In the middle of a busy December calendar, a wave of excitement has swept through Black Leo fans after Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, announced that he will personally purchase 100 tickets for supporters attending Kao Denero’s upcoming concert at Number 2 River.
His message, shared publicly, was brief but carried a generous spirit: “100 tickets for 100 Black Leo fans – 60 ladies and 40 Leo sojas! #Blackleo. Light over Darkness Dec. 13.” The gesture was immediately embraced by fans, many of whom said it reflects the solidarity that Kao’s music has long inspired.
The show, scheduled for 13 December 2025, comes at a time when the entertainment and civic spaces in Sierra Leone have been buzzing. Earlier in the week, concerns were raised about the clash between the final day of the government-organized National Civic Festival, which runs from 11 to 13 December, and Kao Denero’s highly anticipated event. Some fans worried that the overlap might affect attendance or divide attention.
Instead, the opposite seems to be happening. As news of the Commissioner’s support spread, the conversation shifted from conflict of dates to celebration. The gesture has been described by fans as a reminder that art, civic life, and community engagement do not need to stand in competition.
Promoters say preparations for the Number 2 River concert are in full swing, with expectations of a large turnout. For many young people, the event represents more than a musical performance. Kao’s concerts have often felt like a gathering point where struggle, ambition, and national pride meet in rhythm and lyric. With Ben Kaifala’s support, fans who would not otherwise be able to afford tickets now also have a chance to attend.
Read Also: NSA Awards Cash Prizes to Top Performers in Maiden Inter-MDA Football Gala
With the December events taking center stage, this show seems set to be a major event in this season of fun as it brings back memories of how music has been an important part of uniting the community for Sierra Leoneans. Amara Denis Turay, popularly known by his stage name Kao Denero, is one of the most prominent hip-hop artists in Sierra Leone. A product of Freetown, he has been involved in music since the late 1990s.
He started from the hip-hop underground movement and has since become a household name in Sierra Leone and beyond. Kao has been widely acclaimed for his gritty storytelling, message-driven lyrics, and distinctive flow that has come to symbolize the tenacity of Sierra Leonean youth. Over the years, he has dropped many successful albums, including Menace II Society, King Kao, and Kiss the Throne, among others, which has endeared him to many fans referred to as Black Leo.
Outside of music, Kao Denero has also taken on various leadership capacities among creatives. In 2021, he was named Sierra Leone’s Special Envoy for Entertainment, a role in which he pushed for improved structures and support for the country’s entertainment industry. With all of this, it can be seen that Denero has become a key player in both music, activism, and young people, all of which are areas in which he has been involved. Kao’s career unfolds in ways that continue to develop, but his passion, his message, remains true to those founding principles of giving a voice to those who were unheard, of inspiring young people, of celebrating the spirit of Sierra Leone in his art.
