'Black Sherif doesn’t have an identity' - Ambolley

Veteran Ghanaian highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has shared his thoughts on the musical style and craft of rising star Black Sherif.

In an interview on Starr FM, monitored by GhanaWeb on April 3, 2026, Ambolley stated that, in his view, Black Sherif lacks a distinct musical identity.

According to him, although the young artiste is doing well, his style of music does not strongly reflect a Ghanaian identity.

“What Black Sherif is doing, he is doing his best, but there is no clear identification. Listen to the rhythm he is singing on, does it sound Ghanaian? Identity is very important, and every country has its own unique sound.

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“What he is doing is good, but if there were a strong identity in his music, it would clearly show where he is coming from,” he said.

When asked why he has not won a Grammy award despite his authentic highlife sound, Ambolley stated that an artiste’s worth should not be defined by such accolades.

He further suggested that Ghanaian artistes can learn from their Nigerian counterparts by embracing and showcasing their cultural identity in their music.

“The Grammy should not always be the benchmark. I consider my local recognition as validation. Look at the Nigerians; they are more authentic to themselves. The way they sing and structure their rhymes reflects their identity more than what we often do in Ghana,” he added.

Watch the video below:

Black Sherif is doing the best he can, but he has no identity... - Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (Legendary Highlife Musician) #StarrChat #StarrFM #GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/N6q5viWF3H

— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) April 3, 2026

JHM/VPO

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