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“Big Once is a serial killer when it comes to clubs! No dance floor in Chicago is safe.”
- Apoc, CEO, Lab-Oratory Records
Chicago, Illinois“(Booze, Broads & Birdcalls) made me enjoy dance music again.”
- Why B, 2006 Milwaukee Club DJ of the Year, No Request Sound System
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Certified party starter, coast to coast club rocker, former champion battle DJ, and one half of downtempo duo Meat Number 5, Big Once has been mixing and cutting wax for ten years. He got his start while still in high school; putting out mixtapes, spinning the occasional house party, and working with local bands. Breaking into the Chicago scene while still in college, Once has steadily been building his rep as one of the most in-demand club DJs and recording artists in the city.
Last year alone, Big Once (born Ian Osborn) rocked crowds from LA to Brooklyn, opened for Cypress Hill and Z-Trip in the same night, recorded with members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and played damn near every live venue and club in Chicago at least once.
2009 has so far shaped up to be the most important year in Once’s career so far, beginning with the release of his debut mix CD, Booze, Broads & Birdcalls, which dropped May 2nd. The disc is 70 tracks packed into an hour-long continuous mix, touching on electro, hip-hop, house, bmore, crunk, funk, and everything in between. This release was quickly followed by Meat Number 5’s new EP, which was released May 14th on Lab-Oratory Records.
With an apartment full of records and a massive digital library, Big Once’s sets incorporate all styles of music, all mixed with a hip-hop lean. In an age where anyone with a laptop and some software can claim to be a DJ, it is Once’s turntablist skills, in-key mixes, and years of experience with all aspects of DJing that set him apart from others. Whether its the slickest downtown club or the grimiest hip-hop dive, promoters and partygoers all over the country have taken note of this unique talent. I challenge you to experience one of this guy’s sets and see what all the talk is about. You will not be disappointed.
Notable Achievements
- Toured the West Coast and Midwest U.S. in spring 2009
- Twice taught one-hour “History of Scratching and Hip-Hop DJing” courses at the University of Chicago in spring and fall 2009
- Played Lollapalooza with former band The Cankles in summer 2006
- Competed in over 20 DJ battles from 2004 to 2006
- Appeared on 26 albums since 2001 as DJ or producer
- Member of Meat Number 5, a successful downtempo hip-hop duo, and DJ crew Dirty Cuttin Scoundrels
- Tour DJ for Kid Static and Verbal Kent
- Breakdance Chicago’s “DJ of the Month” for March 2009.
- Appeared in publications such as the Chicago Sun-Times, TimeOut Chicago, Centerstage, Beacon News, KEXP.org, Beep!, the Daily Herald, and more.
Venues/Clubs
National Venues
- LAX (Los Angeles, CA)
- Cinespace (Los Angeles, CA)
- Plush Lounge (Los Angeles, CA)
- Royal Elastic Store (Los Angeles, CA)
- Circle Bar (Santa Monica, CA)
- 710 Beach Club (San Diego, CA)
- Gallagher’s (San Diego, CA)
- Anodyne Loft (Brooklyn, NY)
- Posh (Detroit, MI)
- MOCT (Milwaukee, WI)
- Mantra (Milwaukee, WI)
- Red Light (Milwaukee, WI)
- Jackalope Lounj (Milwaukee, WI)
- The Rave/Eagles Ballroom (Milwaukee,WI)
- Rathskellar Auditorium (Madison,WI)
- Annies Outdoor Pavillion (Cincinnati, OH)
- Madison Theater (Cincinnati, OH)
- Skully’s (Columbus, OH)
- Berbati’s Pan (Portland, OR)
- Hidden House (Phoenix, AZ)
- Sport’s On Congress (Tucson, AZ)
- Stray Cat (Tempe, AZ)
- Sunshine Theater (Albuquerque, NM)
- Bert’s (Albuquerque, NM)
- Orange (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Hideout Lounge (Omaha, NE)
Chicago/Illinois Venues
- 115 Bourbon St
- Abbey Pub
- Angels & Kings
- Bar Vertigo
- Betty’s Blue Star Lounge
- Between Lounge
- BeviAmo Wine Bar
- Black Beetle
- Black Gate Sessions
- Bon V
- Butterfly Social Club
- Cafe Lura
- Cherry Red
- Congress Theater
- Crocodile
- D’Vine
- Danny’s
- Darkroom
- Double Door
- East River Arts Center
- Empty Bottle
- Funky Buddha Lounge
- Hideout
- Hot House
- House of Blues
- Kinetic Playground
- Lava Lounge
- Liar’s Club
- Logan Square Auditorium
- LoKal Resturant and Lounge
- Lollapalooza (Grant Park)
- The Metro
- Morseland
- The Note
- Old Town Social
- Ontourage
- Pint
- Red Kiva
- Roof at the Wit
- The Shrine
- Simone’s
- Smallbar
- Sonotheque
- Subterranean
- Swig
- Swirl Wine Bar
- Tonic Room
- U.S. Beer Company
- Union Park
- Vision
- The Whistler
- Zentra
- Brauer House (Hillside, IL)
- Clearwater Theater (West Dundee, IL)
- Elixur (Rockford, IL)
- End Zone (Aurora, IL)
- Martini Bar (Aurora, IL)
- Premier Lounge (West Chicago, IL)
- Red Star Tavern (Aurora, IL)
Current/Former Residencies
- ROOF at the Wit (weekly/2010-present)
- Tonic Room (weekly/2009-2010)
- Simone’s (monthly/2009-2010)
- Pint (monthly/2009-present)
- Butterfly Social Club (monthly/2009-2010)
- Old Town Social (monthly/2009)
- Swirl Wine Bar (monthly/2009)
- Swig (monthly/2007-2009)
- Mix (weekly/2007)
Opened For
- 2Mex
- Animal Crackers
- Arsonists
- Roy Ayers
- Bump J
- Common
- The Cool Kids
- Cypress Hill
- D 12
- edIT
- Evidence
- Eyedea and Abilities
- Free the Robots
- The Glitch Mob
- Glue
- Grandmaster Flash
- Grayskul
- GZA
- Hangar 18
- Hey Champ
- Hollywood Holt
- House of Pain
- Ill Bill
- Jurassic 5
- Kidz In The Hall
- Killah Priest
- La Coka Nostra
- Lifesavaz
- Little Brother
- Lyrics Born
- Method Man
- Million $ Mano
- ModIll
- One Be Lo
- Psalm One
- Redman
- Rhymefest
- Sean Price
- Souls of Mischief
- Twista
- Timbuck2
- U-N-I
- Visionaries
- Warren G
- Wordsworth
- Z Trip
Discography
Fear of Sound – di-fi (2001)
Fear of Sound – Focus (2002)
Fear of Sound – …and there the devil stood (2003)
Me, Myself and Rhyme – MMR LP (Lab-O, 2003)
State of Confusion – Sampler CD (Under the Table Music, 2003)
Dusty Bottomz – Pollito Con Papas EP (Under the Table Music, 2003)
Apoc – Salesman Shipwrecked (Lab-O, 2003)
Earmint and Elfamail – The 3rd Eye Pizza Party (Lab-O, 2004)
Lab-Oratory Records– Changing Seasons (Lab-O, 2004)
Apoc and Earmint Present: The Zooey Files (Lab-O, 2005)
Dusty Bottomz – J.A.S.M.I.N.E. (PPBS, 2005)
Apoc – Gods and Ghosts (Lab-O, 2005)
The Cankles – Goddamn! (Shinfoot, 2005)
EV Records – Sampler CD (EV Records, 2006)
Modill – Midnight Green (EV Records, 2006)
Elfamail – Dead Hookers! (Lab-O, 2006)
Verbal Kent – Move With the Walls (Gravel Records, 2006)
EV Records – Everything (EV Records, 2007)
The Ritz – The Night of Day (Chisel Sound, 2007)
Giraffe Nutz – Eat Them (Gravel Records, 2007)
Copperpot – WYLA? (EV Productions, 2007)
Meat Number 5 (presented by ricky ropesack and dj onceamonth) (Anodyne Electric Company, 2007)
Verbal Kent – Fist Shaking (Molemen, 2008)
Verbal Kent and Kaz One – Brave New Rap (Gravel Records, 2009)
Big Once – Booze, Broads & Birdcalls (self-released, 2009)
Meat Number 5 – The Oblivion EP (Lab-O, 2009)
Verbal Kent – Save Your Friends (Bear vs Deer, 2010)
Relfamailevar – Karate Pizza (self-released, 2010)
Battle Tally
2004
- Kool Mixx Chicago Prelim
- Guitar Center Highland Park, IL Prelim (Champion)
- Guitar Center Highland Park, IL Store Final (Champion)
- Guitar Center Midwest Regional Finals
- Vinyl Combat Chicago Regional
- Battle for Midwest Supremacy, Cincinnati, OH
2005
- DMC Chicago Regional
- Guitar Center Highland Park, IL Prelim (Champion)
- Guitar Center Highland Park, IL Store Final (Champion)
- Pepsi / Power 92 Bassment DJ Battle, (2nd place)
- Guitar Center Midwest District Finals (3rd place)
- Scribble Jam DJ Battle, Cincinnati, OH
- Grills and Skills, Rockford, IL (Champion)
- Elixur / Groove Shop Battle, Rockford, IL (2nd place)
- Cuts and Bruises Battle (3rd place)
2006
- Sam Ash Turntablist Battle, Buffalo Grove, IL (Champion)
- Sam Ash DJ Summit 2.0 Mix Battle, Buffalo Grove, IL (Champion)
- Indiana University Hip Hop Awareness Festival DJ Battle
- DMC Albuquerque Regional
- DMC Chicago Regional
- Guitar Center Highland Park, IL Prelim (Champion)
- Guitar Center Chicago District Final (Champion)
- Guitar Center Midwest Regional Finals, Detroit, MI (3rd place)
- DMC Battle for U.S. Supremacy
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