Inside the skills, thrills and chills of Smirnoff’s Scratchmaster

The people behind many great nights are often hidden in little corners away from the main party. But at a time where practically anyone can make a playlist, Smirnoff continues to shine a light on the pioneers who elevate nightlife through the celebrated art form of deejaying. 

The most recent celebrant is JX Deejay who is still basking in his glow following victory in the Real Djs Scratch Battle Season 3.

Inspired after watching the first Season 1, JX embarked on his scratch journey in 2024 but fell short in Season 2. 

"I faced a very new experience and my performance was not as good, so I lost," he recalls. But defeat only sharpened his resolve. 

"I never gave up. The next year, I went for the Untamed Battle Deejays and had improved to the point that I reached the final, but lost again.”

Entering 2026, he locked in what he calls "serious army practice" on the decks, determined to claim the crown at Supremacy Lounge. 

“It was impossible to lose,” he now says with a confident smile. That preparation proved crucial in the Season 3 final when his mixer knob literally snapped off mid-set. For most, a catastrophe. For JX, it was chance.

"When my knob broke, I was actually excited," JX reveals. " It was almost like perfect timing coz I got to show that some of the more complex scratch patterns DJ’s like to play on the main crossfader can be executed on the upfader too.” 

That relentless dedication to craft is exactly how Smirnoff releases the party spirit at all occassions: bold, unexpected, and always evolving.

The Real DJ Scratch Battle was organized alongside the DJ Association of Uganda and served as a massive cultural melting pot, drawing elite talent from as far as Soroti and Lira to the heart of Kampala to make for a lively lineup and competition.

"The Northern DJs brought unique skills that we don't often see here in Central and vice versa," JX explains. 

"Listening to the likes of Tompoo also opened my mind to some different ways to approach things like tone of play, crowd control, and even some advanced scratching."

For JX, true turntablism is a highly respected art form, drawing a sharp line between casual party playlist makers and dedicated disc jockeys. 

"Many people call themselves DJs but fear the process it takes to actually master the craft. But with platforms like this, the technical standard in Uganda is bound to skyrocket over the next few years."

JX is candid about the industry’s challenges noting that breaking through in Kampala’s hyper-competitive nightlife is an uphill battle and yet he sees a bright future where technical ability is celebrated.

Holding his title of Season 3 Scratchmaster title and the life-changing UGX 5,000,000 grand prize JX is ready to secure his future stating, “The field in Kampala is crowded, but this exposure and prize money have given me a chance to make some solid investments to guarantee a much better life and career moving forward.”

“If you look back over the last seasons, every champion from this battle has become a certified star and personally, it has pushed me a mile further,” JX adds. (Season 1 Winner, DJ Easy Samuel is locked in on NTV’s GXP show and Season 2’s DJ Sir Tim Dee is doing it big in Soroti).

By backing technical ability and raw talent, Smirnoff is helping shape the narrative that great nights are built on great skill, creativity, and culture. To the next generation of turntablists dreaming of making it big, the reigning Scratchmaster leaves one definitive piece of advice: "Set your targets in advance and do whatever it takes to make practice a daily habit."

As Uganda’s DJs lean towards becoming fully recognized artists to elevate what they offer to revellers, Smirnoff’s support continues to raise the bar so that we could just be scratching the surface of the next wave of entertainers and party starters.