Ghanaian breakout artist, Black Sherif, in an interview with Spotify RADAR Africa opened up about his issues with identity when it came to his music.
The world knows him as Black Sherif ultimately though He goes as Kwaku Frimpong but he’s letting us know they are all in the same person.
“You see Blacko, he and Black Sherif are not two different people. I am Blacko, I am Black Sherif, I am Kwaku Frimpong.
But Kwaku Frimpong has a big identity. Black Sherif’s identity is big. Blacko is chilling.
There are some things Blacko should tell you, so Black Sherif will tell you,” he explained
Growing up, he was bullied because he is a Muslim with the name Kwaku Frimpong, so he became ashamed of the name and decided to do away with it and hide behind his Islamic name, Sherif Muhammed Ismail.
Eventually, he came to the realization that Frimpong is his father’s name and that’s his identity, who he is and he needs to accept that.
He then decided to make sure everyone identified him by Kwaku Frimpong, he put it in as many songs as he could so the world would know who he is.
“You see now I use Kwaku, KK, a lot. Because I used to get bullied for that name and that time, I was sherif Frimpong Ismail. So, they would laugh at me how are you a Muslim called Frimpong. So then,I didn’t like the Frimpong name and that’s my father’s name. But after I finished high school, I was like that is my identity. I had to atone to make sure people mentioned that name. so, I never fronted Sherif Muhammed Ismail a lot, I used Kwaku Frimpong because that’s actually my identity,” he said.
According to Blacko, making music was all new to him and his team, it was something they were doing to get off the street and entertain people but with time, it became bigger than them; they had to share a particular message, tell their story. So, the music they release always has a process, a subconscious process.
Black Sherif’s recent album cover art
“We all came together to try for the first time at it. All of us. Nobody had knowledge about this thing.
There were songs where I just played a random beat and recorded, and somebody sang it back to me.
I realised this thing is more than just doing songs to entertain people.
Right now, the purpose is much bigger than wanting to be just rappers or just singers. Right now, we have a message,” he said.
Source: Ameyaw Debrah
