Entertainment Ambassador Amara Denis Turay popularly known as Kao Denero set to host one of the biggest music festivals in Sierra Leone hosting a popular rapper based in Kenya Kalighph Jones.
The show is titled Back My Root a festival that encourages the homecoming of all Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora. This year’s festival would be graced by Kalighph Jones one of the biggest hip-hop icons in Africa who was having a friendly mic battle with Kao Denero.
Kao Denero (Amara Dennis Turay) is a Sierra Leonean hip-hop artist. He was born in Lungi township, Port Loko District in Sierra Leone. He attended St. Edwards Secondary School in Freetown. His parents separated at 13
His third album ‘King of Africa’ (2005) was very successful, leading to his adoption of the title as a nickname. His first album was ‘Black Leo 4 Life’ (2003). He hit the limelight with the release of his second album, ‘Stories From Freetown’, which had the hit single ‘Emonah’ featuring Big Joe. The song won the Best Hip-Hop Song at the Premier Music Awards.
He has also released the albums ‘Freetown’s Most Wanted’ and ‘A New Beginning’.
Khaligraph started his musical career while still in elementary school. He officially began his career in 2008 at a function called “Words And Pictures.”
He won Channel O Music Video Awards Emcee Africa in 2009, a highly visible competition that catapulted him to international acclaim almost instantly.
In June 2018, he released his debut full-length studio album dubbed “Testimony 1990”.
He was crowned “Best Rap Act of the Year” at the fifth Annual African Muzik Magazine Awards 2018 (Afrimma) held at House of Blues in Dallas, Texas in 2018.
He was named the best Hip Hop act at the Soundcity MVP Awards in January 2020. The ceremony took place at the Eko Convention Center in Lagos, Nigeria.
In 2020 he was nominated for the BET Awards.[18][19] His nomination was for the Best International Flow category. He was up against South Africa’s Nasty C, Brazil’s DJonga, Ivorian Kaaris and eventual winner, grime rapper Stormzyfrom the UK. In May 2021 he was named the East African Rapper of the Year at MTN Uganda.
In 2021, Khaligraph partnered with Odibets, a sports betting company under their Odimtaani initiative to launch the ‘OdiNare’ rap challenge.
