Black Sherif

Born in Konongo-Zongo in Ghana’s Ashanti region, Black Sherif, whose real name is Mohammed Ismail Sherif, has since 2019 developed a songwriting approach that blends highlife, afrobeats, hip-hop, reggae and drill. With a taut vocal delivery and tracks that often sit between sung melodies and rapped phrasing, he began to circulate in 2021 with “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon,” the latter’s remix featuring Burna Boy, before scaling up in 2022 with “Kwaku the Traveller.” His debut album, The Villain I Never Was, was released that year and continued this dark, direct aesthetic, rooted in social realities, street life and Ghanaian and British influences, frequently in Twi and English. He later appeared on songs with Sarkodie, Ardee and Bas, while expanding his live presence across Accra, London and international festival circuits, with notable appearances at the MOBO Awards and Wireless. In 2025 he released Iron Boy, a second album that confirms a trajectory where rap, introspective songs and West African rhythms intersect.