Bio

At the age of 16, Koppatone began writing, producing, and engineering demo tracks for his fellow high schoolers. It wasn’t uncommon to find him playing multiple instruments or ghostwriting and composing songs for these young hopefuls in his bedroom studio on the weekends—all for a fee. Even at an early age, Koppatone was a businessperson and an artist at his core. Creating demo tapes for a few hundred dollars a pop twice a week or more was pretty good money for a young person.

In those early years, he found his love of music and began writing and producing tracks with signed artists such as Brodeeva and touring with Memory Garden. Koppatone ghostwrote many songs that got a great deal of airplay.  

His favorite artists—Prince, Ice Cube, and Depeche Mode—provided quite an eclectic yet iconic assortment of inspiration, which shows in his work today. As a Prince fan, Koppatone strives to have strong hooks and a unique tone of voice. As a fan of Ice Cube, the raps are multilayered and filled with double entendres that give us something to discover with each listen. As a fan of Depeche Mode, he brings driving electro-powered baselines, ethereal chords, and punchy, dance-oriented effects with percussion. Koppatone strives to be different, hoping that listeners will become interested in the work because it’s nostalgically familiar, simple and clean, and catchy with a distinctive style.

The music of Koppatone has been described as “modern production with a strong ’90s R&B and rap influence with electronic dance instrumentation.” In every track, the modern production style is clearly present, the old-school rap style reminds us of a time when it was more accessible, and the bass lines and driving beats feel like vintage techno. The combination makes for a very unique sound that sticks in your head and leaves a lasting impression.

Although Koppatone started his pursuit of music decades ago, he decided that the music industry wouldn’t be ideal for him while raising a family. He built a design and marketing agency instead, believing that in the future, the internet would allow him to bypass record labels and market his creative projects directly to the world. Years later, as social media marketing and digital distribution grew, Koppatone realized the time was right and returned to the music world by producing for an assortment of entertainment properties. He then began writing and producing commercial songs once again—this time, for himself instead of for other artists.  

After the COVID pandemic, Koppatone released a club anthem called “O.Y.D.R (Oh You Damn Right),” which served as inspiration for all those who were more than ready to get out and enjoy life after such a rough time. “Run Me My Money” followed and received rave reviews from playlisters, listeners, and industry professionals. Its line “…that’s the last time you burn me, since you made off like Bernie” earned more than a few nods for the appropriate reference to the notorious Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff. The song “Velvet Cake” has been described as “the dirtiest clean song ever written.” It’s a fun, double entendre-filled and innuendo-driven classic. It boasts witty, memorable lines like “…I know it sounds like a metaphor; come on, man, you know what I met her for.” And the latest release from Koppatone, “Flashy Drip,” is a clean R&B hook-based track that is outperforming all previous releases, peaking at several thousand streams per day with next to no promotion. 

Koppatone’s name has multiple meanings. “Cop a tone” in slang means “get that sound.” It also alludes to a copper tone, or the color of his skin, which is a strong source of inspiration and pride. He came by the name when asking his longtime best friend what his new artist name should be. His friend instantly said, “Koppatone,” as if he’d had it loaded in the chamber. The name didn’t resonate at first, but after his best friend died tragically in 2017 due to a brain hemorrhage, adopting the name seemed to be a fitting tribute. After his friend’s passing, the single “Nevva” was released to honor his memory.

Koppatone believes that today’s technological world allows for everyone to have a creative voice. He believes that if you have a creative gift, it should be shared, regardless of your background or age. His life and career are proof that you can realize your dreams without sacrificing your family or your own unique style.