Benny Benassi was born in Milan on 13 July 1967.
He works as a producer in collaboration with his cousin Alle Benassi, who has been a musician and arranger at Off Limits, in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the internationally successful production unit run by Larry Pignagnoli.
The first club hit was “I feel so fine” by KMC feat Dhany (N° 1 club charts UK) in 2001. This was followed by the BENNY BENASSI presents THE BIZ project, a ground-breaking mixtured of electro, techno and house dosed with minimalist flair.
The first single
SATISFACTION, produced in 2002, made its presence felt in the main charts all over Europe in 2003. Some of the results:
- n° 2 in the Official Singles Sales Chart in UK
- over a month in the n° 1 spot in the Official Dance Chart in FRANCE
- top twenty Official Singles Sales Chart in FRANCE
- n° 2 in the Official Dance Chart in GERMANY
- top forty Official Singles Sales Chart in GERMANY
The record was highly acclaimed:
Timo Maas - I have it, crazy fuckin record....crowds love it!!
Carl Cox - Pure energy I love it!
Boy George – Dirty Electro house at it best
Darren Emerson – Norman Cook called abou this record and as soon as I heard it I loved it!!!
Roger Sanchez – Loved his mix of Tomcraft, his record is even better.
Paul Oakenfold - Benny has his own unique sound that works on dance floors across the world.
The album
HYPNOTICA stayed in the top 20 in the Official Album Sales Chart in FRANCE for over a month, having reached the TOP 5.
Official European Dance Chart:
SATISFACTION and
ABLE TO LOVE both went top 5 in the Official European Dance Chart
Benny Benassi’s crucial
remixes (Sfaction mix):
Tomcraft - "Loneliness"
Electric Six - "Dance Commander"
Outkast - "Ghetto Musik"
Robbie Rivera - "Funk a faction"
Goldfrapp - "Strict Machine"
Felix da Housecat – "Ready 2 wear"
Etienne de Crecy – "Someone like you"
Fischer Spooner - "Never win"
Goldfrapp - "Ooh la la"
Moby - "Beautiful"
David Guetta - "In Love with myself"
Benny and Alle then produced
Benassi Bros, a project designed to shine the spotlight on the two Biz vocalists, Paul French and Violeta and other guest singers.
The track by Benassi Bros. feat. Sandy, "
Illusion" and "
Hit my heart" featuring Dhany were both monster top 20 sales charts hits in France and the album,
PUMPHONIA, went gold in France.
Other hit singles taken from HYPNOTICA are "No matter what you do" and "Love is gonna save us"
Benny mixed
SUBLIMINAL SESSIONS VI, for the famous New York label and, for the occasion, produced a track called "I want you to come" under the psuedonym BAT67. With this name he also remixed "Hot Tin Groove" by Rava and "Warman Whoreman" by Digitally Stoned People. He is the first European dj to have mixed a Subliminal Sessions compilation.
In 2003, Benny won a lot recognition
- number one in the Top 100 dance tracks on the Ministry of Sound Internet radio
- DJ MAG tune of the year in UK
- Revelation of the year – Italian Dance Music Awards
- Dance revelation of the year – Danish Music Award
- Nominated for international revelation of the year – NRJ Awards, France
In 2004,
- three nominations at Dancestar, Miami and won the best video award
- DjMag favourite DJ Poll Top 100: Benny is number 18, the highest new entry
- European Border Breakers Award for Hypnotica, the Italian album that sold most in Europe outside Italy
2005
"
...Phobia", the second Benassi Bros Album was released in 2005, and went gold in France, followed by huge acclaims for the singles "
Every Single Day" and "
Make me feel".
Benny mixes GALLERY SESSIONS vol.1 with Tall Paul for Duty Free in UK.
Benny starts his own label,...... Pump-kin..... see www.pump-kinmusic.com
First compilation "Benny Benassi cookin' for Pump-kin, phase 1"
2006 sees the debut of Benny's label,
Pump-kin. Aimed to emerging new producers.
Benny's single Who’s Your Daddy? does really well and the hot video becomes cult
Benny rocks the Ultra Festival in Miami and later in the year plays at a special event mounted in his honour in Manila to over 30,000 people.
2007
Benny rocks the Summerdayze festivals in Australia.
He is the first dj to tour Canada extensively on a bus, like a rockstar, 25 shows in 30 days. All sold out.
The compilation "Benny Benassi cookin' for Pump-kin, special menu" is released.
Benny headlines the house stage at the Ultra Festival in Miami.
Benny plays at the Coachella Valley festival in California in April. According to the organizers there are 25000 people in his tent.
Benny is the headliner at UV Nation in Kuala Lumpur. Despite heavy rain in the afternoon, 20,000 ticket-buyers turn out to see him. The weather holds and Malaysia rocks to his electro beats.
Benny remixes the theme tune to "24", the cult TV program for Fox.
In 2008 the Benny Benassi Remix of
'Bring the noise' by
Public Enemy wins the
Grammy award in the 'Best Remix' Category.
When Benny isn’t in the studio, he tours the world rocking clubs and events with his unstoppable energy.
He is rated as one of the best djs in the world and generally considered to be the father of modern electrohouse club music. The history of house music can be divided into "before and after SATISFACTION".
His dj style is easy to describe…. it’s kinda electro, sort of house-tec, dirty and cool, sweaty and smooth….
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