Top 5 Ghanaian rappers of 2019

Never in the history of Ghana music have fans been so attentive and critical of the language and content of rap lines.

But despite the high standards, some emcees punched above their weights by delivering good flows and impressive punchlines to stay afloat.

Here are the top 5 Ghanaian rappers of the year 2019:

1. Medikal

Medikal was arguably the most enterprising Ghanaian rapper in the year 2019. The AMG rapper wowed fans with his flows and, importantly, his hit songs.

Deservedly, Medikal was named Rapper of the Year at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

He also managed a lot of collaborations, including featuring Nigerian star Davido on his hit single titled “Father”.

His top records in 2019 include ‘Omo Ada’, ‘Drip’ and ‘Vamijo’, while his beef with fellow rapper Strongman Burner gave the rape industry a huge lift.

He may have his critics due to his off-music antics, but Medikal worked hard in 2019 to earn his place among the elite rappers in the country.

2. Strongman

Surely the highlight for Ghanaian rap music in 2019 was the lyrical war between Medikal and Strongman.

While many tipped Strongman’s career to nosedive after he parted ways with Sarkcess Music, the rapper gave everyone a timely reminder of his immense talent.

The beef with Medikal may have given him some mileage, but Strongman built on it to remind everyone that he is still one of the best in the industry.

From ‘Don’t’ try’ to ‘Immortal’ to ‘King of gods’ and to ‘Ups and downs’, in which he featured M.anifest, Strongman really ‘killed’ it.

3. Sarkodie

At this point, there is very little to say about Sarkodie that has not been said already. Rap god, the greatest, the king of rap – you name the other accolades.

Despite emerging on the scene over a decade ago, the Sarkcess Music label boss has continued to remain relevant till date.

2019 was not necessarily Sarkodie’s best year, but he still did enough to stand up to any competition.

The decision to feature Donae’O and Hollywood’s Idris Elba on ‘Party & Bullsh*t’ was a masterstroke, while the song ‘Saara’ in which he featured Efya remains one of the biggest hits in the year.

Add that to the fact that Sarkodie won the Best International Flow at the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards, and it is easy to see why he makes this list. His headline-grabbing rap verse on the BET Hip Hop Awards cypher deepens his claim even more. Everything was crowned with his Artiste of the Decade triumph at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

4. M.anifest

Since returning home to continue his rap career, M.anifest has warmed the hearts of many fans with his dexterity, literature-filled flows and command of the English language.

The ‘God MC’ left it late but ended the year very strongly with his song ‘Big mad’ which features Nigerian songstress Simi.

‘Rapper 101’ also emphasised his status as one of the titans in the Ghana rap industry, while his feature on Burna Boy’s ‘Tomorrow’ was one of the biggest on the continent, considering the fact that it earned him a Grammy credit after Burna Boy’s “African Giant” album was nominated for the 2019 Grammy Awards.

5. Pappy Kojo

For some unknown reasons, many Ghanaians seem to always overlook Pappy Kojo when it comes to naming the dopest rappers in the country.

The Fante Van Damme is probably the most featured rapper in 2019, having contributed to a number of songs.

In 2019, has was featured by Kwaw Kese, Eddie Khae, Dee Money, BB and Dahlin Gage, while his single ‘Thomas Pompoy3yaw’ made massive waves.

Pappy Kojo’s talents are there for all to see and, although he didn’t produce many hits in the year under review, his all-round works make him standout.