By Bless Alormasor – 09-05-2026
If Black Sherif is the answer, what then is the question?
Later tonight, The Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre will play host to the 27th edition of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards. The music industry lives for nights like this — for creatives in the music space, this is not only the night they are presented with the signature black star-shaped trophies as reward for winning categories. The TGMA means more; it is a career-defining night. This is where reputations are carved and industry legitimacy is established. Artistes and musicians attain new statuses which will consequently translate into economic benefits such as ambassadorial deals, endorsements et al. For members of fan armies, a win for their artiste is a collective victory. It becomes proof of supremacy over their adversaries and until the next award ceremony, bragging rights will be their sole reserve.
This year’s edition, the 27th, will see some of Ghana’s most exceptionally talented musicians battle it out in the highly competitive Artiste of The Year category. Black Sherif, Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Wendy Shay, Medikal and and Diana Hamilton will be looking forward to bagging Ghanaian music’s most coveted prize.
The Ghana Music Awards generates perennial controversy. Every year, there is a guarantee that there will be disagreements over who deserves an award and who does not. A few days ago, iconic Ghanaian rapper, Kwame Tsikata known by the cognomen M.anifest made a Facebook post which reads “It’s painfully obvious who should be artist of the year. But mo mpɛ nokware baako sei.” Truly, the deserving artiste for this year’’s AOTY gong is as clear as daylight.
It is often said that every nominee of a category stands a chance to walk away with the prize. That is true. However, the deserving winner is sometimes as plain as the nose on your face and it becomes very difficult to look past them. You are almost certain the other nominees stand zero chance.
2025 was Blacko’s year!
Having released his sophomore album in April 2025, the success that would accompany this creative masterpiece will echo in the history books. ‘Iron Boy’, named after celebrated Ghanaian highlife legend Abrantie Amakye Dede, cemented Black Sherif’s status as an industry mainstay and arguably the most culturally dominant musician of his generation. The entire 15-track album has become a national anthem. Black Sherif’s dominance in 2025 did not happen by accident; one cannot help but notice the immense artistic effort that was invested in the album. Iron Boy is not only critically acclaimed, music lovers across the world have given it a seal of approval. It is not uncommon to see people recite every song word for word as though they participated in its writing.
After his hugely successful Zamadisco Concert, Ghanaian highlife crooner, Adina Thembi could not hide her admiration for Black Sherif’s second studio album and the massive success it has chalked. In fact, she admitted that she hoped God will favour her to reach those levels where music lovers know all the songs on an artiste’s album.
Numbers, they say don’t lie. Blacko’s musical dominance in the year under review is also backed by numbers. A day after the album’s release, it set the record for the most accumulated streams of any Ghanaian album after 24 hours. Songs like Sacrifice, So it goes, Victory, Top of the Morning, Soma Obi, et al have topped charts across streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Audiomack, etc.
On the global stage, Ismail Sherif’s work received tremendous recognition. Iron Boy debuted at number 6 on the UK Spotify Top debut Albums Chart but it doesn’t end there. The album broke into the Billboard World Albums Chart at number 10, a feat not many Ghanaian artistes have been able to achieve.
The top 12 spots of Apple Music Ghana’s most streamed songs of 2025 were all taken by Black Sherif. Again, Spotify’s top 10 most streamed Ghanaian songs of 2025 saw songs on Iron Boy take nine spots! On Audiomack, Black Sherif made history by becoming the first Ghanaian musician ever to have two albums surpass a hundred million streams on the platform.
Another reason to categorically say 2025 was Blacko Season is the physical presence of fans wherever he performed. His tour of North America saw revellers come out in their numbers to sing along his songs. In Ghana, the situation was even better; If Blacko’s been billed, the auditorium will be filled! After hosting his annual Zamadisco Concert at the Legon Stadium, the verdict was that he needed a bigger venue. Describing the concert as his ‘biggest ever’, many aficionados of the 24th TGMA Artiste of the Year winner did not even get the opportunity to enter the stadium to see their artiste perform. For the several thousands who did, it was a night that will be etched in the nether portions of their hearts.
From all indications, the Sacrifice hit-maker will lay hands on his second Artiste of the Year award and write his name in Ghanaian music folklore as part of an exclusive group of musicians to have received the prize on multiple occasions. VVIP, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and now Black Sherif!
He has shaped the Ghanaian sound, He is Ghana’s current music pulse, He is the musical voice of his generation, He is the Artiste of the Year, He is Black Sherif.