Catching Some Zs

It looks like booties are finally getting their respect.

Mashup bootleg pioneer Z-Trip is clearly a fan favorite because online voting just earned him the title of America's best DJ. The competition, sponsored by DJ Times Magazine and Pioneer Pro DJ, will celebrate the win next week at the ABDJ Awards in Las Vegas. The L.A.-based scratcher will receive a gold-plated Pioneer mixer at the Sept. 12 press event at The Palms Hotel and Casino and then perform that night with Paul Oakenfold at the Rain Nightclub for the Planet Perfecto party. For electronic music lovers, Sin City is clearly the place to be next weekend.

Z-Trip, whose birth certificate reads Zach Sciacca, helped popularize mashups in the U.S. and went on to open for the Rolling Stones and become a featured player in Doug Pray's "Scratch" documentary. He even became the first American bootie DJ to sign with a major label after inking with Hollywood/Disney a few years back.

As far as his latest trophy, Z-Trip remarked, "It's an honor to be ranked No. 1 by the people, especially considering all the incredible talent out there these days."

As far as the rest of the voting, Steve Porter and QBert placed second and third, while other notable DJs on the list included DJ Shadow at No. 6, Kanye vinyl-man A-Trak at 11, hip-hop spinner Cut Chemist at 12, the recently departed DJ AM at 17, the Beastie's Mix Master Mike at 18, Crystal Method at 19, the legendary Grandmaster Flash at 20, fellow bootie star Girl Talk at 26, trance legend Roger Sanchez at 28 and Eminem's favorite DJ, Moby, in the 32 spot. That's quite a list that Z-Trip's topping.