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DJ Q-Bert, or Richard Quitevis to his mother, started playing with records at the age of 15. He would grow into a living hip hop legend, winning DMC World Champion three years running for his unique skratching abilities. He formed the Rock Steady DJs with Mix Master Mike before expanding into the five-piece Invisibl Skratch Piklz, pioneereing the mid-‘90s movement of creating musical pieces using multiple turntables as instruments.
An animated movie Wave Twisters (2001) - the world’s first turntable musical - was based on his album of the same name.
By cosmic chance, the God of Alliteration brought Q-Bert to Q-Bar last week, so we made sure we sat down with him for a few words before his pre-gig vegieburger arrived. 
Is this your first time in Bangkok?
It is. I just arrived three or four hours ago.
So, we’re in QBar. The owner gave this place its name because he wanted something internationally recognizable. How did you get the name DJ Q-bert?
It’s a nickname from high school. There was the videogame, and my last name starts with a Q. Although I can break down the letters, like... er… - Quick Breaks Equals… (laughs) Rough… Tricks?  How long have you been scratching and who influenced you?
21 years now. I guess I started because of that song, Malcolm McLaren’s ‘Buffalo Girls’ with the scratching on there, and of course, DST with ‘Rocket’. Herbie Hancock’s band and stuff, MixMaster Ice, Cash Money, Jezzy Jeff, Joe Coolie, Aladdin, Ice-T’s DJ – Evil E, Bobcat, so many guys.
How did being part of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz change things for you?
Doing a band thing, everyone started playing a different instrument with the turntables. Experimenting, creating a turntable band.
You've said before that you were influenced by jazz musicians. How would you define the relationship between jazz and hip hop, and what similarities do they share?
 I little to a lot of the solos they play. I like Bennie Goodman and Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong and the way they play their instruments. I pretend that they were scratching and I try to make my scratching sound like them.
What first inspired you to invent the QFO turntable?
I wanted a turntable with a fader on it, and I wanted something more compact for the studio and that I could fit in my car.
How did you come up with the concept to make a Wave Twisters movie?
The concept for Wave Twisters was I love graffiti and I would see a lot of characters on the walls, and I’m like, ‘How come there’s no cartoons of these guys? These guys look way better than the other cartoons out there'.
 Can we expect a sequel some day?
Right now, I’m working on another movie like Wave Twisters. I’m also working on the instructional DJ movie series.
How do you feel about music piracy? Do you download much?
Yeah sure, but I’m more into the karma type thing so if you download some music it’s just the energy that makes that person happy doesn’t go back to the artist in a universal spiritual way.
You're known as something of a philosopher. Are you reading something right now?
Yeah, I’m reading this weird stuff about these guys that went into the pyramids of Egypt and they found these disks and stuff and it has all this information about the history of the universe. I’m reading about all that kinda weird stuff.
 How did it feel to be immortalized in the Tony Hawk computer game?
They just asked to be in it and they’re like, check it out you’re in it. Oh, cool.
I was chatting with DJ Ge-ology a couple of months ago about how disappointingly formulaic mainstream hip hop music has become recently. He said there was a lot of pressure on MCs not to stray too far away from what's already selling. Do you think there's enough creativity in hip hop music right now?
Yes, absolutely, but in the underground mostly. MadLip, he makes beats and stuff. Mad Villain, DJ Shadow, of course my boy MixMaster Mike, ShortCut, Kiko – he’s really good - Kid Jello. There’s a lot of cats in Japan.
 What was the last full hip hop album that you really enjoyed?
Going back, I really like Kool G Rap. There’s a song ‘Kool is Back’ by Kool G Rap – that’s really good. Eric B & Rakim, the old stuff, but recently I guess you’re right, but recently – I guess you’re right – there’s not that much stuff out there. But MadVillain, that’s a good album
When can we look forward to another DJ Q-bert release?
I’m working on the movie right now, so there’s going to be a soundtrack to that in about a year.
Any parting words of wisdom?
You know, not really, because in Thailand they’re very spiritual already. They should take advantage of that. It’s really cool, everyone has a really big advantage.
Do you consider yourself a Buddhist?
I study a lot of it. It’s a big part of me. Everyone should think of themselves as part of a team instead of just themselves. Interview by Karuna Gurung & Laurie Osborne
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