The bright white decor complemented his mien comfortably. Sarkodie is seated inside his spacious mansion in Accra, sporting a laid-back demeanor. The aura from the 36-year-old Ghanaian rap royalty reminds of one American rap enigma Jermaine Cole: gracious, gentle, gingerly. If you are familiar with Zoomers lingo, then you could use the phrase: \u2018It\u2019s giving!\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the litany of \u2018givens\u2019, one of the most iconic for the speed-rapping juggernaut is his recently-released collaboration with the reggae legend Bob Marley and The Wailers. Dubbed “Stir it up”, the record is the official lead single for an untitled compilation album by the estate of the late Bob Marley and the Wailers. Saut\u00e9ed with fast-paced Twi bars, the 1973 classic revs back to life in the hard-hitting flows of the Ghanaian rap legend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What “Stir it up”<\/a> is doing for Sarkodie is much more than showcasing his brilliance to other music markets; it is actually a glaring reminder of Sarkodie\u2019s musical foolproof – a mesh of raspy flows and indigenous lyricism that has coloured his artistry for nearly two decades. Sarkodie, who is a serial collaborator, might seem like the perfect rap candidate for this Caribbean-African union on “Stir it up”, but a delve into the discography of this Ghanaian-bred rapper and record executive prints a crisp portrait of a musical prodigy who consistently illuminates the African hip-hop scene with hit-laden albums. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Who is Sarkodie? Why should anyone even care about a speed-rapper who confidently amalgamates the best of pop, R&B, highlife and other commercially-appealing sonics into his projects? Why is he among the most celebrated and awarded rappers from a continent with 54 countries?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Addo is quite different from Sarkodie. “I am not walking around thinking about the fact that I am Sarkodie 24\/7. I think of Michael, because I want to keep that. That is the most precious thing that every human being can have. You don\u2019t want to lose yourself<\/em>“, the rapper emphasizes. While Sarkodie is the bar-bender capturing hearts in Twi across the world, Michael Addo is the young man from Tema who dotes over family and wants to give back to society<\/a>. Interestingly, the very rockstar-esque identity of Sarkodie is built over the solid foundation that is Michael Addo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Beneath the macho gait and sharp gaze, Sarkodie is as human as it gets. His artistry is softened by his childhood experiences – part traumatic, part intriguing. And it reverberates in his music, even from his earliest hits such as \u201cMile 7 Saga\u201d<\/a>. Born and bred in Tema, the young rapper combed his observational nature and philosophies from a very core moment in life. Following his parents’ divorce, he was sent off by his father further south in the country, to a city called Koforidua, where he suffered maltreatment from a foster guardian that was paid to raise him. He was disconnected from his mother and he would spend a few years longing for her in letters he could not send, until fate reconnected them both. She regained custody of him when he was in junior high school and he moved back to the harbour city of Tema (home to R2Bees<\/a> and Kwesi Arthur<\/a>) where his life as a rapper took shape. He would later go to Accra to study graphic design at a training institute called IPMC. However, he preferred illustrating his stories with more bars than pixels. So, he moved across Ghana\u2019s underground music community, gaining notoriety as a battle rapper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortune found Sarkodie circa 2008\/2009, when he won the popular Kasahare Level rap battle organised and aired by the Ghanaian broadcaster Adom FM. Stunned by his rhyming prowess, the show\u2019s host, Duncan Williams, introduced Sarkodie to two prolific Ghanaian singers, Edem and Castro, who later introduced Sarkodie to a prominent producer called Hammer of The Last Two. This joy-ride of introductions netted Sarkodie two spots<\/a> on Edem\u2019s debut album, Volta Regime. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBecoming Sarkodie <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n