Sarkodie is a giant on the Ghanaian music scene. Famous for rapping at mind-boggling speed, mostly in Twi, he has been on top for over 15 years, with a devoted fan base, the Sark Nation.

His biggest hits include Adonai with Castro, Countryside with Black Sherif, and Painkiller with Runtown. He has dozens of collaborations - including with Burna Boy, Patoranking, Ruger, King Promise, Oxlade, Victony, Shattawale - and twelve albums to his name.

On March 6, Ghana independence day, Sarkodie performed to a sell out audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall. He has announced that next year, to mark 70 years of independence, he’s putting on a show at the 20,000 capacity O2 Arena, also in London.

Sarkodie is known to be hard working and intense, and in this conversation with DJ Edu, he opens up about the extremely tough childhood that shaped his personality and set him on course to be an observer of life, a writer and ultimately a rapper.

He talks about his philosophy of life, the fact that he never takes his success for granted or forgets how far little Michael Owusu Addo from Tema has come.

Presenter: DJ Edu Producer: Catherine Fellows

DJ Edu catches up with the biggest names in music from across Africa, and meets the stars of afrobeats, amapiano, afrohouse and more.

Tyla and Black Coffee from South Africa, Davido, Burna Boy, Rema and Tems from Nigeria, Sarkodie from Ghana and Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania are now international superstars selling out at major venues around the world.

One of the most respected club DJs from Africa, Edu has been there from the beginning of the afrobeats journey, bringing Africa's music to the world.

This is Africa podcast brings you unmissable interviews and reveals the personalities behind the music, as well as the resilience, determination - and sometimes luck – they need for success.

It is about all of Africa: artists from francophone and lusophone Africa, from Somalia to Sao Tome, from Niger to Namibia, making music in genres ranging from kizomba to genge, afro soul and afro pop to hip hop and electro, through to coupe de cale, rumba, soukous and afro dancehall.

And every episode DJ Edu brings his “10 in 10” playlist, mashing up ten hot new tracks from ten different countries in Africa.

You can contact the show via WhatsApp +44 8000 321721 or on the socials @iamdjedu, #BBCthisisafrica

You can also listen to a music rich version of This Is Africa on BBC World Service radio. Broadcast times for your corner of the world can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct72fb

Previous guests on This Is Africa include Bien, Nasty C, Lojay, Inez, Guchi, Fuse ODG, Emma’a, Miss Jobizz, Theodora, Milton Kizzy, Lydia Jazmine, Oxlade, Dystinct, Wendy Shay, Jay Cash, Yo Maps, Ruger, Gyakie, Rophnan, Ckay, DJ Maphorisa, Magic System, BNXN, Tiwa Savage, Black Sherif, Ayra Starr, Sauti Sol, Joshua Baraka, Sampa the Great, Awilo Longomba, Santrinos Raphael, Moliy, Moonchild Sanelly, Victoria Kimani, Joe Boy, Qing Madi, John Frog, Stonebwoy, Shasha, Adekunle Gold, Simi, Libianca, Onesimus, Angelique Kidjo, Yemi Alade, Shatta Wale, Fally Ipupa, Dizzy Dros, Mr Eazi…