Natasha Sideris, the restaurateur behind Tashas Group, and DJ Black Coffee are teaming up to create a premium agave spirit label in South Africa, according to Bloomberg. The label, Leonista, is set to launch at the end of the year. Sideris and Maphumul will source agave from the Karoo, a semi-arid region known for its premium lamb products. Black Coffee launching a spirit brand Leonista will be similar to tequila, meaning that it is distilled from the same plant genus. But tequila can only be made in specific regions of Mexico
Black Coffee, the famed South African DJ and record producer, whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo, backed Andela, a tech talent incubator and unicorn launched from Lagos in 2015. But he’s not the only musician dipping his toe into the tech scene – African artists worldwide are using personal funds and collectives to invest in startups. Mr. Eazi, real name Oluwatosin Ajibade, made headlines in Africa’s tech circles following his investment in pawaPay, a UK-based and Africa-focused mobile payments company through Zagadat Capital. But unlike Jay-Z and many other African-American musicians now entering
