Michael Owusu Addo, known by his stage name Sarkodie, is a Ghanaian hip hop recording artist and entrepreneur from Tema.
Starting out on AdomFM’s Kasahare Level, taking on other rappers in rap battles aired live, Sarkodie immediately became a sensation in Ghanaian music.
His debut album Makye, released under the supervision of Ghanaian music staples JaySo and KillBeats was recieved to considerable critical acclaim.
On the heels of his debut album and numerous singles in between, his 30-track album Rapperholic was released in 2012 and is widely considered his greatest project to date. Rapperholic earned Sarkodie his first BET nomination and his subsequent win.
Considered as one of the pioneers of the ‘Azonto’ genre and dance, Sarkodie is often named as one of Africa’s greatest hip hop artists. Ghana’s most awarded artist and one of Africa’s most acclaimed artists, Sarkodie has amassed a wealth of accolades testament to his influence and ubiquity in hip-hop as a whole.
He won the Best International Act: Africa award at the 2012 BET Awards, and was nominated in the same category at the 2014 BET Awards. MTV Base featured him on its list of the Hottest African MC’s in 2016. In 2015, The Guardian listed him as one of its top five hip hop acts on the African continent.
Sarkodie currently runs his “Sarkcess Music” label formed in 2014 with headliner Akwaboah as well as his clothing line “Sark Collection”, launched in 2013.