Nikita, known as DJ Worm, comes from Karpinsk, a small town in the north of Russia’s Sverdlovsk region. There was no music industry, no world-class clubs and no DJ schools — just turntables, recordings of other people’s battles and endless practice. The Urals, though, have always been strong on scratching and turntablism, and the Yekaterinburg scene gave him a community, mentors and his first rivals.

Next came Saint Petersburg: his first clubs, the Scratchburg crew, sets at CODERED store events and his first battle wins. Even then the press called him “a young but already decorated talent from the Urals.” Then Moscow: the Wax Tribe team with DJ Chell and DJ Chinmachine, coaching at the Scratch DJ school and working as the touring DJ for Scriptonite, Guf and Kizaru.

So far the record reads: IDA 2017 world vice-champion, the first-ever Russian national champion of Red Bull Music 3Style (2018), a world finalist in Taipei and the IDA 2020 world champion in the Show category. Today Nikita splits his time between Moscow and Barcelona, tours Russia, Europe, Asia and the US, and teaches in his own online school. In the video he scratches right on the Ural Mountains.

Source: FLNGR interview #10 (Rutube, in Russian)