Talented young rapper, Thorsten Owusu Gyimah, well known as Yaw Tog has made yet another milestone as he gains another international recognition today.
“I’m excited & honoured to be the next Africa Rising artist. I genuinely appreciate the support and love that my fans, music lovers all around the world, and the Apple Music team have shown me so far. I don’t take this for granted, and I’ll continue to work to put my country Ghana on the map.”
Pioneering a style of drill, called Asakaa, that emerged from the streets of Kumasi in Ghana, Yaw’s debut single “Sore” (2020) became the first video of its genre to notch 1 million views and launch a worldwide movement.
Featuring O’Kenneth, City Boy, Reggie, Jay Bhad, all members of the Asakaa collective whose unique identity is a mixture of Kumasi’s road lifestyle infused with New York’s lauded drill culture, “Sore” attracted the attention of some the world’s biggest drill rappers, Stormzy and Kwesi Arthur, who feature on “Sore (Remix)”, underscoring the boundary-erasing brotherhood that characterises Asakaa drill.
Yaw’s debut 7-track EP Time (2021), released through KOOPOKUSTUDIOS / EMPIRE sees him switch between English, Twi (a language spoken by several million people in Ghana) and Pidgin (a simplified form of English mixed with a local language), whilst merging elements of Afrobeats and Hip-hop, and reflecting on themes of growth and struggle whilst capturing the true essence of Kumerica.
Source:museafrica
