Tekno Joins Mr. Eazi’s emPawa Africa as Investor & Partner

Tekno has formed a new strategic alliance with Mr. Eazi, with Tekno’s Cartel Music label and Mr. Eazi’s independent music company emPawa Africa striking a joint venture and Tekno joining emPawa Africa as an investor and a partner.

“With this deal with Tekno and Cartel Music, we are ushering in a new phase of emPawa,” says Mr. Eazi in a press release. “This phase will see us partnering with African artists at different stages of their career who want to maintain financial and creative freedom, yet move from talent for hire to equity participation. It’s a first-of-its-kind deal for Afrobeats.”

Through this partnership, the Cartel Music imprint will release music through emPawa Africa. The “Pana” hitmaker — whom Billie Eilish once declared was her “favorite artist” in a 2019 Vanity Fair interview

— will become an investor in emPawa in its next capital call round, joining Haitian DJ/producer Michaël Brun as another creative who has invested in Mr. Eazi’s innovative, full-service company that’s been offering marketing, distribution, publishing, label and management services since its inception in 2018. emPawa Africa has worked with African artists like Joeboy, Major League Djz, Fave, King Promise, Minz and more.

“This strategic alliance with emPawa promises to be a game changer for the African music industry and a beacon of opportunity for artists,” adds Tekno. “We look forward to seeing how this partnership will catalyze the growth of emPawa Africa, its artists, and the broader African music ecosystem.”

Tekno will also release “Wayo,” his first single of 2024, on Friday (May 24) that he wrote and produced with ShugaVybz.