South Africa, has always been a country associated with jazz and soul, from the deep afro-centrism of Abdullah Ibrahim’s work to the tranquil harmonies of a capella group Lady Black Mambazo. Yet, over the last decade, record labels have introduced us to the forgotten era of the 80s and 90s, where synthesized, dance floor ready and poppy hooks ruled the day. DJ Okapi has been a local figurehead in this resurgence, as an owner of the Afro Synth blog and record store in Johannesburg, a DJ and curator of the Boogie Breakdown compilation on Cultures of Soul. We spoke to him about his life as a record collector and how he's been shaped by the music of South Africa. He's put together a vinyl only mix to accompany.
Read the extended interview: http://www.stampthewax.com/2017/05/10/diggers-directory-dj-okapi/
