Several musical performers have helped to place Ghana on the map since time immemorial. Different musicians have expressed the voice of the country to the globe at various periods of the growth of music from the West African country when it comes to music as an export commodity. To name a few, notable references from various decades include the Kumasi Trio, E. T. Mensah, Ebo Taylor, King Bruce, Jerry Hansen, Osibisa, George Darko, Reggie Rockstone, and Sarkodie.
Black Sherif is currently making waves around the world with his Ghanaian music. Since becoming famous in May 2021 with his hit song “First Sermon,” the 20-year-old singer and rapper has drawn the attention of various major performers, including Burna Boy, DJ Khaled, Timberland, Arrdee, and Darkoo. Akon is the most recent global music icon to acknowledge the genius of Konongo-born artiste’s skill. In an interview with BBC Radio 1Xtra, the CEO of Konvict Music identified Blacko as Africa’s most important export to the rest of the world.
Black Sherif’s choruses and hooks were among the most shared globally in 2021. TikTok, Shazam, and Instagram reels all featured snippets of his music. That counts as a measure of success in today’s music industry.
The rapper, whose birth name is Mohammed Ismail Sharif, was born and reared in Konongo, Kumasi, in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, and became interested in music while in senior high school at Kumasi Academy. His initial journey into music began in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2021 that his songs “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon,” which were published in May and July of that year, became instant hits. The two tracks were the first to exceed one million streams on Boomplay that year.
According to Jason Frimpong, a Complex UK writer, “there’s a jumpy, rhythmic bounce to Sherif’s lyrics, taking full advantage of the seesaw-like, high-and-low pitch changes of Ghana’s dialect and expression.” This is then combined with well-produced, club-friendly yet gritty drill production. Though many of his songs are in his native tongue of Twi, the fire and rawness of his rap approach smashes down any apparent language barrier, something that many have attempted but failed to do.”
Sherif’s music is a fusion of highlife, reggae, and hip-hop, particularly UK drill. His music cannot be classified into a certain genre because he believes that “our generation doesn’t really care about genres… the music just has to make sense.” To write his songs, he draws inspiration from his background and experiences as a child. Despite the ambiguity of his musical approach, one unmistakable way to define his music thus far is inspirational.