Edem’s debut album gets praise from Sarkodie

Ghanaian rap star Sarkodie has celebrated fellow artiste Edem for his groundbreaking debut album “The Volta Regime”, calling it one of the greatest albums in Ghana’s music history.

In a heartfelt social media post, Sarkodie, whose real name is Michael Owusu Addo, reflected on the first time he heard Edem rap.

He said he was instantly impressed and knew Edem would have a serious impact on the music scene.

“I remember when I first encountered my brother Edem, I came back home to tell one of my hommies that this guy will have a serious impact on the music scene,”

“He was like naa because of the language barrier. I said I don’t hear language, I hear greatness. Big up my brother, you are still on my favourite emcee list.” Sarkodie wrote.

Edem, born Denning Edem Hotor, released The Volta Regime in 2009. The album boldly embraced the Ewe language and featured collaborations with top Ghanaian artists including Tinny, Kwabena Kwabena, and Jeremie Van-Garshong.

Despite initial doubts about how well Ewe rap would perform commercially, the album proved to be a major success and introduced a new wave of local-language hip-hop.

Songs like Bra Fre Me, Nyorvuviade, and the powerful Intro helped establish Edem’s lyrical prowess and cemented his place as a unique voice in the Ghanaian music industry.

At a time when the local scene was dominated by Twi and Ga-speaking rappers, Edem’s success broke barriers and made it clear that talent speaks louder than language.

His impact opened doors for more linguistic diversity in hiplife and hip-hop music across the country.

Sarkodie’s tribute is especially meaningful because both artists emerged around the same period. Sarkodie’s own debut album Makye also dropped in 2009, and the two have long shown mutual respect for each other’s craft.

Today, over 15 years after its release, The Volta Regime continues to inspire fans and artists alike. It remains a symbol of bold originality and cultural pride.

Edem has since released several projects and remains an active voice in Ghanaian music and youth advocacy. His legacy is a reminder that true greatness is not limited by language.