You Need to Hear This New Ethiopian Beat Tape From Ras G & Azla Vegan
LA-based producer Ras G and Azla Vegan share a mixtape that blends the vintage sounds of Ethiopia with head-nodding beat work.
Here’s a mixtape to hold the beat heads down for a minute.
LA-based producer and Brainfeeder affiliate Ras G—also known as Ras G & The Afrikan Space Program—comes through with a limited edition cassette tape that blends the vintage sounds of Ethiopia with his signature "SpaceBase" sound.
In Azla Sounds Volume 1, Ras G flips and loops traditional Ethiopian music and Ethio-jazz into both booming beat works ("Hulätt," "Sost," "Aratt") and hazy electronic textures ("And," "Sïddïst").
The mixtape tape is being released in partnership with Azla Vegan, a family owned Ethiopian restaurant in South Central Los Angeles, the first of its kind in the area.
Founded in 2013 by Nesanet Abegaze and named after her mother, Azla Vegan modifies traditional Ethiopian recipes into health-conscious vegetarian dishes.
Ras G and Nesanet tell us that they “cooked up the idea for the beat tape over a plate of injera and Shiro Wot.”
We all know that Ethio-jazz samples and hip-hop go hand-in-hand—if you’re not on board simply check out these 11 Samples From Ethiopiques to get you on track.
Stream Ras G and Azla Vegan’s Ethiopian mixtape and grab a limited edition cassette over at Bandcamp. Check out a pair of promo videos for the mix above and below.