Black Sherif

Ghanaian highlife fuses with reggae, hip-hop, and drill in the output of singer-rapper Black Sherif, born Mohammed Ismail Sharrif. Konongo-Zongo provided the setting for his upbringing, and his recording career commenced in 2019 via the single "Cry for Me." Momentum gathered in 2021 through the arrival of "First Sermon" and "Second Sermon," tracks that underscored his weighty lyrics alongside unconventional melodic choices. Elite recognition arrived in 2022 with "Kwaku the Traveller," a release that opened at the summit of the Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 chart, reached number five on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart, and landed at number two on the U.K. Afrobeats Singles Chart. The track later featured on his debut album, The Villain I Never Was, issued the same year.