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The Málaga-born artist has become a global reference in his style through sheer merit.
In Spain, we’re not exactly overflowing with world champions—especially not in the electronic scene, where for one reason or another we’re often left out of the rankings of the best DJs. But as in everything in life, exceptions exist, and our blessed exception has a name: José Rodriguez.
Before achieving recognition, José was a passionate and curious kid, raised between Madrid and Marbella, listening to cassette tapes from his older surfer friends in the car while searching for the best waves. Back then, Baby-D’s music meant everything to him, and those sounds and rhythms helped shape his musical talent. His first experience as a DJ came in a booth at the Marbella fair in 2001. He and a friend brought their turntables and stirred things up so much that even the police showed up to see what was going on. At that time, artists like Q.Bert, Atomic Hooligan, Memo, and Jordi Slate were running through José’s musical mind—and they were the driving force behind everything that came next.
AN ACHIEVEMENT LIST FEW CAN MATCH
Although José Rodriguez’s career as a DJ and producer is impeccable, he has always had a competitive edge that led him to take on challenges uncommon among Spanish artists. His track record in freestyle scratching is simply outstanding:
- 2017 IDA Spain (first national competition). Prize: qualification for the world finals
- 2018 Wild Cuts World Portable Scratch Battle Champion (first global competition). Prize: $500 and sponsor gear
- 2018 Clash Of The Titans Spain. Prize: qualification for the world finals in Berlin (4th place)
- 2018 IDA Spain. Prize: qualification for the world finals
- 2019 IDA Spain. Prize: qualification for the world finals (4th place)
- 2020 Cut2Cut Worlds Champion (prize: creating one side of a vinyl record; the other side was done by the winner of the “DJ Delightfull” category)
And how did this passion for scratching begin? No one better than José Rodriguez himself to explain it:
“I started out DJing electronic music. After watching Doug Pray’s documentary Scratch, I discovered that behind the same equipment I had at home, there was a completely different culture—and I decided to go down that path. I always highly recommend that documentary.”
AN IMPECCABLE MUSICAL CAREER
José Rodriguez has been collaborating with producers for many years, recording scratches for rap albums and producing breakbeat tracks. If there’s one key track in his career, it’s “Estamos a Martes,” alongside Shade K and Gordo Master—a fun, cheeky track that has conquered dancefloors and become a classic in its own right.
Soon, we’ll be able to enjoy his remix of “Málaga City,” Gordo Master’s hit track. Created alongside Tortu, it maintains the essence of the original while adding a fresh twist. The result is a track that works perfectly on the dancefloor and gets everyone singing along.
His relationship with Gordo Master began in 2018 when the rap group Triple XXX contacted José. Since then, he became their DJ when the group returned to the stage. In 2023, during a Heat party, one of the speakers couldn’t attend, and José invited Gordo Master to join the event. That’s how the José Rodríguez + Gordo Master project was born… the rest is history.
TOURING SPAIN AND HIS JOURNEY AS A PROMOTER
José Rodriguez has performed all over Spain. Highlights include major festivals such as Monegros, Dreambeach, and Viña Rock (with Triple XXX). In Andalusia, he has played at clubs like Industrial Copera, París 15, and Pandora. Outside Andalusia—where playing breakbeat always feels special—he has performed at Next in Madrid, Gamma in Murcia, and Sala Raw in Bilbao.
He also began his journey as a promoter in 2006 when he met Tortu, who had already started Heat Productions (now Heat Pro) a few years earlier. Since then, they’ve organized club nights across Andalusia and even some festivals. Today, they continue working at París 15, keeping the breakbeat flame alive in Málaga.
This summer, he will perform outside Andalusia for the first time in the Valencia region at Zevra Festival, at Ethereum Festival in Albacete, and with his friends at Bellota Break in Badajoz. In the south, he’ll appear alongside Gordo Master at the first anniversary of Ritmika in La Antilla, held in a fantastic venue, as well as at other events yet to be announced.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
José Rodriguez has been teaching DJ classes at School Training (a film and sound academy in Málaga) for around seven years. It’s one of the things that motivates him the most—sharing his knowledge with new generations. He teaches a course of approximately 200 hours, starting completely from scratch. Nothing satisfies him more than seeing students’ minds blown when vinyl comes into play.
CONCLUSION
José Rodriguez is much more than a DJ, a producer, a promoter, or a teacher. He is a perfect example of how to build an artistic career with coherence and passion—how love for your craft eventually pays off, and how music can turn your dreams into reality… even when they may seem far-fetched.
