Therese Owen
Goldfish made ClassyMenace ( pictured) do it. It was while remixing one of the dance duo’s tracks that Andrea Iacopini, aka ClassyMenace, realised he could and would do this for a living.
“I was remixing Crunchy Joe and Humbug for Goldfish from their album, Get Busy Living,” smiles the good-looking Italian-born producer and DJ. “There was this click and I had this sudden confidence and knew this is what I wanted to do.”
ClassyMenace grew up in Joburg where his parents owned the famous Roma Restaurant in Melville. He remembers buying his first CD with his father at the Melville CNA. It was Bump 3.
Really?
“Yeah, I also like Tina Turner.”
Oh my hat, the boy is gay!
He laughs out loud. “Actually, my favourite CD is Surrender by Chemical Brothers. Ha! That redeemed me. I went from box wine to a merlot in one sentence.”
At age 11 his family emigrated.
“I am very influenced by European dance music. Being in Europe showed me a different side to dance music. I am not a musician, but I understand the foundation of music. I decided at age 13 that’s what I wanted to do. It was all stepping stones to what I do now. I can’t see myself doing anything else except music.”
He now has a flourishing career as a DJ based in Cape Town. He recently signed to Sony Music South Africa and has just released a commercial dance album, Sets Made Me Do It. The European dance influence is evident from the opening track.
“I am proud of this album. It is a reflection of everything that has influenced me. The album keeps the listener entertained. My whole approach to music is to have variation on each track. People’s attention span has become shorter.
“There are signature tunes and I have included a three-act dance song. It begins with a one-night stand and develops into love.”
There is also a track called Natural Vibe on which he takes the listener back to Run DMC with a bit of Blondie’s Call Me which he has tweaked. The tracks are all radio-friendly and can be turned up on the club dance floors. Although he sings on the opening track, ClassyMenace does not see himself as an artist.
“I never want to be that person who wants to be in my music video. I am just about the music. I am big into my electronic music, but am also influenced by pop music from the early 1990s.
“ClassyMenace is not an oxymoron. There is a fun side, a more light side. Then I have a dark side. This album takes a journey from light to dark. I don’t want people to get bored with it.”
Well, if you like your music commercial with hot dance beats, then ClassyMenace is your main man.