Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is the Guitar Hero for hip-hop heads?

by Quibian Salazar-Moreno
Examiner

Quincy D Jones III aka QD3

With the success of games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, hip-hop fans have been left out in the cold - until now.

Genius Products have announced Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, a rhythm based music game developed by 7 Studios for the Xbox 360 and PS3; with consultation from hip-hop producer and filmmaker Quincy D. Jones III (2pac, Ice Cube, Beef TV and DVD series).

The game play is said to be similar to those of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but the player uses a turntable controller to play the game. The controller, called the "Scratch Deck," was created by Numark, the world renowned DJ equipment manufacturer.

“We are thrilled to be teaming with 7 Studios and Quincy Jones III to release a cutting-edge game that captures the vital energy of hip-hop culture”, said Trevor Drinkwater, President and CEO of Genius Products. “We’re confident that Scratch will take interactive music gaming to the next level and excite a large and relatively untapped fan base.”

“With the recent success of music-driven videogames and the dominance of urban culture in the youth market, the potential for Scratch is endless,” said Quincy Jones III, CEO and chief creative officer of QD3 Entertainment and also the son of the legendary Quincy Jones. “Having spent 20 years as a music producer for artists such as Tupac, LL, and Ice Cube, it is rewarding to work with 7 Studios, Genius and Genco to ensure that there is authenticity in every detail of this game. Scratch will feature original recordings from the catalogs of many top urban artists and will allow players to re-imagine songs on the fly and add their own creativity. This feature sets it apart from other music rhythm games and makes it a dream come true for both casual music fans and serious DJs/producers.”

Although the track list has yet to be revealed, the game is set to hit stores in Spring 2009. Check out a few of the screen shots: