Black Sherif claims his bold sense of style was shaped long before he became one of Ghana’s most talked-about musicians.

He revealed in an interview with Patta, a fashion brand in the Netherlands, that his fashion journey began in childhood and was influenced by both family and circumstance.

He recalled how, after his mother moved to Greece, he lived with his aunt and found inspiration in her wardrobe.

“My whole style started in a woman’s closet—my auntie’s. When my mom left for Greece, I stayed with my auntie, and she had all kinds of stylish stuff. I’d sneak into her things, steal belts, and glasses. That’s when I got into appearances,” he said.

Experimenting with appearance, however, was not always welcomed. He shared how one hairstyle, which locals called “backbone,” drew punishment.

“I also tried different hairstyles, like one called ‘backbone,’ and got beaten for it because it was too bold for where I was living. I’ve always been chasing freedom to dress how I want,” he added.

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Black Sherif also pointed to his mother’s influence. As a seamstress, she instilled in him the value of making clothes his own.

“I used to sew my buttons for school. Even in high school, I’d alter my clothes because I couldn’t afford a tailor. If I didn’t like something about a shirt or a pair of sneakers, I’d cut it and make it my own,” he said.

His style eventually led him into high fashion, with a major moment on the runway for Labrum at London Fashion Week in September 2023.

“As a teenager, I couldn’t afford real designer clothes, so I wore replicas. But now, I get these things as gifts, and I feel like I have a fashion dream that will come true. After walking for Labrum, people told me I was natural at it,” the ‘Kwaku The Traveller’ hitmaker revealed.

Although he admitted he doubted his own runway performance, the positive feedback convinced him he was on the right path.

“I thought I didn’t do a great job, but the reactions were strong. I’m still figuring out my way in fashion, but I believe in it,” Sherif averred.

Black Sherif says his music is more than entertainment; it is his response to the struggles of young people in Ghana. The award-winning artiste explained that his craft is shaped by honesty and vulnerability, qualities he believes connect deeply with his listeners.

Speaking with Patta, an outlet in the Netherlands, Mohammed Ismail Sherif, widely known as Black Sherif, revealed that he sees music as his way of resisting the system. “I have learned we all fight the system in different ways. For me, music is how I respond. I’m honest in how I reflect what’s around me. Where I’m from, Zongos, you don’t often see guys being this vulnerable,” he said.

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The musician challenged long-standing views about masculinity, stressing that his strength comes from embracing softness. According to him, the refusal to hide emotion gives him confidence. “They’ll say, being soft gets you nowhere. But I say it anyway. And that gives me power,” he added.

He also shared the story behind his track “Victory Song,” featured on his album Iron Boy. Black Sherif indicate that the song captures a side of success that is rarely spoken of. “… no one talks about that part of success. People see you on stage or travelling, but they don’t see the moments when the noise fades, and you are alone with your thoughts,” he reflected.

That moment of solitude, he explained, is a reminder of where he comes from. “That moment reminded me that I’m still that kid from back home, feeling things deeply. I want people to hear that. That’s the kind of artiste I want to be.”