Music
The dawn of 3 decades of house excellence
We take a look at early days of Vinny Da Vinci – South Africa’s house music MVP.
It’s difficult to imagine the world of South African house music without the presence of Vinny Da Vinci. He has a wealth of experience in every aspect of the industry, from DJing to label management to promoting. As part of the legendary DJs At Work duo, formed with good friend DJ Christos, Vinny helped early on to define the sound many of us take for granted as authentically local today. This definition was further expanded through his co-ownership of one of the country’s most distinctive labels: House Afrika.
I remember hearing house for the first time and thinking 'what is this?'
Vinny grew up in what is often referred to as the house capital of SA, Pretoria. He split his time between the townships of Atteridgeville and Mabopane, spending time with a variety of family members who all shared a love for collecting records. Soul and RnB tended to be the biggest flavours he was introduced to, however a love for radio opened him up to more sounds beyond his family environment, particularly the growing phenomenon of house music. “I loved all genres. I listened to rock music, a lot of pop music. I remember hearing house for the first time and thinking 'what is this?'”
His friends in the neighbourhood shared his love for this increasingly dominant genre and together they would explore the local clubs searching for grooves and DJs. A local club in Mabopane called Ship Ahoy would be a significant marker in Vinny’s career, as he met someone who'd become a defining mentor: DJ Correy. “He'd let me sit in the booth and I’d be fascinated, watching how he worked one song into the other.” The group of friends collectively chipped in together to buy an all-in-one turntable and mixer set and immediately got to practising.
Now into his post-high-school years, Vinny had begun to work at a clothing shop, pursuing his love for collecting records and mixing on the side. He was a regular at many of the spots known for pushing quality music and it was through his support for the events that he got his lucky break. While hanging at one of his favourite haunts, Cherry's in Mabopane, he was asked to stand in for a resident DJ, who had failed to pitch up for his Sunday set. The owner asked him up to the office to prove he could mix and Vinny promptly took him home to fetch all his music. One set later Cherry’s had a new resident DJ.
The residency meant Vinny was able to start building his profile as a standout DJ, able to play at other hotspots of the time such as the legendary Gemini. “I was exposed to people and music that I'd never heard of there”. He eventually managed to quit his day job in the clothing store and pursue music full-time. For a time all was bliss, but the dream was cut short when Cherry’s promptly closed, leaving the up and comer with no day or night job.
Vinny Da Vinci
© Supplied
Things took a turn for the better when a local friend opened up a new venture, The Arena, in Hillbrow. Knowing he needed a trustworthy source of excellent music he turned to Vinny, who found himself with a new three-night weekend residency. The constant travelling between Pretoria and Johannesburg became exhausting and eventually forced Vinny into making the big move between cities. It was a move which proved fruitful.
I just really loved the music
Over time he'd become a regular customer of House Afrika, a record store operated by Tim White. The two had become acquainted in a DJ competition some years earlier, where Tim, who was judging, recognised Vinny’s love for selection. “To win competitions you needed to display a lot of technical skills – I just really loved the music,” he remembers. Looking to fill his empty weekdays between weekend residencies Vinny began working at the label, the beginnings of a partnership that would lead to co-ownership.
This real love for the music is a defining trait throughout Vinny Da Vinci’s storied come up. Even in the early days, before he had landed a residency or even played his first gig, his record collection was growing and his support for the scene unconditional. That he can still be found at gigs, on radio and in the House Afrika office week-in and week-out three decades is later is a testament to a grind that's fuelled by a passion for great music, standout talent and the house music scene of South Africa.
Watch Vinny Da Vinci and other stalwarts of the South African dance music scene share the stories of the scene's birth in the new Red Bull Music documentary Rave & Resistance.
43 min
Rave & Resistance
Journey back to 1990s South Africa when dance music evolved from a collaboration of black and white artists.