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Habibi Funk is a reissue record label based in Berlin, Germany. It is dedicated to the funky music of the Arab world of the 1970s. It was co-founded by Jannis Stürtz, who also works as a DJ using the name Habibi Funk. The label is mostly known for its albums and accompanying booklets of Arabic funk and soul bands from the 1960-80s, including a number of Sudanese musicians and singers.
Habibi Funk has re-released an expansive collection of Arabic funk and soul bands from the 1960-80s, including compilations. Apart from these, there are albums featuring a specific band, like Sudanese funk musician Kamal Keila, the ‘King of Sudanese Jazz’, Sharhabil Ahmed or The Scorpions and Saif Abu Bakr, as well as North African musicians such as Al Massrieen, Ahmed Malek, Raze de Soare, Mallek Mohamed and Hamid El Shaeri.
Jannis Stürtz stresses the political aspects of the label's work, addressing ‘the context of post-colonialism’ and avoiding orientalist ‘stereotypical visual language’. He also added that Habibi Funk Records licenses the music it reissues directly from the artists or their families, who get a 50% cut of the profits. In an interview with The Vinyl Factory, Stürtz commented: ‘If you’re a European or Western label and you’re dealing with non-European artists’ music, there’s obviously a special responsibility to make sure you don’t reproduce historic economic patterns of exploitation, which is the number one thing when it comes to the post-colonial aspect of what we are doing.’
Through the re-release of various records, Habibi Funk have established a unique collection of 1970s era Sudanese musician photos and LP record covers. Further to this, Jannis’s personal collection of magazine clippings tell the fascinating stories of a number of Sudan’s inspirational musical and other figures of the 1970s. This unique collection, providing a snapshot of Sudan’s funk and soul era, is included here to view.