---
name: "John Otto"
band: "Limp Bizkit"
genre: "Nu Metal / Rap Metal"
country: "USA"
primary_brand: "Orange"
profile_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummer/john-otto"
source: "https://metalforge.io"
last_updated: "2026-06-06"
---

# John Otto

John Otto is a professional metal drummer best known for their work with Limp Bizkit, a defining act in nu metal / rap metal.

## Quick Facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | John Otto |
| Band | Limp Bizkit |
| Genre | Nu Metal / Rap Metal |
| Country | USA |
| Primary brand | Orange |
| Drum kit | Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic |
| Signature snare | OCDP 14x6.5" 40-ply Vented, OCDP 10x6" 20-ply |
| Sticks | Zildjian Artist Series |

## Biography

John Otto, born in 1977, is the drummer and a founding member of Limp Bizkit. His hip-hop influenced drumming style, combining tight grooves with funk-inspired beats, was essential in defining the rap-metal sound of the late 90s and early 2000s. His ability to blend rock power with hip-hop feel made Limp Bizkit one of the biggest bands of the nu-metal era.

John Otto (born John Everett Otto; March 22, 1977, in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American musician best known as the drummer and a founding member of nu metal band Limp Bizkit. Modern Drummer magazine described his playing as "grounded in metal, jazz, and hip-hop" with "fireball rhythms [that] are the grease that makes the Bizkit cook."

Otto studied jazz drumming at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and played in local avant-garde bands before co-founding Limp Bizkit with Fred Durst and Sam Rivers. What started as a small Jacksonville band became one of the most successful acts of the late 1990s and early 2000s, selling over 40 million records worldwide.

## Band History

- **Limp Bizkit** — 1994–present (current)

## Gear

- **Drums:** Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic
- **Snare:** OCDP 14x6.5" 40-ply Vented, OCDP 10x6" 20-ply
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom)
- **Hardware:** Gibraltar G Class Bass Drum Pedals, Gibraltar Custom Racks
- **Sticks:** Zildjian Artist Series
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated

## Notable Performances

- Boiler - Live Drum Cam Clip (2019)
- Drum Solo (Classic) (2006)
- Interview and Rollin' LIVE Drum Cam (2024)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What drum kit does John Otto play?**

A: John Otto plays a Orange County Drum & Percussion (OCDP) Custom Type 5 Acrylic.

**Q: What cymbals does John Otto use?**

A: John Otto uses Zildjian (13" A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hats, 16" & 17" A Custom Projection Crashes, 20" A Custom EFX, 20" FX Oriental Crash of Doom).

**Q: What band is John Otto in?**

A: John Otto drums for Limp Bizkit, a nu metal / rap metal band.

---

**Full interactive profile:** [John Otto on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/john-otto)

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*Last updated: 2026-06-06 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*