Blakk Rasta | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Blakk Rasta |
| Born | Abubakar Ahmed 2 September 1974 |
| Genres | Reggae, Kuchoko |
| Occupations | Musician, radio presenter |
| Years active | 1999–present |
Blakk Rasta (born Abubakar Ahmed, 2 September 1974) is a Ghanaian reggae and Kuchoko musician, dub poet, and radio presenter.He is known for developing a fusion style he calls Kuchoko, which blends reggae with indigenous African musical instruments . [1] [2] He currently hosts programs on Accra-based 3FM under Media General. [3]
He gained national attention with the 2008 single "Barack Obama", released during Barack Obama’s U.S. presidential campaign. [4]
Blakk Rasta was born Abubakar Ahmed on 2 September 1974 in Tamale, in the Northern Region of Ghana, to muslim parents. He attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Land Economy. [5] [6] He later pursued postgraduate studies, including an MSc in Oil and Gas Management at the University of Coventry in the United Kingdom. [7]
Blakk Rasta began his professional music career in the early 2000s. He worked as a reggae DJ and hosted several radio shows, including the mid-morning program Taxi Driver on Hitz 103.9 FM. [8]
In 2008, he attracted international attention with the single "Barack Obama", released during Barack Obam a’s U.S. presidential campaign. [9] [10]
He later joined Zylofon FM in 2017, where he hosted the same program until 2021. [11] After leaving Zylofon FM, he continued broadcasting on Class FM and on his YouTube platform, Blakk Media Empire. [12] [13]
In 2025, he revived his community initiative Kuchoko in the Ghetto, organizing street activations in Nima and Fadama to promote social responsibility through music and live performances. [14] Blakk Rasta continues to appear in national media discourse, including commentary on cultural and political issues. [15]
Blakk Rasta’s musical style, Kuchoko, is a fusion of reggae rhythms with indigenous African sounds, incorporating instruments such as the xylophone, talking drum, kologo, kora, flutes, and various percussive elements. [16]
He has cited Jamaican dub poets Mutabaruka, DYCR, and Linton Kwesi Johnson as key influences on his writing and performance. [17]
In 2015, Blakk Rasta appeared before the Privileges Committee of the Parliament of Ghana to apologise for remarks made on his radio programme suggesting that a large number of Members of Parliament smoked cannabis. He later described the comments as unfortunate and issued an unreserved apology to Parliament. [18] [19]
In 2025, he was involved in a widely reported dispute with journalist Oheneba Boamah, during which he criticised Boamah’s commentary and questioned journalistic ethics, sparking broader discussions in the media about professionalism [20]
In 2021, he spoke publicly about tensions with dancehall artist Shatta Wale, stating that he deliberately limited airplay of Wale’s music due to creative disagreements [21] . Media reports also indicated that Shatta Wale lodged a complaint with police over comments attributed to Blakk Rasta, though outcomes of the matter were not independently confirmed. [22]
In 2023 and 2024, Blakk Rasta publicly criticised rapper Sarkodie over lyrics he considered disrespectful toward women, calling for temporary bans on such music and the withdrawal of ambassadorial roles. [23] [24]
In 2024, he questioned the Ghana Police Service’s decision to publicly burn seized narcotics at Osu Beach, arguing that the method posed environmental and public health concerns. [25] [26]
In late 2024, Blakk Rasta stated that he received threats following a politically charged performance at Nkrumah Fest. [27]
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