For anyone who came up through competitive DJing, the X-Ecutioners were never just a group. They were proof of what battle DJs could become.
In November 1994, a DJ entered his first battle live on air on a college radio show at WNYU in New York. He won it.
Two years later he walked into Beat Street Records, won their battle, and took home a bronzed Technics 1200. Then he took the ITF world title.
That was the moment Roc Raida, Mista Sinista and Rob Swift invited him into the X-Men, the crew that would rename itself the X-Ecutioners.
His name is Total Eclipse. On Sunday 11 October he performs at the Australian DMC DJ Championships National Final.
Where the Crew Came From
The X-Men were battle DJs first. Roc Raida won the DMC World Championship in 1995 and entered the DMC Hall of Fame in 1999. Rob Swift took the DMC East Coast title in 1991.
DJ Total Eclipse performs at the National Final, Sunday 11 October.
From Routines to Records
The X-Ecutioners released X-Pressions on Asphodel in 1997, produced by the members themselves. Rolling Stone called it the first album of its kind. Turntablists had made records before. Nobody had made a record where the turntable was the lead instrument across a full album.
Its success earned the group a multi-album deal with Sony BMG’s Loud Records, which produced Built From Scratch in 2002.
The single from that album did something no turntablist record had managed. It’s Goin’ Down was recorded with Mike Shinoda and Mr. Hahn of Linkin Park and produced by Shinoda, with Total Eclipse as a credited writer. It reached number 13 on the Modern Rock chart.
The group toured with Eminem and Linkin Park and performed at Aerosmith’s MTV Icons event. Total Eclipse went on to produce on 2004’s Revolutions for Columbia. Before any of it, he manned the turntables for Organized Konfusion and worked with Jay-Z in the early Roc-A-Fella days.
Australia
He relocated permanently from the USA to Australia and never stopped working.
Hilltop Hoods
Backup tour DJ and support act on every one of their North American tours since 2016, and support on their sold-out Restrung Live Australian tour.
Main Stages
The ARIA Awards, and Supercars events in Townsville, Gold Coast and Adelaide alongside Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso, Jimmy Barnes and Carl Cox.
Two decades after Built From Scratch, he is still doing the work.
Hear Him First
Total Eclipse joins host K Sera on CADA 96.1 for an interview and guest mix at 6PM Monday 28 September, live at cada.com.au.
11 October
Our finalists came through an online elimination round judged by an international panel. On 11 October they perform live for two Australian titles and a place at the DMC World Finals in London. The same competition Roc Raida won in 1995.
Total Eclipse came up through that pathway. A battle on college radio. A crew. Then records that reached people who had never watched a DJ competition in their lives.
Our finalists are standing at the start of that road. On 11 October they share a stage with someone who walked the whole of it.
Sunday 11 October
Doors 6PM
Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Get Tickets Early Bird has sold out. First Release on sale now.Presented by Technics with AlphaTheta and DJcity Australia.
