10 Interesting Facts about Rapper Sarkodie
Sarkodie is a renowned BET award-winning Ghanaian rapper and businessman who is widely regarded as one of the best rappers in Africa. He became a burst into the limelight in his home country Ghana with the release of the single Baby, which was an instant hit. Some of Sarkodie’s most notable songs include You Go Kill Me, Borga, One Time For Your Mind, and Illuminati. Over the years, he has earned dozens of prestigious local and international awards, including a BET Award in 2012, multiple Ghana Music Awards and 4Syte TV Music Video Awards. He is not only Ghana’s most successful rapper but also one of the most successful rappers in Africa.
Facts about Sarkodie
Sarkodie was born in Tema, Ghana on July 10, 1985 to Emma Maame Aggrey, who raised him all by herself. His real name is Michael Owusu Addo.
Sarkodie grew up with three older siblings and one younger sibling.
He has a degree in Graphic Design from IPMC College of Technology, which is one of the biggest IT educational training institutes in Ghana.
Sarkodie was introduced to the legendary Hammer of the Last Two through the help of fellow rappers Castro and Edem.
In 2012, Sarkodie made history becoming the first Ghanaian rapper to earn the prestigious BET Awards.
Sarkodie runs a charity The Sarkodie Foundation, which he founded in 2013. The foundation’s sole aim is to help underprivileged children all over Ghana.
Sarkodie predicted the 2015 Ghana judiciary scandal in his 2012 song Pizza and Burger (with Jayso). In the song, Sarkodie warned a number of corrupt Ghanaian officials, including judges to to stop engaging in bribery and corruption because ace Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Armeyaw Anas was going to come after them and expose them. Three years after the song came out, several corrupt judges in the Judicial Service of Ghana were eventually exposed by Anas in what is known as the Ghana judiciary scandal of 2015. Speaking with CitiFM regarding the issue, Sarkodie said all along he felt that it was only a matter of time before Anas would eventually expose the corrupt judges, which is why he rapped about it.
Sarkodie was placed at the 19th position on e-TV Ghana’s 2015 list of the most influential Ghanaians.
In 2015, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is the current President of Ghana, wished Sarkodie a happy birthday. In his birthday message to Sarkodie, Nana Addo said he wished the rapper good health and long life and hoped that he would continue inspiring the youth of Ghana with his music.
Sarkodie’s fourth studio album titled Mary was named after his deceased grandmother Mary Lokko. According to him, Lokko kept pressuring him to do live music, which is why Mary is a live album. Mary was released on September 12, 2015. It is worth noting that September 12 was Mary Lokko’s birthday. Lokko died in Sarkodie’s car in 2012 while he was rushing her to hospital.
In February 2016, he made history when he addressed students of the prestigious Harvard University in the United States.
