If you have followed Ghanaian music over the past two years, you have run into Kojo Blak. The Afrofusion singer and songwriter, born McDonald Braide, has gone from a church choir and a school music group to seven nominations at the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards, including a win.

Quick Facts at a Glance

  • Real name: McDonald Braide
  • Stage name: Kojo Blak (also styled KOJO BLAK)
  • Born: July 23, 2001, in Dansoman, Accra
  • Education: St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, Accra, followed by two universities (Legon and UPSA) he later left to focus on music
  • Label: Jadon Shatta Entertainment
  • Genre: Afrofusion, blending Afrobeats, hip-hop and melodic storytelling
  • TGMA 2026 result: 7 nominations, won Best New Artiste of the Year

From Church Choir to Toy Boy to Kojo Blak

Kojo Blak grew up in Dansoman, drawn early to music by influences as different as Michael Jackson and highlife pioneer E.T. Mensah. His first stage name was not Kojo Blak at all: at St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School he performed as "Toy Boy," a member of a school music group called BMT, before going solo and further developing his voice in the Christ Embassy church choir.

He was a science student, and by his own account dropped out of two universities, Legon and the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), not for financial reasons but because he had decided music was the thing for him.

The Songs Behind the Breakthrough

Kojo Blak's rise has been built on features and collaborations rather than a solo hit alone. "Excellent," with Kelvyn Boy, released in 2024, is the song most tied to his TGMA 2026 nominations. "Next Door," a February 2025 single with Sarkodie, put him alongside one of Ghana's most established rap names. He also features on KiDi's "Gymnastic" (with OliveTheBoy), which itself picked up TGMA nominations, and has a collaboration with Nigerian singer Oxlade, "Sailor."

The 27th TGMA: 7 Nominations, One Win

At the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards, held May 9, 2026, Kojo Blak's name appeared across seven categories: Best Afrobeats Song of the Year and Best Music Video of the Year for "Excellent," Collaboration of the Year for both "Excellent" and "Gymnastic," Most Popular Song of the Year for "Gymnastic," Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste of the Year, and Best New Artiste of the Year. He won the last one, beating Gonaboy, Lalid and Adom Kiki to the award.

For how the TGMA's voting actually works and what each of these categories means, see our Telecel Ghana Music Awards guide. For the full nomination slate across every category, see the complete TGMA 2026 nominees list, and for how the night resolved, our 27th TGMA full list of winners. Black Sherif led the field with 9 nominations that year, covered in our breakdown of his TGMA 2026 run.

Why Kojo Blak Stood Out

Seven nominations for an act only a couple of years into a public career is unusual on a night dominated by established names like Stonebwoy, Sarkodie and Black Sherif. Part of it is the choice of collaborators: pairing with Kelvyn Boy, KiDi, Sarkodie and Oxlade in quick succession put him in front of each artist's audience rather than building one alone from scratch. Part of it is a genuinely distinct sound, an Afrofusion register that leans into melody and storytelling rather than chasing whichever trend is loudest that month.

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