As a radio host on CKUT 90.3 FM, a non-profit, campus and community radio station based at McGill, I constantly scour the internet for obscure tracks to fill the airwaves. In November, I had the pleasure of co-hosting CKUT’s World Skip the Beat alongside my friends Monique and Isla, where we curated and exchanged our favourite world music tracks—Monique bringing in the vibrant Sudanese Jazz of Sharhabil Ahmed and I the melancholic Lebanese folk of Roger Fakhr. The common denominator? Habibi Funk, a Berlin-based label dedicated to remastering and redistributing 1970s and 80s music from the Middle East and North Africa. Blending influences of Afro-American funk, Congolese Soukos, and Iranian folk, Habibi Funk releases feel like flipping through your parent’s old vinyl collection—nostalgic, timeless, and effortlessly danceable. 

Reissue labels like Habibi Funk are not a new phenomenon but have gained significant attention in the music industry over the past decade. Unlike traditional labels, which focus on new releases, reissue labels specialize in acquiring, licensing and distributing pre-existing recordings. While labels such as Numero Group and Light in the Attic Records reissue local American artists, others such as Analog Africa and Time Capsule venture beyond domestic borders, bringing retro international sounds to contemporary audiences. When guided by fair compensation, transparency, and ethical licensing agreements, reissue labels—such as Habibi Funk—can be powerful promoters for the distribution and diversification of ‘lost’ sounds. However, if reissue labels are to profit from past artistry, they must also commit to thorough contextualization. Habibi Funk sets the standard for ethical reissuing, forging a path for an expanding market in the music industry. 

Reissue labels serve as both cultural archivists and commercial enterprises, capturing and capitalizing on past moments in music history. Habibi Funk 002, for instance, captures the explosive Moroccan punk of Al Zman Saib, and Habibi Funk 024 the Libyan Reggae of Ibrahim Hesnawai. However, the rise of reissues raises a series of ethical concerns. The work of reissue labels comes with a duty to preserve the music’s integrity and provide proper historical context, offering insights into musical influences, social impact and artist’s legacies. These concerns are particularly poignant when representing artists from developing countries, where the line between preservation and exploitation can be thin. 

In a recent interview, Jannis Sturtz, DJ and founder of Habibi Funk, openly acknowledges colonial dynamics and his positionality as a German label executive profiting from Middle Eastern and North African music. Acutely aware not to reproduce patterns of colonial economic and cultural exchange, Sturtz works directly with artists and their families and ensures complete transparency throughout the reissue process. Habibi Funk also splits profits 50/50 with artists—a remarkably high rate for the industry—and holds only temporary licenses, allowing artists to retain master ownership. In its promotional materials, the label rejects terms like “discovery” as it perpetuates a mindset of cultural superiority and implies that the music was completely unknown prior to their encounter.

Kay Suzuki of Time Capsule expresses concern with labels featuring incredible music while keeping artists shrouded in mystery and devoid of historical detail. With this in mind, Habibi Funk includes a booklet of rare photos, liner notes, and interview transcripts with every LP, offering insight into the artist’s life and the historical climate of the music’s production. Though booklets come only with vinyl purchases, extensive research is available on the label’s free Bandcamp. 

As the reissue market expands, ethical concerns persist. Reissue labels must find a way to balance between commercial success and responsible reissuing, specifically in a non-Western context. Habibi Funk may well be setting a new standard for reissue labels—but its existence raises some important considerations. With the dissemination of music through streaming services and DJs across the globe, how can reissue labels guarantee proper contextualization and compensation for artists? And if informational booklets are limited to vinyl purchases, just how accessible and effective are they? The reissue industry cannot afford to treat preservation as a mere aesthetic—it must be a principle. While Habibi Funk is leading the charge, it’s up to the entire industry to follow suit.