Ata Kak returns after 30 Years with new album ‘Batakari’

“Batakari,” a six-track collection dropping on on November 7th.
His original album “Obaa Sima” barely registered when first released in 1994, but found new life in 2006 when it became the inaugural post on the influential Awesome Tapes From Africa blog, gradually building an international following.

The new album showcases a more mature and complex sound than Ata Kak’s earlier work. Recorded in studios around Kumasi over several years, “Batakari” features the artist’s signature acrobatic rap and distinctive scatting, but incorporates more ambitious arrangements, layered harmonies, and even traditional Akan harp. Yaw Atta-Owusu – Ata Kak’s real name – has remained creatively active as a prolific poet, author of six books, painter, and gardener.