1997 World ITF DJ Finals - Beat Juggling Final - DJ Babu vs Rholi Rho

Bought this tape from Beat Merchants in mid to late 1997 as DJ Raw repped New Zealand. I'll have his set up later, if the tape survives the next play!
Nice final here won by DJ Babu. Notable for his famous "Blind Alley" routine. First revealed at the 1997 West Hemisphere Finals, however this one is much more polished.
Some nice stuff from Roli. This classic style of beat juggling is surely missed.
View the scratching final between Babu and Tony Vegas here:
• 1997 World ITF DJ Fina...

[@sampearse8408]

That Blind Alley routine should be played to every new born child.

[@Sonnylintag]

Nobody appreciates how ridiculously creative these patterns and how well put together they are. Kids nowadays are too fixated on their buttons. You watch a DMC nowadays, and all the routines are sloppy. And more than half the time they’re sittin there tapping a beat on the cues and not even touching the record. Back then, you had a mixer, vinyl, stickers, and you had to flip it with just that. The composition of these routines back then was like a song. This doesn’t happen anymore, at least on the level it was back then

[@weezyxbaby1]

I got you. Imma bring it byke 🗣🤝

[@jeremymullen6149]

Couldnt agree more! This was an expertly performed compositional routine!

[@liamchristopher9075]

I hear ya, but it seems like dmc is putting a lot more emphasis into vinyl stuff again. seeing bedroom djs skip their serato needles all over the place really did make me feel like we lost something along the way, but craze and qbert, etc are still cutting it up even with the laptops and I'm sure their older backs appreciate not having to lug around 50 pounds of vinyl for a gig.

[@captinweestain526]

I miss these old battles, crate digging, no laptop :(

[@DjZelous]

I Use traktor but nothing beats pulling a record off the wall and finding cool vinyl when digging

[@TheMillerChen]

damn... me too! that is real enjoy the music

[@PEERAMIDEYE]

The way Babu vibes to what he's doing is classic!

[@justpracticingYTTM]

The faces babu makes kills me every time

[@angelaguayo9908]

thats a dangerous man who speaks with his hands lol

[@pashmackintosh993]

This was my event as the ITF VP :-) Thank you for posting this! One of the most incredible world championships of all time. It was mad close and Roli would have deserved it too, but Babs' Blind Alley is till this day hands down, one of the greatest Juggles of all time. If not the greatest. Great memories :-)

[@sandybthedude7328]

Years later Babus juggles still sound like a composition...I understand everyone else's flows but at face value its not music anymore....Babu's skills are matched by NO ONE #LEGEND

[@MrREDRUMnyc]

I feel like this is the Wholly Grail of Beat Juggle Battles.... this is the best everrrrrrrrrrr

[@INTshyt]

damn I'm old (32) I was there! the palace if fine arts in sf. I was 16. this was one of the sickest beat juggle battles. all style and originality, unlike the bullshit you hear now a days.

[@ishaan863]

pls describe this event in great detail, take 10,000 words

[@wesleywayne303]

And now your 40

[@INTshyt]

@@wesleywayne303 yeah people age...that's what happens genius

[@its_me_dave]

@@INTshyt you coulda been dead 👍

[@DeeJPhillyPhil]

dope shh . no computer, no punch in your que points

[@spaceludes]

No headphones even!

[@dimtodim]

hard skills :)

[@j-boogiebrown9961]

Thanks to DJ Mick Hansen from Denmark, who was the first person to use stickers to find certain spots on his records, back in the late '80s.

[@beatz_next_door85]

And that classic sound of vinyl popping

[@Moroth187]

That "Blind Alley" -Juggle from Babu will ever be one of my fav juggles! It would be THE best Juggle for me if Mista Sinista wouldn´t do that "Method Man"-juggle :)

[@gaffle7646]

Rob Swift’s “Nobody Beats the Biz” routine is up there too.

[@tadmartin223]

I know, right? LOL Or Rob Swift's Dr. Knockboots one.

[@Sonnylintag]

Method Man juggle is fukin ridiculous too

[@haeke69]

Been so long baby. Yup sounds so good. Real skills no cue points. I miss those days. This is the world of the "real DJ"

[@talltrini10]

The stickers are cue points

[@Cubanlink73]

4:17 love the rivalry, nothing but smiles

[@jeremymullen6149]

This is such a historic peice. Rolis transitions from fast patterns into breakdowns as he sets himself up properly and stylishly to go deep into the trenches of his breakdowns incites shivers. Babus unveiling of the blind alley juggle *correct me if im wrong" is truely electric, whilst homeboy behind him is doing the beatjuggle drummerboy in the background is a true signal for what was happening. Artifactual tier footage for the turntablism vaults.

[@Vestaxian]

He first unveiled it in the 1997 ITF Western Hemi/USA battles in the beat juggling category. The video is still up on KZbin just search 1997 ITF West. Hemi Categories Beat Juggling : Babu

[@redrich2000]

That blind alley routine is the sickest thing ever.

[@djairalert422]

Not too many juggles can fck wit that Blind alley routine! 💪🏽🎵

[@orangecrunkmusic]

Miss those funky juggles, both came hard on this one

[@RegnARTS1210]

The laughter from the 4:10 fits that part of the juggle so so much

[@user-ot7xf6vz6h]

Amazing variation & change up juggles for way back then such talented djs these guys str8 fire 🔥 ledgends of our craft 💯👊🏽

[@RaWbLee]

Dude, this battle is HOT! Thanks for the upload! Never seen it!

[@Sk1nSz]

Now I know what Djing back in the days was like. Damn. Epic like the Hip-Hop beats back then themself!

[@duronbryant9463]

Siomonte they make a producer ib the game today look GARBAGE!!!!!! LIKE I MEAN GARBAGE!!!!!!

[@Sk1nSz]

+1 dat

[@djlala]

..thanks for posting this .. I remember watching this on tape lol

[@orangecrunkmusic]

thanks for the heads up, close battle for sure!

[@djbulanyc]

Just mesmerizing, thanks for posting, 5th Platoon 4eva!!!

[@nelzrock74]

Dope ass battle..roli kills it.. but babus blind alley routine is too strong..

[@tadmartin223]

Rolli got R1, Babu ends the competition in the 2nd.

[@Diaz23]

Rolli is pretty good but Babu blows him out of the water

[@FaderFlosser]

Fuckin Babu, seriously probably one of the best beat jugglers ever. Always been a Dj I look up too ...

[@Josh-ky8ei]

So digging these older dj vibes gettit

[@biggreddeuro7199]

D. J. BaBU 1997 K. ROLI RHO 1997 K. They're both World's Famous. ForEVER ❣️™️

[@michaels8597]

Babu kept it funky as he does..

[@xxm3516]

man that was so dope

[@jeremymccormack7312]

Babu will always be the nicest. Always

[@djkaneck1]

Flipping doubles!!! Crazy!!!!

[@daz_the_cyclist8961]

Blind alley awesome 👊

[@mixxinmel]

Pure Skills!!!! Period!!!!

[@ManuelPosada88]

thanks a lot :D

[@mr_guy661]

Literally lost for words

[@djfobtronics]

No worries. It's one of my favs.

[@fabianavalos1386]

Beat juggling is subjective

[@jbb2660]

Epic Battle

[@theimpeccable1069]

The juggling on the fly in a battle.. SO DOPE!! 💯 Yo.. image the hours in the spare room/ bedroom/garage/studio trying different juggles. (This was me in working on cuts! Lol as a 16y DJ!! 🤣 Frfr) ** The 90's DJ's Story** I used to work on different "technics" like I was in a Kung Fu flick 😆 I would see Premo as God & then heard about these dudes coming from the West named "ISP" .. I saw blends & cutting was move in the South. I got a question.. What is the difference between a DJ & Turntablist?? Now? I always thought.. A turntablist: A1 master with the faders & the turntables DJ: Master of the Event /Project (just thinking.. 🤔)

[@tiagoaguiar778]

Dope DJ Babu..👏👏👏👏🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@MrPerlys]

Nice!🚨🚨🚨🚨

[@mrmagic3264]

Nice as Hell

[@MrHereWeGoYo]

I hear that Beatjunkies group routine at the beginning. Somebody needs to upload that!

[@sirpoppinchuck]

My-dude-Babu

[@haeke69]

You wanna battle -SUCKA - props to both these LEGENDS

[@sergiufanica4547]

Sooo funkyy

[@alexmathewmendoza]

When he took the snare away oh my god

[@sappysport215]

the dj from cali killed it son!

[@jamesdee4880]

6:27-6:50 GOD DAMN 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@cosmobuszard]

My thoughts exactly. Can't believe this is the first time i ever saw a vid of rholi rho

[@sleepybrown987]

Badu killed tht blind alley

[@gaffle7646]

It's "Let the Music Play" - Shannon

[@aftashok1]

babu = legend

[@KINGKVNE]

Babu.....damn. killed that shxt.

[@IHATESTUPIDS]

GOD IS GREAT IS ALL I CAN SAY

[@joe2grand]

impressed more by Rholli ro more than babs weirdly enough

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

yeah me too

[@jpsion]

joe2grand should

[@kltz78]

Different styles but Babu was and still is ahead of his time on juggles. Truely musical, funky and technical. Both dope.

[@TheARTopS]

I would not have agreed in 1997, but I agree totally now. Esp since everybody has deconstructed blind alley and it’s readily apparent that every routine babu ever had was just the first blind alley pattern with other records.

[@j-boogiebrown9961]

Apparently there were only a couple of points between these guys, when the judges' scores were added up at the end of this battle. A lot of people thought Rholi should've taken it overall, but the 'Blind Alley' juggle just sounded so good!

[@jpsgalia]

Babu is sooooooo FUNKY !

[@example8]

Guy in the background was a competitor in the advancement category called dj takayasu

[@johngeorge5684]

You see me definitely

[@IHATESTUPIDS]

DAMN

[@chadharrod5246]

I was about to give it to Rholi till he busted out Blind Alley .. I think Rholi made better use of multiple records and had a much more original arsenal right up until Babs dropped that shiz on him. FYI .. Craze straight jacked Rholi's 2nd round routine and won the DMC in 1998. Good Battle guys .. true legends!

[@kosuribeatz]

Crazed jacked Rholi? Which routine?

[@sickmanuel]

I always watch this fucking battle. Fucking aye.

[@lordg3803]

Babu By A Landslide.

[@djdeus]

It's actually DJ Takayashi, who was battling that evening. I was there that evening. =) Classic battle between two greats! I had Roli winning first round and Babu winning second round.

[@humbertopereira2374]

Showwwww 🇧🇷🙏🎧🎶🎵

[@deancoronado4898]

Haha throwback! Babu took the first, thought Roli Rho came hard to start the second, but Babu turned it up

[@gaffle7646]

"Let the Music Play" by Shannon

[@djemz1]

Yooo Fobtronics, You happen to have the USA 97 battle to this ITF would u?

[@creator73]

3.50 master tempo 🤯

[@user-ot7xf6vz6h]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💜

[@RigoGomez5941]

Funkee Enough

[@cull15]

6:30 sounds like the music from Toejam & Earl lol

[@Troybranding]

yo rholi rho is nice

[@ManuelPosada88]

I can't find that song of EPMD :S

[@djmounth9262]

11:24 Great ! :D

[@gaffle7646]

It's probably "Get Up, Clap your Hands" by Master's at Work. The other track after that was a snippet from one of EPMD's joints.

[@raysowell1111]

6:00 the way he came out sound like flex no lie son killed

[@alvinhorne5643]

Babu got that with his Blind Alley Juggle. but I have to say Rholi almost got him with that Shannon juggle.. that shit was fire.

[@wesleywayne303]

Yeah and whatever disco bassline before Shannon too... loved it. Then Babu drug him down a blind alley & dumped him. Damn. I mean to be fair, it's one of the illest ever multi pattern juggles ever created & presented masterfully so I don't see anyone defeating that one, especially that night imho. Props to RR tho for being on Babus level, but Blind Alley bodies about every routine ever done.

[@josebaareizaga9283]

I can't find this "Get Off The Bandwagon". The instrumental version is not the same... Does anyone know what is?

[@josebaareizaga9283]

yeah, you are right. thank you very much!!

[@Marvin7408]

Which beat is Rholi Rho using in the begining?

[@mortlow6688]

2 of the best Juggle Routines ever... Could never call a winner- both super dope...

[@djfaze1200]

I've been DJing for a long time and this is one of the things I find most impressive. First you got to find the records and then you got to memorize the records then you got to practice a technique and then you got to polish the technique to make it sound good. Skills

[@Ronald-Reggae]

nam nam

[@Gandaleka]

Which track at 1.18 please?

[@ManuelPosada88]

1'15'' ? hi everybody! anybody knows the name of this track? thanks a lot people! :)

[@DMan-G]

Remember when all radio DJs would do the double snare thing for 2 minutes between each song. Prob more early 2000s

[@turntablizm12345]

D Man-G haha thats all they would do

[@djsixgrams]

Chase patterns yeah. Haha - club djs especially that had juggle problems always had that chase as a backstop in case they needed to show a trick or 2

[@Njitramubuntu]

Can somebody pls tell me what song Rholi plays at 7:09 ? thanks!

[@Njitramubuntu]

lol, i actually know this song, but didn't recognise because it's so low pitched. thanks alot :) !

[@wongfeihung9]

Njitramubuntu Let the music play by Shannon

[@Lupinze3rd]

What is the song juggled at 3:03-4:00

[@joness889]

Kick in the doors by biggie smalls

[@orangecrunkmusic]

The guy ''distracting'' him is J-Roc from his crew the Beat junkies, do you really think he saw him behind is back...

[@DaSpanishRapKid]

Oof hard hit

[@atila101nomercy3]

Dj Babu win.. IwI🎵

[@gaffle7646]

Note to all DJ 'cheerleaders'... do NOT EVER get excited like the guy in Babu's background @ 11:11. It's very distracting and detracts from the DJ's dope performance.

[@djsixgrams]

DJ GaFFLe ok agree there - by cheerleader i thought u meant when the DJ himself or herself anticipates the next move, that i love! Gets ppl wide eye opened #battles

[@lego5745]

What’s the best at 7:16?

[@RoDziLLA39]

Can anyone tell me what track babu starts the second round with

[@jtabor6392]

kc and the sunshine band

[@RoDziLLA39]

which song in particular ?

[@soulful1illusion]

Reficul Natas its george macrae i get lifted not kc and sunshine band although kc did a version cuz they were on same record label

[@RoDziLLA39]

Big up man appreciate the help

[@bordertownmex8810]

lol the sucka routine haha

[@amba144]

What was the biggie song called that the second person mixed?

[@annasilva3681]

kick in the door by notorious b.i.g in his second album life after death (disc 1)

[@annasilva3681]

wait unless you're talking about the second time the second person went? that is also a biggie song and it's called Respect off of his first album Ready to die

[@DjcHuCkNiCe1]

Anna Silva Actually that was the original sample..."I Get Lifted"....Classic Break Beat

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

both djs were impressive, but one had to take it

[@melvinbrown7221]

Babu ha ha👍🤣😂

[@slownt.v2059]

His juggle with biggie was way better than blind alley because it had all the techniques he used in blind alley and more

[@paulsmith1563]

i was just posting this vid because of the blind alley routine. i dont think its possible to develope that any further he maxed that record right out. please link me to the biggie routine if its not in this vid. thanks.

[@slownt.v2059]

paul smith its the first routine he does in this video

[@sil-zk8061]

MB's!

[@nuttytexture]

anyone know the song @ 7:11?