Sarkodie

Born in Tema, Ghana as Michael Owusu Addo, Sarkodie rose to prominence from the mid-2000s on the Ghanaian hip-hop scene after gaining recognition in rap competitions, notably Kasahare Level on Adom FM. His early career was rooted in hiplife, a local fusion of rap, highlife and Ghanaian popular rhythms, before he increasingly incorporated elements of afrobeats and contemporary hip-hop. Sarkodie often raps in Twi with a rapid flow and dense lyricism over productions that blend club-oriented tracks, West African melodies and more restrained instrumentals. After Makye in 2009 he followed with Rapperholic in 2012 and Sarkology in 2014, while developing his label Sarkcess Music. His subsequent discography includes the live album Mary (2015), Highest (2017), the EP Alpha (2019), Black Love (2019), No Pressure (2021), Jamz (2022) and the EP Championship (2024). Over the years he has also collaborated with artists such as Efya, Ace Hood, Burna Boy, Wale and Giggs, performing across stages in Ghana, the UK, other parts of Africa and North America.