Music star Black Sherif has revealed a surprising personal connection to high-life great Amakye Dede, saying a visit to the veteran musician’s home turned into a discovery of generational family ties.
In a radio interview, the “Second Sermon” hitmaker recounted a session at Amakye Dede’s residence where he went simply to pay his respects. What followed left him taken aback.
“I went to Nana Amakye Dede’s house and realised he was my grandfather, the real ‘Iron Boy’. It wasn’t intentional,” Black Sherif said on Daybreak Hitz. “I went to pay homage and later discovered he was a family friend from generations back.”
The revelation carries a lot of meaning for Black Sherif. He previously named his sophomore album Iron Boy in tribute to Amakye Dede, who famously carries the same nickname and holds a storied legacy in Ghana’s music scene.
Black Sherif explained that this homage took on new weight after the discovery. “There were layers to the decisions behind making Iron Boy,” he explained. “That was the first layer — homage.”
He further shared that although he had considered featuring Amakye Dede on the record, the collaboration didn’t materialise in time for release. “To be honest I did think about putting Amakye Dede on the song,” he said. “But it just didn’t manifest in bringing the thing up.
The album Iron Boy, released on 3 April 2025, has become a commercial and critical hit — debuting at number six on the UK Top Albums chart, logging over two million first-day streams, and surpassing 100 million overall streams.
The backing of the high-life tribute and his newfound family link adds an emotional dimension to the success.
For Amakye Dede, born Daniel Amakye Dede in 1958, the moniker “Iron Boy” was already well established in his decades-long high-life career. His music and storied reputation have earned deep respect in Ghana’s cultural landscape.
The revelation that Black Sherif sees him not just as an inspiration, but as someone tied to his own family tree, creates a bridge between eras and musical styles.
Industry observers say this sort of inter-generational connection enriches Ghana’s music narrative — bringing together street-wise rap and traditional high-life legacies. One noted that Black Sherif’s bold move to call out and embrace this relationship signals confidence in his identity and roots.
In response to the story, fans flooded social media with excitement — some playfully calling for a formal father-son duet between Black Sherif and Amakye Dede.
Others suggested that the revelation has deepened the meaning of Iron Boy, transforming it into a statement about lineage, homage and continuity.
Black Sherif said his next steps include continuing to pay respect, honouring the legacy, and perhaps one day collaborating directly with his musical mentor.
Until then, he said, the album stands as his homage: “He was the first Iron Boy and I just found out we are connected,” he said.
