Waxploitation

Founded in 1996 by Jeff Antebi, Waxploitation is an independent record label, publishing company, and artist-management firm operating at the intersection of innovation, culture, and global sound — with roots in Los Angeles, London, and Rio de Janeiro. Since its founding, the company has built a reputation for developing groundbreaking artists, forward-thinking collaborations, and genre-defining creative projects. Best known for its long-running partnerships with Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated talent, Waxploitation has been closely involved in acclaimed projects including Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells, Dangerdoom, Karen O & Danger Mouse, and Danger Mouse & Black Thought. The company’s artists and collaborators have contributed to landmark works for Gorillaz, The Black Keys, Adele, U2, Beck, Michael Kiwanuka, Norah Jones, and others — as well as culturally significant releases such as the Grey Album and the celebrated Stories for Ways & Means project. Waxploitation’s roster spans continents and genres, including Latin (dembow, reggaeton, cumbia, Mexican regional), baile funk, afrobeat, drum & bass, pop, and hip-hop. Current artists include Grammy-nominated blues legend R.L. Boyce, Grammy-winning producer Don Elektron, and baile funk pioneer Leo Justi, alongside emerging producers and vocalists from Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, the U.S, and the U.K. The company has presented its artists on many of the world’s leading stages — from Coachella, Lollapalooza, Montreux Jazz Festival, Roskilde, and Fuji Rock to Saturday Night Live, the MTV Movie Awards, and Top of the Pops — while maintaining collaborative partnerships with major music companies including Sony Music, BMG, Warner Music, and others. In 2025, Waxploitation expanded with the launch of FVNK Ltd, a sister label dedicated to emerging micro-genres such as (phonk, baile funk, rally house) created to support the next generation of global producers and Gen-Alpha artists.