Black Sherif has fired back at accusations that his streaming success is inflated by artificial means, calling the claims both baseless and disrespectful to the effort behind his rise.
In the wake of his Iron Boy album’s dominant performance across music platforms, the Ghanaian star addressed critics who question the legitimacy of his numbers. Speaking to Graphic Showbiz on Monday, June 9, the rapper-singer said his career is a product of sacrifice, not shortcuts.
“Honestly, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. My success is 100 per cent organic. I put my blood, sweat and tears into every note, every lyric and every performance,” he said.
Iron Boy, his sophomore album, has made waves both locally and internationally since its debut. Six tracks from the project currently hold the top six slots on Boomplay and Apple Music Ghana’s Top 100 charts. Globally, the album landed at number six on Spotify’s UK Top Debut Albums list and number 10 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart. On Audiomack, total streams have surpassed 80 million.
Yet, despite those numbers, some detractors continue to spread claims that his rise is fueled by paid or fake streams, rumors that Black Sherif flatly denies.
“I’ve built my audience through hard work, consistency and authenticity and that’s what’s driving my growth, not some cheap shortcut,” he asserted.
To him, the connection fans feel with his music stems from how deeply personal the work is.
“My music speaks for itself. If people are connecting with my songs, it’s because I’ve poured my heart and soul into something real,” he explained.
And for those who accuse him of manipulating numbers, Black Sherif had a pointed response: “Anyone who thinks I buy fake streams doesn’t know the first thing about my work ethic or my passion for music.”
