| Background: | person |
| Big Dipper | |
| Birth Name: | Daniel Stermer |
| Birth Date: | 6 April 1985 |
| Genre: | Rap |
Dan Stermer is an American rapper and podcaster known professionally as Big Dipper.
Stermer was raised in Evanston, Illinois. His mother is Jewish, and his father is Christian. Stermer was raised in a Jewish household and attended Sunday school at a Reform synagogue. He first began performing at the age of 8 in a children's theater production of The Wizard of Oz. Stermer tried several instruments including, cello, piano, trumpet, tuba, and drums before deciding he enjoyed plays more. He began listening to hip hop and rap at the age of 9. He had a bar mitzvah in the eighth grade and was confirmed in 10th grade after taking more Jewish studies classes.[1]
Stermer graduated from Ithaca College in 2007 where he studied theater.[2]
Big Dipper wrote his first song at the age of 25. He began using the name Big Dipper at the age of 26.[3], he is based in Los Angeles. He has performed at bear festivals, P-town, and San Francisco Bear Pride.[4] In 2019, he was a headliner at Capital Pride. He stated one reason he performed was to combat hatred and help people feel empowered.[5]
Big Dipper cohosted the podcast Unbearable with Meatball a bear drag queen. After a hiatus, they returned in June 2019 with a new podcast, Sloppy Seconds, on the Forever Dog network. On August 24, 2018, Big Dipper released his debut album Late Bloomer.[6]
Big Dipper's minstrel-style work is often explicit and involves themes of sex and humor surrounding his opportunistic, pathological exploits. He has been compared to fellow gay rapper Cazwell.[7]
Big Dipper is gay and identifies as a member of the bear community.