The Konongo-born creative learned the ropes through a mixture of wins and treachery suffered in the eyes of all.
Even though the youngster started securing more recognition within the past two years, this year has been the most trying for him yet.
It may not look so, but Mohammed Ismail Sharrif’s tests have ranged from lawsuits to being homeless. Yes, A Homeless Song was not just a mere theme for the lead track on ‘The Villain I Never Was’ (TVINW) album.
At a point in this year when his songs were everywhere, the youngster was fighting a battle he had not prepared for while his audience thought he was cruising comfortably.
Black Sherif, as he is known in showbiz, had been stripped off a place of abode, one of the most unpalatable circumstances he was forced into.
I can’t get over this opening act by #BlackSherif. #MozamaDiscoConcert was all that it was supposed to be and more
Protect @blacksherif_
pic.twitter.com/rUecvPu4cp
— Kenneth Awotwe Darko (@TheKennethDarko) December 22, 2022
“That was in March. Me and the boys. We got these issues. This work. It was not just me but me and my producer, the one that made the beat for The Homeless Song,” he told Amazon Music’s +44 Podcast some two weeks ago.
The Road Boys Association including Blacko did not have a place to live for 8 days, but his songs were ironically banging in the streets.
This is how he actually captures the mood at the time on the first track on the TVINW.
“I’m at my downest in life, and I’ll be homeless for a while. I know it’s unbelievable, coz I had a home few days ago,” he said on the 2:45min song produced by Joker Nharnah which was not made public until the album later on.
But that line aged rather gracefully. With the poise for survival dictated at the song’s end, the only way from there was up.
The predicament, coupled with other pains, fueled back-to-back melodies of strife in ‘Kwaku The Traveller’, ‘Soja’ and went on a serial collaborative run.
Months down the line, the story is beyond the comprehension of critics who were skeptical about Blacko’s period of relevance in the music industry.
Every single project he has dropped or featured on has broken musical boundaries with his debut album doing unimaginable numbers.
There was his debut headline show in the UK, a MOBO stage appearance within a space of months, he Kwaku Frimpong brought the party home.
He crowned it all at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel on Wednesday where he brought together fans to crown the year.
‘Mozama Disco: The Genesis’ was oversubscribed, with the audience singing with passion to every song Blacko introduced.
It was as if the fans at his debut Ghana concert had lived the stories he tells in his songs and surely for a good reason.
The young man’s challenges since his ascension to fame have played out so much in their faces that they feel a part of every word, lyric and stanza of his songs.
The feeling was electric as it was clear how much of the Kwaku Killa’s (K.K) craft and passion was embedded in their hearts.
Other musicians also graced the stage to support a colleague in the industry.
They range from Sarkodie, Darkoo, Gyakie, KiDi, Larruso, Djay, Asakaa Boys, La Meme Gang, Marince Omario, Baaba J, Juma Mufasa, Darkua, Wendy Shay, and DopeNation among others.
It is safe to say that Black Sherif lumped up the lessons and channeled them into pulling off a show which has been widely considered as one for the books.
The author, Kenneth Awotwe Darko is a journalist, music enthusiast and social media analyst.
Follow him on Twitter via @TheKennethDarko on Facebook, Kenneth Awotwe Darko and @TheKenDarko on Instagram.
Email: Kenneth.darko@myjoyonline.com
