Norwich Arts Centre, 19 Nov 2025
Ghanaian pop enigma whose highlife-hip-hop-funk wizardry has electrified festivals worldwide
Ata Kak, the Ghanaian artist behind the cult classic Obaa Sima, crafted a singular blend of highlife, hip-hop and funk in the early ’90s that went largely unnoticed until decades later. Born Yaw Atta-Owusu in Kumasi, he moved through Germany and Canada, developing his sound using basic home equipment and sheer determination.
Initially released as a DIY cassette, Obaa Sima fused Twi rap with lo-fi beats and Afro-futuristic flair. It vanished into obscurity until 2002, when musicologist Brian Shimkovitz found a copy in Ghana and later reissued it in 2015 via Awesome Tapes From Africa.
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51 St Benedicts Street, Norwich, NR2 4PG
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