About Me
Scratch Master TAB was born Troy A. Brown (now Salaam Shabazz) on July 11, 1968. His mother, an avid record collector, was always playing diferent styles of music in the home. Musical influences came from jazz, be-bop, funk, disco and R & B. Hearing these various styles instilled in the Scratch Master his love of music.From the moment he heard Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang, he fell in love with Rap music. He was only 11 years old. After school he would stop by the local record stores to hear this new style of music being played through the store's loudspeaker system. Then one day it happened. He heard this record that had bits and pieces of many other records in it. There was Monster Jam by Spoonie Gee, Good Times by Chic, Rapture by Blondie, it even had 8th Wonder by the Sugarhill Gang. This record was The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel. Scratch Master TAB says "I was floored by this record. I had to know how this guy makes Good Times sound like someone rubbing their hand against a balloon. How does he get all those records and make one record go to the next so smoothly?"One day around the Christmas season of 1981, his longtime childhood friend, Donnell McKnight a.k.a. Kid Magic said "My brother just got some turntables and a mixer and he's showing me how to cut and scratch. Wanna come see what he taught me so far?" Well of course TAB said yes. Lo and behold, Kid Magic was making that same balloon sound with Good Times. "Man, that's it!" TAB told him. "That's that sound. You gotta teach me how to do that!" TAB said. And thus it began. TAB and Kid Magic would bug his grandmother every weekend for the opportunity to practice on the turntables. Fascinated by what he was learning, even when he went home where mom only had a regular old phonograph, he would still practice scratching.TAB would always take heart to anything that had to do with Rap music and Hip-Hop culture in general. He spent time learning about the legends and founders of this culture. DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaata, Grand Master Flash, Jazzy Jay, DJ AJ, Cool DJ Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, LoveBug Starski, Master Don, Doctor Rock and WHBI's Mister Magic, The Supreme Team, Jerry Bloodrock and The Awesome Two.In 1984, he hooked up with another childhood friend who was then going by the DJ name DJ Shock. After school they would get together to practice their craft. A few weeks later DJ Shock was changed to Rock Master Shock and DJ TAB was changed to Scratch Master TAB. The two were inseperable. Because the Hip-Hop scene was real strong in Paterson, TAB and Shock were able to go to the jams together and pay their dues. "I still remember the first jam we were able to get on the turntables at. It was the Copacabana in Paterson. We were nervous about asking the DJ if we could get on, but when we did we threw on a few breaks and had the crowd rockin'." TAB remembers. "The DJ's Louie Lou and Super Jay even gave us pounds when we were done." adds TAB. That was the confidence builder they needed. Soon TAB and Shock were at every party. Going by the name True Force, TAB and Shock quickly made a name for themselves.With a backpack full of breakbeats everywhere they went, Scratch Master TAB and Rock Master Shock were always ready to throw down. Most DJs they came across loved them because they were true to the essence of Hip-Hop. Those that were jealous at how fast they were coming up were still scared to battle them. "In those days we battled for equipment." TAB explains... "Nobody wanted that embarrasment so they didn't f*#$ with True Force." Though fierce on the turntables, these two were still the M.C.s favorite DJs. They teamed up with the Master Force [KMD (Known Master of Devastation), Master Eliminator, Master Mike Controller and Cupi-D (The Lover)] in 1984 and made a bunch of noise around town. In late 1985 they also hooked up with MCs Prince Scientific and Doctor Ca$h. As always, they were the talk of the town.After high school, everybody kinda went seperate ways so Scratch Master TAB started spinning and producing for local M.C.s that showed potential and a good work ethic. Just Crush, Superior Jay, Omega Force and his favorite group, The Science Committee (Prince Scientific, Dr. Born Love a.k.a. PHD, Ronnie Lott a.k.a. Big L and later to join the group, R.I.G.). "I put alot of work in with those guys. In those days, one producer did the whole album. So I had to hammer out new tracks almost every day. I love those guys. Til this day, we talk about the reunion. We were way ahead of our time" says TAB with a big smile on his face."Nowadays, more and more people have approached me about coming out of retirement. I haven't DJed a full party since 1992. I've been in the studio producing. But DJing a whole party, it's been 15 years already. The new DJ software programs have caught my attention big time. I just might have to do it!" says The Scratch Master."I just wanna say peace to all those that support me from way back to now." To name a few - My mom (recording artist)Shareefah C. Abdullah, my grandparents Manily and Hessie Jenkins(RIP), my great-grandmother Helen McDaniels(RIP), My children (The reason I push so hard.) - Troy, Taaj, Derrick, Ja'Bria, Jaden and Cierra (my Big Bird), Kid Magic(my teacher), Rock Master Shock(my partner), The Master Force, The World Famous Troopers, Prince Scientific, PHD, R.I.G., Lott, Big Moe, Master Exotic, Super Jay, Louie Lou, DJ Rasheem, Just Crush, Superior Jay, Rhyme Master Cee, G-Love, The Brotherhood Family, Armageddon Family, DJ Badala B, DJ Quest Flava with Q&Q Entertainment. If I forgot anyone, please forgive me.Stay tuned for what lies ahead for Scratch Master TAB! I think a come-back is brewing.
