gamma.

gamma. is an independent, artist-focused label-services and distribution company founded by Larry Jackson, a former Global Creative Director at Apple, and unveiled publicly in March 2023 backed by roughly $1 billion in funding from investors including Eldridge Industries, Apple and A24. It distributes and markets recordings, holds phonogram credits on the releases it handles, and owns the digital distributor Vydia outright.

The company is independent and privately held; a 2024 investment round led by Alpha Wave Global valued it at around $400 million. It runs a standing Africa & Middle East division out of offices in Lagos, Nigeria, opened in 2023, and Sandton, Johannesburg, launched in June 2024. The Africa & Middle East business is led by Sipho Dlamini, a former CEO of Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, as president, with Nigerian songwriter Larry Gaaga as VP/General Manager for Africa and Naomi Campbell as special advisor.

Named African distribution deals include Rema’s “Rave & Roses (Ultra)” across African territories, a November 2024 deal with South African artist Anatii, and the phonogram credit on Ghanaian singer-songwriter MOLIY’s output from December 2024. It matters as one of a small number of well-capitalised, non-major distributors that opened dedicated African offices with senior local leadership, rather than working the region through licensing deals alone.