Legendary turntablist DJ QBert (a.k.a. Richard Quitevis) stopped by The Screen Savers on Friday to scratch it up on the show. For those of you who are not familiar with this kid’s rap sheet, San Francisco-based DJ QBert is one of the hottest turntablists on the planet and has helped push the art-form into the mainstream consciousness. His all-DJ group Invisibl Skratch Piklz were one of the first of its kind -- no band, just fingers scratching -- and ushered in the era of serious DJ skills over hype man buffoonery on stage.

QBert also spends his time teaching the children via his classes on the art of DJing and the gospel of the turntable. His work with the Piklz and numerous solo efforts, as well as key collabos with Kool Keith (he scratched on the incredible Dr. Octagon album) and Bomb Hip Hop's Return of the DJ, Vol. 1, have helped make him a worldwide ambassador for the turntable. Along with Mix Master Mike, QBert was inducted into the DMC DJ Hall of Fame in 1998 and, today, keeps busy lecturing at Scratchcon 2000 and overseeing the launch of the animated feature film Wave Twisters. Most recently, QBert designed the QFO, a portable mixer and turntable in one unit that looks like a spaceship out of Battlestar Galactica and sounds and scratches like a dream.

So here are six questions with the man himself about video games, turntables, and cold-rockin' it at the beach with a backpack full of vinyl and the will to scratch till the tide comes in. Enjoy!

Did your name come from the popular ‘80s video game?

My last name started with a "Q," and I started using it back in ’85 and that game was really popular. I was short and really fat at the time, and so was QBert. It was such a dumb thing. You know how in high school everyone gives you a name. I wanted to be, like, DJ Ripclaw or DJ Flash or something but, of course, QBert stuck with me. So I said, “Oh well.” Everyone knew me by that, it just stuck.

Who were your favorite DJs coming up?

The main guys back in the early ‘80s like Mixmaster Ice, Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff, Joe Cooley, DJ Aladdin, DJ Man, Evil E from Ice-T.

What were your favorite video games as a kid?

Kaboom, remember that? The fake Defender for Activision. The Asteroids on Atari. I was an Atari guy and then I didn’t play video games for a long time.

What are your fave games now?

Definitely Halo 2. I’m really a big Twisted Metal: Black fan, and War the Monsters and Wipe Out. But mostly Halo 2 these days, in multi-player mode. I’m definitely into the multi-player challenge.

I just invented a new turntable -- it’s a turntable and mixer combined in one piece. It’s portable, so you can take it to the beach. I’d see artists at the beach playing guitar and their little bongos or whatever, and I said, “Hey, why can’t I do that?” So I invented the QFO. I designed it and Westec made it for me. Why do you have to have a big ol’ setup? So I compacted it and made it less of a hassle. I use a solar battery pack, and I can even sit in the back of my car with the top down and plug it into the lighter. Then I record all my beats I want to cut to into an iPod, grab some vinyl, and go!

The next level is to make it so the needle doesn’t skip so we can walk around like guitar players. Can you imagine?

I sure can. I suuuure can.
 
For more info, visit www.djqbert.com and make sure to check out his awesome online show there too, TurntableTV.