The BET Award-winning musician Black Sherif hailed as the voice of Africa’s Generation Z, releases his most recent track, “OH NO,” via EMPIRE and Blacko Management. Following his victory at the BET Hip Hop Awards, the 21-year-old musician solidified his standing as an international icon for African music. “OH NO” is a genre-bending hit song that combines drill, highlife, and soul. It captures Black Sherif’s persistent focus and unrelenting devotion to his work.
“OH NO” inspires Black Sherif’s resolve to push forward, much like standing at the edge of an open pit. He says, “It feels like me standing at the edge of an open pit, but I know the resultant effect of the very next step.” The song celebrates the effort he has put into his path, a reaffirmation of his purpose, and an identity statement. Joker Nharnah and in-house partner Samson produced the piece, which captures the essence of Black Sherif’s work.
Breaking streaming records, Black Sherif has established himself as one of Africa’s most influential creative forces since his debut album, The Villain I Never Was, last year. He is the most-played musician from Ghana in 2022 on Spotify and the most-streamed artist from Ghana in Boomplay history overall. Known as the “street preacher,” the performer swiftly emerged as a figure of optimism transcending music. She accompanied Vice President Kamala Harris on her tour of Africa and attended the U.N. General Assembly.
Born Mohammed Ismail Sharif Kwaku Frimpong, Black Sherif has defied all odds to become the biggest celebrity in Ghana despite coming from the modest mining town of Konongo. Showcasing his wit, narrative, and linguistic skill, he crosses the gap between Afrobeats, highlife, and Ghanian drill while embracing a varied musical palette. Black Sherif rose to prominence on the global scene with the breakthrough hits “First Sermon” and “Second Sermon” in 2021, and in 2022, “Kwaku The Traveller” elevated him to superstar status.
Black Sherif’s standing in the music business was further cemented in October 2022 with the publication of the highly regarded album The Villain I Never Was. His lead single, “Soja,” followed tracks like “45,” “Konongo Zongo,” “Oil in my Head,” and “Oh Paradise” with visually stunning music videos. The song debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats chart. With appearances at Afro Nation Miami, Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival, Wireless Festival in London, and his headline show at Palladium Times Square in New York City, the artist’s international profile only grew in 2023.
The song “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” which Black Sherif contributed to the critically acclaimed Creed III soundtrack and executive produced by J. Cole’s Dreamville, demonstrates his ability to work well with others. He has also worked with musicians like Popcaan, Stormzy, Blaqbonez, and others, strengthening his reputation as a sought-after collaborator in the field.
Oh no.
