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A foundational figure in UK underground music, Scratchclart (formerly known as Scratcha DVA) has spent the last two decades pushing the boundaries of Black electronic music. From pirate radio to Hyperdub albums, grime to UK funky, gqom to broken beat, his sound is constantly evolving—deeply rooted in the diaspora while scanning the horizon for what’s next.
Leon Smart first emerged in East London’s jungle scene as “Dubplate Dan”, known for cutting exclusives at Music House and shelling down pirate airwaves. As grime took shape, he became DJ Scratcha, producing for Wiley and Flowdan and co-founding DVA Music—home to early grime and funky hybrids.
He rose to cult status hosting Rinse FM’s Grimey Breakfast Show (2006–2012), becoming a key tastemaker and voice in UK club culture. Simultaneously, his percussive, syncopated productions helped define the rawer edge of UK funky, with cuts like “Natty” and “Ganja” earning play across raves and radio.
In 2012, Scratcha worked with to Hyperdub, releasing his acclaimed debut album Pretty Ugly, blending R&B, electronica, and broken beat with an Afrofuturist sensibility. This was followed by the conceptual NOTU_URONLINEU (2016), recorded partly in darkness and released under his experimental alias DVA [Hi:Emotions].
Now working as Scratchclart, Smart is at the forefront of a new wave of Afro-diasporic club music, championing sounds from South Africa, Angola, the UK, and beyond. His ongoing DRMTRK series blends gqom, amapiano, grime, and funky into hard-edged, hypnotic rhythms, with collaborators including Citizen Boy, Mxshi Mo, KG, Mez, and Skream.
Alongside his explosive DJ sets and carefully curated radio shows, Scratchclart is a mentor, connector, and sonic historian—always building bridges between past, present, and future.