Drizilik Influencers List Sparks Concern Over Kao Denero’s Absence

During an interview on the Global Afrobeats Podcast, Sierra Leonean rapper and afrobeat singer, Drizilik was asked to name the rappers he looked up to when he started making music in Freetown.  

Drizilik responded by saying he started making music in 2011, and that the artists who inspired him during that time were Shadow Boxxer, MI Abaga from Nigeria, Sarkodie from Ghana, and the late South African rapper AKA.

He said Shadow Boxxer was one of his biggest inspirations in the Freetown rap scene, and that he listened to African hip hop as well as American artists like Drake and Kanye West.

After the interview aired, some fans took to social media to question why Kao Denero’s name wasn’t mentioned. Kao Denero is widely known in Sierra Leone as a veteran rapper and the founder of Black Leo Entertainment. He has released over a hundred songs and received awards including Best Hip Hop Artist at the African Entertainment Awards in 2021. He also serves as Sierra Leone’s Entertainment Ambassador.

Fans shared their thoughts online:

“Drizi dey lie big time. No body nor go listen to rap back then na Salone e nor mention Kao. If e be say sef Yok 7 ar for don believe small but Shadow Boxxer hmmmm.”

A fan claimed Drizilik was not being honest, suggesting it’s impossible to talk about early rap in Sierra Leone without mentioning Kao Denero.

“But d posin wae en mentioned na Salone wae na Shadow Boxxer, that particular Artist don say up stage without Kao Hip hop nr for dey how en dey so na Salone.”

Another pointed out that even Shadow Boxxer himself has publicly acknowledged Kao Denero’s major role in building Sierra Leonean hip hop.

“Lol forget but d difference gee Kao in flowers lol.”

One fan simply said Kao deserves his credit, urging others to give him his flowers.

Drizilik explained in the same interview that his journey in music has changed over the years. At first, he used music to understand himself, but now he focuses more on culture and community.

He mentioned that his show in London last year, which included other Sierra Leonean artists, was about building a space for Sierra Leoneans abroad. He said there’s always room to grow, and that pushing the culture forward means going beyond just sound and working with the community especially in the diaspora.

He added, “There’s no culture without community,” pointing out that for Sierra Leonean music to move ahead, it needs support from Sierra Leoneans both at home and overseas.