Black Sherif: Global hitmaker from a small city

The Ghanaian music space has revolutionised over the years with the country’s deep rooted highlife genre serving as the bedrock and paving way for the amalgamation of several genres to create world class masterpieces revered across the globe.

From the early days of Mercury Dance Band which gained notability with their classic hit, ‘Kai Wawa’, Honny and Bees Band to Osibibisa, a Ghanaian-British rock band with a Caribbean flavour who derived inspiration from the motherland touring and raising high the Ghanaian national colours on the global stage to the fusion of highlife, disco and funk which resulted in burger highlife in the 1980’s and Hiplife, the Ghana music space has enjoyed an impressive streak.

In 2019, there was a cry in the wilderness, a ticking time-bomb who was in his formative years lashing out soothing melodies waiting to explode.

From a small mining city in the Ashanti Region called Konongo, the teenager at the time was looking to see his ripples felt in the greater depths of the regional capital, Kumasi.

Black Sherif’s unique sound blends was the differentiating factor with highlife as its bedrock, his adept tendency to communicate real situations with his sentimental ballad style grabs one’s attention on the first listen.

Songs such as Destiny, Ankonam, Money, Ade Akye and Mariana were his earliest armour during his formative days.

He was tipped as one of the young artiste to look out for with an impressive trajectory as prescribed by some digital streaming outlets due to the numbers he was amassing on their platforms.

The 21-year-old’s story is rooted in grit, hard work and free will with the knack to churn out songs which carry the hope and aspiration of his people.

Following the release of the 1st and 2nd Sermon installations and subsequently, ‘Kwaku The Traveller’, Black Sherif global appeal was on the ascendancy attracting a following from both the UK, US and Carribean market with features from Stormzy, Arrdee, Tory Lanez, Popcaan, Bas among others.

The street preacher dropped his maiden album, ‘The Villain I Never Was’ last year, his self-styled autobiography, a definitive moment in the career of this young genius cementing his name among the greats in Africa.

The album peaked No.12 on the Billboard World Albums chart, No.9 on the UK Apple Music, the album spent 5 months on the Nigerian Apple Music chart, and No.27 on the US Apple Music album chart. It was No.49 on Fader’s top 50 albums in 2022 among others.

The album has amassed millions of streams across the digital streaming platforms and shared his art on several big stages such as the MOBO Awards 2022, Soundcity MVP’s, Afrimma Awards 2022 with a nomination for BET Awards 2022 for the ‘Best International Act’.

Black Sherif performed on the maiden edition of Wireless Middle East, Abu Dhabi last month —sharing a stage with Travis Scott, Roddy Rich and Central Cee. He billed to perform on Pharrell William’s ‘Something in the Water’ festival slated for April, 28 2023, at the Virginia Beach, Afronation US, as well as, his US debut at the palladium, Times Square- New York City on May, 20, 2023.

With a record of 11 nominations at the 23rd Vodafone Ghana Music Awards including the ultimate Artiste of the Year category, Black is shooting for the stars.

He is also in the running for Most Popular Song of the Year, Best Reggae/ Dancehall song, Best Hip Hip Song, Best Afro-Pop Song, Album/EP of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Collaboration and Best Hiplife/Hip pop Artiste respectively.

With all these categories in the bag, the line have been drawn. If the conversation on digital and traditional media is anything to go by, music lovers will be witnesses an unprecedented spectacle on the night of May 6, 2023.

Since the voice of the people is the voice of God, will VGMA be the night that the youngster who was once at his ‘downest in life’ finally sit atop the hill?