View source for DJ Babu

{{BLP sources|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background        = person
| name              = DJ Babu
| image             = DJ Babu 2010.jpg
| caption           = DJ Babu
| birth_name        = Christopher E. Oroc<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/503745951 |title=TRUTH BE TOLD |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1974|09|17}}
| birth_place       = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| instrument        = [[Turntablism|Turntables]]
| alias             = {{hlist|Melvin Babu|Babu|The Turntablist|The Dilated Junkie|Babs}}
| genre             = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
| occupation        = {{hlist|DJ|producer|program director/lead instructor at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound}}
| years_active      = 1992–present
| label             = {{hlist|[[Stones Throw Records|Stones Theow]]|[[Nature Sounds]]}}
| current_member_of = {{hlist|[[Beat Junkies]]|[[Dilated Peoples]]|Likwit Junkies}}
| website           = [http://www.dilatedpeoples.com/ Dilated Peoples] <!--Only include the official website, no others-->
}}

'''Christopher E. Oroc''', [[stage name]] '''Melvin Babu''' (born September 17, 1974), better known as '''DJ Babu''' or '''DJ Babu the Dilated Junkie''', is a [[Filipino Americans|Filipino-American]] [[Disc jockey|DJ]] and [[record producer]]. He is a member of DJ crew the [[Beat Junkies]], [[Los Angeles]]-based [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] trio [[Dilated Peoples]] together with [[Evidence (musician)|Evidence]] and [[Rakaa|Rakaa Iriscience]], and a member of the Likwit Junkies along with rapper Defari. He served as the curator and host of ''Soundcheck'' for Beat Junkie Radio on [[Dash Radio]]. As of 2017, DJ Babu is the Program Director and a lead instructor alongside fellow crew members Mr. Choc, Melo-D, [[DJ Rhettmatic]], [[D-Styles]] and J.Rocc at the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound.

==Career==
In his early years, Babu lived in [[Oxnard, California]] for one year, and later moved to the neighboring city of [[Camarillo, California|Camarillo]]; he currently resides in [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]].

He has appeared in and hosted numerable videos. Babu is famous for redefining the art of [[Beat juggling]] during the 1997 ITF/Beat juggling category competition, when he first performed his "Blind Alley" routine. Under the name "The Turntablist", produced perhaps the genre's most popular [[battle record]], 1996's Super Duck Breaks, which sold over 10,000 copies.

Along with rapper and record producer [[Evidence (musician)|Evidence]] and rapper [[Rakaa]], he released the debut [[Dilated Peoples]]' single "Third Degree" in 1997 for ABB Records. The trio's dropped their first studio album, ''[[The Platform (album)|The Platform]]'', in 2000. Babu, Evidence and [[Pharoahe Monch]] are featured in the song "H! Vltg3" from [[Linkin Park]]'s remix album ''[[Reanimation (Linkin Park album)|Reanimation]]''. DJ Babu has also featured on numerous acts alongside groups such as [[Jurassic 5]], [[Swollen Members]] and the [[Visionaries (hip hop group)|Visionaries]]. Individually Babu has been featured in many other groups, including his affiliation with the [[Likwit Crew]], which led to form the Likwit Junkies duo with Defari. The duo's debut studio album, ''[[The L.J.'s]]'', was released in March 2005 to generally favorable reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]].

Babu's latest endeavors include Dilated Peoples' 2014 release of their fifth studio album, ''[[Directors of Photography]]'' via [[Rhymesayers Entertainment]] label, which features tracks that were primarily produced by Evidence and Babu, with guest appearances from [[Vince Staples]], [[Aloe Blacc]], [[Action Bronson]], [[Sick Jacken]] and [[Rapsody]] to name a few.

In 2014, the [[Beat Junkies]] crew launched their own membership based record pool curated by the members of the crew, including Babu. At the top of 2015, "Beat Junkie Radio" began airing on [[Dash Radio]], the station stars all members of the crew, but led by Babu, Mr. Choc, and Rhettmatic. Their live show "Soundcheck' which aires live every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month has been ranked as one of the top 5 shows on Dash Radio.

''Duck Season Vol. 4'' is set to be released in 2018.

Aside Babu's musical accomplishments, his hobbies also include photography, with Babu being noted for his "behind the decks" shots of his turntables with Evidence and Rakaa during live shows, as well as landscape shots of his travels around the world with Dilated Peoples.

On January 18, 2017, The [[Beat Junkies]] formally announced plans to open their own DJ school (The Beat Junkie Institute of Sound) and Professional training facility. Babu leads in the introductory classes, intermediate/advanced level scratching, creative mixing and beat juggling classes.

==Discography==
===Albums===
*''Super Duck Breaks'' (1996)
*''Super Duper Duck Breaks'' (2000)
*''Duck Season Vol. 1'' (2002)
*''Duck Season Vol. 2'' (2003)
*''[[The L.J.'s]]'' <small>(with Defari, as the Likwit Junkies)</small> (2005)
*''The Beat Tape Vol. 1'' (2007)
*''Duck Season Vol. 3'' (2008)
*''The Beat Tape Vol. 2'' (2010)
* ''No Apologies'' <small>(with LMNO)</small> (2010)<ref name="AMP">{{cite web |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |title=No Apologies |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-apologies/id394486447 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607075821/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-apologies/id394486447 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |date=2010-11-16 |access-date=2014-10-01}}</ref>

===Featured===
* "Wild Stylus" (1997) [Scratches – tracks: A2 to A4, B1 to B2]

===Singles===
* "Pay Attention" (2001)
* "Duck Season" (2002)
* "Fan Mail" (2007)

===Production===
* "Funky Duck" Wild Stylus (1997)
* "Service" Dilated Peoples (2000)
* "Phil Da Agony Interlude"; "proper Propaganda"; "Pay Attention"; "Dilated Junkies"; "Hard Hitters" Dilated Peoples (2001)
* "Behold My Life (Remix)" Defari (2003)
* "International" Chali 2na (2005)
* "The L.J.'s" Likwit Junkies (2005)
* "Alarm Clock Music" Dilated Peoples (2006)
* "Vultures"; "Burn Big" Defari (2006)
* "Things You Do"; "A Moment in Time" Evidence (2007)<ref>{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Evidence-things-you-do-lyrics}}</ref>
* "Rain or Shine" Evidence (2008)
* "C.T.D."; "Eyes Wide" Rakaa Iriscience (2010)
* "Same Folks" Evidence (2011)
* "BBQ Sauce" Sean Price (2012)<ref>{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Sean-price-bbq-sauce-lyrics}}</ref>
* "No Gunz Come Out"; "Lip Service"; "Curveball" Defari (2013)
* "Progressive 3" Vince Staples (2014)
* "Reversal"; "Figure It Out"; "Options May Vary" Dilated Peoples (2014)<ref>{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Dilated-peoples-the-reversal-lyrics}}</ref>
* "Weather or Not" Evidence (2018)<ref>{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Evidence-weather-or-not-lyrics}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/dj_babu.shtml DJ Babu interview]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070702111811/http://www.rane.com/dj/beatjunk.html Beat Junkie Sound]
*[http://www.beatjunkiesound.com Beat Junkie Institute of Sound]
*[http://www.beatjunkies.com Beat Junkie Record Pool]
*{{Instagram|djbabuforeal}}
*[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/dj-babu DJ Babu Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (2020)

{{Dilated Peoples}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babu, DJ}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American musicians of Filipino descent]]
[[Category:American hip-hop DJs]]
[[Category:Filipino hip-hop DJs]]
[[Category:Musicians from Oxnard, California]]
[[Category:Musicians from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Stones Throw Records artists]]
[[Category:American hip-hop record producers]]
[[Category:East Coast hip-hop musicians]]
[[Category:Record producers from California]]