A tape reel brake (207) which is mounted in a well (215) in the top of a tape reel hub. The brake (207) is mounted to be compliantly biased away from the base of the well (215). The hub and brake (207) are seated in the tape cartridge (10) such that teeth (239) on the periphery of the brake (207) are biased against the opposite inside surface (14) of the cartridge housing about the periphery of an opening (20) therein. The biasing of the brake (207) against the opposite inside surface (14) both prevents the rotation of the reel (200) and shields out dust when the tape cartridge (10) is removed from a tape drive. To rotate the reel (200), a tape drive clutch enters the opening (20) in the opposite inside surface and depresses the brake (207) into the well (215) to mate with a smaller diameter portion (220) of the hub.