Awesome Tapes From Africa
Awesome Tapes From Africa grew out of Brian Shimkovitz's encounter with Ghana's cassette culture while he was in the country on a Fulbright scholarship. Drawn to recordings sold by street vendors, he began sharing music that moved between highlife, African disco, left-field soul and local pop, much of it little heard outside West Africa.
Shimkovitz founded the Awesome Tapes From Africa website in Brooklyn in 2006 and later developed it into a record label. Operated from Los Angeles, the label has released work by artists including Ata Kak, Hailu Mergia, DJ Black Low, Roger Bekono and Gibraltar Drakus, bringing archival and contemporary African recordings to a wider international listenership.
Details
Latest Release
Batakari
This is the most recent release from Awesome Tapes From Africa, out .
Discography
Artists on Awesome Tapes From Africa
- Ata Kak
- DJ Black Low
- Hailu Mergia
- Roger Bekono
- Gibraltar Drakus
Common questions
Who is signed to Awesome Tapes From Africa?
Ata Kak, DJ Black Low, Hailu Mergia, Roger Bekono, and Gibraltar Drakus all have releases on Awesome Tapes From Africa in the Tracknack catalogue.
How many artists are on Awesome Tapes From Africa?
Tracknack lists 5 artists with releases on Awesome Tapes From Africa. That counts everyone credited in the catalogue, not only the current roster.
How many releases does Awesome Tapes From Africa have?
Tracknack tracks 16 Awesome Tapes From Africa releases. The most recent is Batakari (2025).
How do I follow new Awesome Tapes From Africa releases?
Follow Awesome Tapes From Africa on Tracknack and every new release is added to a Spotify playlist that updates itself.
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