gamma. Africa
Africa and Middle East division of Larry Jackson's gamma., led by Sipho Dlamini out of Lagos, with partnerships across Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
- Based in
- Lagos
- Founded
- 2023
- Website
- thegamma.com
gamma. Africa is the Africa and Middle East division of gamma. (Gamma Media Holdings, LLC), a Los Angeles media and music company founded in 2023 by former Apple Music executive Larry Jackson and record executive Ike Youssef. Press reports put gamma.’s backing, from Eldridge, Apple and A24, at roughly $1 billion in combined equity and debt, though Apple’s exact role has been described inconsistently (investor in some accounts, partner-only in others).
The Africa and Middle East operation launched in August 2023 under Sipho Dlamini, the former CEO of Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, as President, Africa & Middle East, with model Naomi Campbell as Special Advisor. Nigerian A&R executive Larry Gaaga, previously VP of Def Jam Africa, joined as Vice President and General Manager for West Africa, running the operation out of Lagos. gamma. later opened a dedicated South Africa office in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Its African footprint runs through partnerships rather than wholly owned labels: a tie-up with Sol Generation Publishing and Distribution, the arm run by Kenyan group Sauti Sol; a deal with Lagos-based label and talent company The Temple Company; a distribution and marketing agreement with South Africa’s The Music Arena; and links to emPawa Africa, Mavin Records and DC Talents. gamma. exclusively distributed and marketed Rema’s Rave & Roses (Ultra) across African territories and has been credited, alongside Malak Yaweh, on South African gospel artist HLE’s 2025 album The Ground We’re On. Distribution for the group runs through Vydia, which gamma. acquired in December 2022.