Black Sherif says his music is more than entertainment; it is his response to the struggles of young people in Ghana. The award-winning artiste explained that his craft is shaped by honesty and vulnerability, qualities he believes connect deeply with his listeners.
Speaking with Patta, an outlet in the Netherlands, Mohammed Ismail Sherif, widely known as Black Sherif, revealed that he sees music as his way of resisting the system. “I have learned we all fight the system in different ways. For me, music is how I respond. I’m honest in how I reflect what’s around me. Where I’m from, Zongos, you don’t often see guys being this vulnerable,” he said.
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The musician challenged long-standing views about masculinity, stressing that his strength comes from embracing softness. According to him, the refusal to hide emotion gives him confidence. “They’ll say, being soft gets you nowhere. But I say it anyway. And that gives me power,” he added.
He also shared the story behind his track “Victory Song,” featured on his album Iron Boy. Black Sherif indicate that the song captures a side of success that is rarely spoken of. “… no one talks about that part of success. People see you on stage or travelling, but they don’t see the moments when the noise fades, and you are alone with your thoughts,” he reflected.
That moment of solitude, he explained, is a reminder of where he comes from. “That moment reminded me that I’m still that kid from back home, feeling things deeply. I want people to hear that. That’s the kind of artiste I want to be.”
