed to corner the newly crowned Supremacy champion Tigerstyle (who went on to win every title that year including ITF and Beatdown) and quiz him quickly on the scene and the music.

What's your definition of turntablism?

It's an art, its not just DJing, not just playing records, it's a total artform. It's a new type of music that has been created and is still being created. It comes from Hip-Hop but it's a new form of music. Everyone around the world who is a turntablist speaks the same language. It's a worldwide thing.

How did you prepare yourself?

I take it from my influences, people that I look up to. Q, Craze, D-Styles, if you wanna be like the best you have to look up to the best and try and take it further. If you guide your style towards what people out there are doing already and try and take it further that's a good way forward.

What would be your all time top 3 DJs?

Q-bert for all the scratches and just being on his own, above everyone else. And A-Track and Craze for the battle stuff.

Have you tried Final Scratch?

I'm a big vinyl addict so I haven't really tried it yet but I like the potential.

Do you like to use other genres in your routines and play with different styles?

The whole thing is based around Hip-Hop, the foundation is there but now it has expanded into everything else. Because the turntable isn't just about Hip-Hop so we can take it where we want but it always comes back to Hip-Hop, in a way.

Where do you see turntablism in 10 years?

I'm trying to think what it was like 10 years ago!! It was underground and now it's blown up and shit is so advanced there are so many more intricacies. It's really diverse now, all over the world. In ten years it will be even more out there, less underground and more recognition from the mainstream, accepted as a normal form of music like any other.

How does it feel to have won?

I don't know yet!!! I'm really numb, I really thought the French had beaten me, he was really good so I felt a bit ashamed to have got through. When they said my name I really didn't know how to feel. I have never won anything before so...