Mohammed Ismail Sherif, better known by his stage name Black Sherif is a Ghanaian Hiphop and trap musician. He has undoubtedly risen from humble beginnings to become one of the most well-known artists in Ghana.
The ‘Second Sermon’ trap sensation dominated 2023, generating over a hundred headlines. These headlines chronicled his development, his battle with fame, and his path to his present musical position.
However, below are seven major headlines Black Sherif made in 2023;
1. Wining VGMA Artiste of The Year 2023
Black Sherif’s 2023 career achievement was recognized when he took home the top honor at Ghana’s most esteemed music awards ceremony. Following his victory as 2023 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Year, Blacko made headlines.
He defeated Joe Mettle, KiDi, Piesie Esther, King Promise, Camidoh, and Stonebwoy Sarkodie. The wonderful news traveled like wildfire throughout Ghana’s news channels and beyond.
2. Black Sherif Wins BET Hip Hop Awards
Blacko gained international recognition for his achievements beyond Ghana when he won the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards. He was the recipient of the “Best International Flow” award.
Black Sherif competed against nine talented rappers, including South Africans Aka and K.O. and Zimbabwean Sampa The Great. He was successful, solidifying his place on the international scene at the event held in Atlanta, United States on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
As his acceptance speech, Black Sherif said,”I saw this in my sleep every night. I started making music four years ago in a small city in Ghana called Konongo-Zongo, and there was no way nobody wasn’t going to convince me that I wouldn’t be here and that my music wasn’t going to go global.”
“Remember you are kings and queens back home. Come by home,” he continued.
3. TikTok Takeover, GRWM
Undoubtedly, Black Sherif has become more and more of a people person; ‘even a cough would make news’. His decision to follow the Get Ready With Me trend on TikTok, which went viral right away, made this clear.
Consequently, the video turned into one more unforgettable instance from 2023 when Black Sherif made headlines.
4. Feature on Michael B Jordan’s Creed
Black Sherif collaborated with other international superstars on Michael B. Jordan’s Creed film project in 2023. The song “Blood, Sweat & Tears” from the official soundtrack of the Hollywood blockbuster franchise CREED III features a performance by the Ghanaian musician.
On Friday, March 3, 2023, the Dreamville soundtrack—which features Bas and Kel-p—was made available. Dreamville is the record company owned and operated by American rapper J Cole. For Blacko, the partnership represents a high point for 2023.
5. West Ham uses ‘Konongo Zongo’ to celebrate Conference League trophy
In June of 2023, West Ham United used “Konongo Zongo” song by Black Sherif as their TikTok victory song after winning the UEFA Conference League for a week.
In the Conference League final, the English team defeated Fiorentina 2-1 and won their first European trophy.
6. Arrest at the Airport
Unfortunately, Black Sherif was apprehended by the police at the Kotoka International Airport upon his arrival in Ghana. This happened shortly after he had placed Ghana on the map in big shows throughout the United States and Europe.
The rapper’s arrest became well known. Later, it came to light that the rapper’s arrest was brought on by Cruise People, an event organizer. He was charged with allegedly breaking a contract.
As a result, $50,000 was sued against Black Sherif. The Ghanaian trap star, however, prevailed in the matter after making an appearance in court through his legal team.
7. Threat To Be Cancelled In Ghana Over Play Ghana
Black Sherif joined Smallgod’s and other musicians’ campaign towards the end of the year. The campaign seeks to ensure that only Ghanaian music are played in Ghana. Other musicians included Samini, Reggie Rockston, and others.
His backing of the campaign incited strong feelings from Nigerians, who threatened to launch a campaign to stop Black Sherif’s songs from being played in Nigeria. The Ghanaian musician responded to the online uproar by stating his position on the matter.
“How do I want foreign music banned in my country while I work with foreign producers and artists? But agenda set ah lie? Good luck to everybody.” he said in a now-deleted tweet.