African music is a vast and diverse cultural treasure, rich in rhythms, melodies, and history. However, much of this music remains local or regional, unable to reach global audiences. Since 2006, DJ and researcher Samy Ben Redjeb has been working to change that with his Frankfurt-based label, Analog Africa. By unearthing and sharing rare and forgotten African musical gems, Redjeb has helped showcase the talents of African musicians. His efforts, however, are met with several challenges that reflect broader issues with African music distribution.
Photo credit: Analog Africa/ Tracklib
Hyperlocal Nature of African Music
One of the biggest challenges facing African music is its hyperlocal nature. As Redjeb notes, most of the music he encountered remained accessible only to local or regional audiences, making it difficult for the world to appreciate Africa's musical wealth. He observed that “most of the music remains hyperlocal, or in the best cases regional, yet completely inaccessible to those who can’t make the trip.” This restricted exposure has long kept many African artists and their innovations hidden from global audiences, limiting the recognition they deserve.
Unearthing African Musical Heritage
In response to these challenges, Analog Africa has embraced cross-cultural collaboration as a way to share Africa’s music with the world. Samy Ben Redjeb has traveled extensively across African countries, including Zimbabwe and Benin, working directly with musicians, digging through vinyl records, and reconstructing stories about forgotten African artists. His work seeks to dispel common stereotypes about African music as simple or unsophisticated. Redjeb’s goal is to make African music available, and to show that it is much more advanced and much more sophisticated than what we thought.
The label's work with artists like Zimbabwe's Zexie Manatsa and Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou highlights the depth and complexity of African musical innovation, allowing these musicians' legacies to be preserved and appreciated by wider audiences.
Logistical Challenges of Music Distribution
Despite Redjeb’s success in preserving African music through cross-cultural collaboration, logistical challenges have long hindered African music distribution. Historically, African countries had limited resources to record and distribute music, making it difficult for artists to gain international exposure. Before 1973, for instance, West African labels had to send their masters to Europe—often Belgium or France—for pressing. It wasn’t until the opening of Benin’s Satel record factory that local artists could record and press their music domestically. Even then, “it was an industry that was closed to itself and didn’t have a chance to get out of the country.”
These limitations prevented many brilliant African artists from sharing their work with the world, contributing to a long-standing isolation of African music from global audiences.
Political and Social Instability
Political instability has also hampered efforts to distribute African music internationally. Redjeb experienced this firsthand during a 2006 attempt to continue his work on compiling Zimbabwean music. The country was undergoing Operation Murambatsvina, a large-scale government action that disrupted daily life and created chaotic conditions under President Robert Mugabe. These circumstances forced Redjeb to pause the project, a situation that highlights how political and social instability can interfere with the ability to preserve and distribute African music.
Photo credit: Ferhat Bouda
Through Analog Africa, Samy Ben Redjeb, is clear about his priorities, stating that “the artists are the ones whose blessings I need.” His focus remains on ensuring that African artists' wishes are respected, and that their music is given the opportunity to cross borders and reach new audiences, rather than being forgotten.