Considering all of his success, from running underground house label Murk Records with Ralph Falcon for nearly a quarter decade to scoring 12 top-ten hits in 17 years on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart, Miami's Oscar G is a pretty grounded dude.
"I grew up in La Sagüesera, between downtown and the Grove," the 305 dance music pioneer offers. "That's where I still live."
Although Oscar Gaetan has come a long way since DJ'ing bailes de quinceañera and house parties as a teen, he's never tried to distance himself from the place where he grew up.
And come Saturday, March 21, the real O.G. will be bringing that 305 love to South Beach for his Made in Miami poolside rager at the National Hotel.
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"Miami is home," Oscar says. "It's such a big part of who I am, my upbringing, my musical tastes. It's just a huge part of me and my life."
And he's such a big part of Miami too. If it weren't for Oscar G, Ralph Falcon, and Murk, the Magic City's underground house and electronic music scene may never have evolved into what it's become today.
"When I started DJ'ing as kid, a lot of stuff was Miami bass and freestyle. In those days, it was a Miami staple," he recalls. "But now with the evolution of electronic music and Ultra Music Festival and Winter Music Conference, Miami has become a mecca for that kinda thing. This EDM thing has exploded."
But there's also a downside to the uhntz-uhntz craze, Oscar G believes, and it's the emergence of the vapid dance-music pop star.
"For a long time, it wasn't the case," he says. "It was a smaller scene, and we still have the pioneers. But at this point, there are people that just push buttons. They look nice, have a good hairdo and a great social-media presence."
Thankfully, though, Oscar and others like him aren't so obsessed with quick cash, good optics, and trending topics. "There's still the whole side of it that's an art form and a craft," he points out. "You still have people that work on it and try to give others something new and different, something they remember."
But even with all the love and respect the club vet has for his hometown, the DJ admits the 305 lacks one thing: local support.
"That's a very rare thing in Miami. I think there's a great bunch of artists in general, not just DJs but musicians, painters, and I don't see enough local support," he says. "If you look at the big clubs in town, it's all imported talent. It's rare you see local guys putting on anything. Fortunately for me, I haven't really suffered from that, but I can't help but see it."
Still, nothing can diminish the admiration he has por la gente.
"There's no audience like Miami," Oscar G beams. "They're so into it, it's almost aggressive. In a sense, it brings out the best in DJs."
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Made in Miami. With Oscar G, Lazaro Casanova, Cocodrills, Patrick M, and others. Presented by Nervous Records. Saturday, March 21. The National Hotel, 1677 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. The party runs from noon to 10 p.m., and tickets cost $50 plus fees via wantickets.com. Ages 21 and up. Call 866-215-6641, or visit nationalhotel.com.
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