Cult Ghanaian artist Ishmael Abbey, AKA DJ Katapila, has died.
Awesome Tapes From Africa, a label that reissued Abbey’s music in 2016 and 2018, broke the news on Instagram last Friday, January 26th. “I’m shocked and heartbroken to be announcing the sudden death of our friend and collaborator Ishmael Abbey, better known worldwide as DJ Katapila,” the post read. “The inimitable producer, DJ and mobile party-starter passed away Sunday morning at home from a brief illness. He leaves behind a loving family including his young daughter and son and his 92-year-old mother.”
Artists such as Alexander Nut, dreamcastmoe and Habibi Funk paid tribute to Abbey in the comment section of the post. “Very sad news,” said Nut. “What a legend.”
Born in Accra, Abbey was best known for his unique interpretation of traditional Ga music. Instead of live percussion, he used electronic sounds to create a singular style of house. His sound drew from a broad range of influences, including Detroit techno, Chicago acid house and genres from neighbouring Ivory Coast and Togo, such as soukous, mapouka and coupé-décalé. He also rapped in the languages of Twi and Ga, and included his daughter’s pitched-up vocals on tracks.
Trotro, Abbey’s most popular record, was originally released in the late ’90s, before Awesome Tapes From Africa’s 2016 reissue won him a new global audience. He toured Europe with the label’s founder, Brian Shimkovitz, in the late 2010s, performing at venues such as Hamburg’s Golden Pudel, London’s Corsica Studios and Manchester’s Hidden. His final release was an EP on Tash LC’s Club Yeke label in 2022.
“Many of those shows we played together so I have vivid memories of our travels and all the capers that entailed,” Shimkovitz’s post continued. “Ishmael’s friendly and calm nature touched countless people along the way. It wasn’t always easy or stress-free working with him, but I greatly value what I learned from him.”
Listen to “Cocoawra” and read Awesome Tapes From Africa’s post in full.
