In just a few short years, Sarkodie has gone from being a rapper on the rise to one of the biggest names in the rap game.
Hailing from Ghana, Sarkodie first burst onto the scene with his 2010 debut album, “Makye,” which quickly made him a household name in his home country. He followed that up with a string of successful mixtapes and albums that solidified his place as one of Ghana’s leading rappers. But it wasn’t until he released his 2013 album, “Sarkology,” that Sarkodie truly began to make waves outside of Ghana.
Sarkodie’s unique blend of traditional Ghanaian music with modern hip-hop sensibilities caught the attention of international audiences, and he has since gone on to perform at some of the world’s most prestigious music festivals, including Glastonbury and Coachella. In 2018, he was even featured on Beyonce’s album, “The Lion King: The Gift.”
Today, Sarkodie is widely considered to be one of the best rappers in the world, and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Early Life and Career of Sarkodie
Sarkodie was born Michael Owusu Addo in Tema, Ghana, on July 10th, 1985. His mother worked as a hairdresser while his father was a painter. Sarkodie had a passion for music from a young age and would often freestyle over instrumentals on the radio. When he was just 17 years old, Sarkodie released his first mixtape, “Anonomi.” The mixtape caught the attention of Ghanaian record label owner David Mensah, who signed Sarkodie to his label shortly thereafter.
Sarkodie released his debut album,”Makye,” in 2010 to critical acclaim. The album cemented Sarkodie’s place as one of Ghana’s premier rappers and helped him gain a wider audience both at home and abroad. He followed up “Makye” with a string of successful mixtapes before releasing his second studio album,”Rapperholic,” in 2012. “Rapperholic” was another critical and commercial success, further establishing Sarkodie as one of Ghana’s leading musicians.
However, it wasn’t until Sarkodie released his third studio album,”Sarkology,” in 2013 that he truly began to make waves outside of Ghana. The album featured a unique blend of traditional Ghanaian music with modern hip-hop sensibilities that caught the attention of international audiences. Following the release of “Sarkology,” Sarkodie embarked on an international tour that took him to some of the world’s most prestigious music festivals, including Glastonbury and Coachella.
Today, Sarkodie is widely considered to be one of the best rappers in the world. He has won numerous awards and accolades, including BET’s Best International Act Africa award three times (in 2012, 2015, and 2016), MTV Africa Music Award for Artist of the Year four times (in 2012, 2013, 2015 2016), and BET Hip Hop Award for Best International Flow four times (in 2018, 2019, 2020 , 2021). With no signs of slowing down anytime soon, it is safe to say that we will be seeing plenty more from this rap superstar in the years to come.