Mohammed Ismail Sherif Kweku Frimpong (a.k.a Black Sherif, a.k.a Blacko) is a twenty-year-old Ghanaian rapper and trap star whose music is making waves in Ghana, Nigeria and the world.
His recent hit, Kwaku The Traveller, is currently topping the charts in Nigeria and Ghana and has been , making it one of the biggest songs out of Africa right now.
We know you鈥檝e heard the famous line: 鈥淥f course, I fucked up, who never fuck up? Hands in the air. No hands?鈥 It鈥檚 had TikTok in a chokehold since it dropped.聽
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Black Sherif鈥檚 ) featuring Burna Boy was the first time a lot of us heard him. I, for one, didn鈥檛 know who he was then. I would always search 鈥渟econd coming鈥 on Youtube Music when I wanted to listen.
From the intro to the beat, it鈥檚 an earworm. It doesn鈥檛 matter whether or not you understand , the language he sang most of the song in.
OG fans of Black Sherif enjoy reminding us that they鈥檝e been listening to and enjoying his music before First Sermon was released, and although we don鈥檛 know if they want a cookie for that information, we鈥檙e very glad to have finally caught up to the Black Sherif hype.
Why鈥檚 Kwaku the Traveler travelling?
It鈥檚 in the title. Kwaku is a traveller and that鈥檚 what the song has done. Its relatability has carried it across borders. Kwaku knows he鈥檚 fucked up and admits it and goes on to ask if no one has ever fucked up before. It鈥檚 an honest question: if you鈥檝e never fucked up, raise your hands.
Why鈥檚 Kwaku The Traveller such an important song?
1. It鈥檚 good for self-reflection
鈥淥f course, I fucked up. Who never fuck up? Hands in the air, no hands? Still I can’t believe, you know what I mean. I was young what you expect from me? It is what it is鈥. Although the above lyrics read like someone who avoids responsibility, Kwaku is actually admitting guilt and letting us know what led him to this point. Those lines can also be used when you find yourself in situations that are beyond your control and you have some explaining to do.
2. It reminds you that your pace and your race are determined by you (and only you)
鈥淚 go dey run my race. I’m gonna keep my pace. ‘Cause I really have no one to blame鈥. 鈥淭hey say, when it’s on then it’s on (it’s on). You can’t stop ’til it’s done (then it’s on).鈥 At the end of the day, your life鈥檚 journey is in your hands and it鈥檚 entirely up to you to decide what you want to do with your life.
3. It reminds you that it鈥檚 ok to fail and try again
鈥淏ut I keep going on (oh, oh, oh). More like a rolling stone (ooh, oh).’Cause I have no stopping time. Can’t nobody stop a man.鈥 Black Sheriff says it鈥檚 ok to fail and continue aspiring to perspire.
If you鈥檝e not gotten on to Black Sherif by now, you still have time. Get listenin鈥.
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