Music Business News: South Africa

Ghanaian superstar Stonebwoy signs global Def Jam deal with Universal

Artist to work with Def Jam Recordings in the US, Def Jam Africa across Africa and 0207 Def Jam in the UK

Universal launches Blue Note Records Africa to sign jazz artists from across the African continent

Imprint will launch this Spring with the release of South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini’s new album

Thando Makhunga appointed Managing Director of Downtown subsidiary Sheer Publishing Africa

Sheer was acquired by Downtown Music Holdings in 2020

Kobalt founder Willard Ahdritz invests in $200m fund set up to back African tech start-ups

The fund's founding parter is Niklas Adalberth’s non-profit Norrsken Foundation

Nas joins $20m investment round in Africa-based mobile games publisher Carry1st

Company was founded by Cordel Robbin-Coker, Lucy Hoffman, Tinotenda Mundangepfupfu in 2018

Warner acquires Africa-based music distributor Africori

WMG says that Africori will continue to operate as an independent company, with current CEO, Yoel Kenan, remaining in post

The Orchard bolsters artist and label roster in Africa, confirms three executive hires

Key executives named in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria

Downtown Music Services inks global publishing deal for catalog of iconic South African musician Johnny Clegg

Johnny Clegg's catalog spans more than four decades