Ghanaian rap icon Michael Owusu Addo, known globally as Sarkodie, has sold out the legendary Royal Albert Hall in the UK.

The achievement comes just weeks before his headline concert, Rapperholic UK, set for March 6, 2026—a date that also marks Ghana’s 69th Independence Day.

The famous London venue, known for hosting some of the biggest names in music, will be packed to capacity with all 5,272 seats sold to fans ready to watch the “Landlord” of African rap perform live.

This success further proves Sarkodie’s status as a global cultural representative and shows the growing appetite for Ghanaian music among audiences abroad.

What started as a Christmas concert in Accra at the International Conference Centre more than ten years ago has now grown into a major international event.

Rapperholic has moved beyond Ghana to become one of Africa’s most respected hip-hop brands, known for delivering powerful live performances.

Music industry observers say selling out the Royal Albert Hall is a big deal, as the venue is known for its strict sound standards and refined audience.

Sarkodie’s ability to fill such a venue confirms his place as one of Africa’s top music acts on the world stage.

The date of the concert also makes it special.

By holding the show on Ghana’s Independence Day, Sarkodie has turned the concert into a proud celebration of Ghana’s talent and culture.

Creative arts experts see the sell-out as a strong sign of Ghana’s growing influence and the global demand for African music.

The show is expected to draw a wide mix of people, including Ghanaians living in the UK and hip-hop fans from different parts of the world.

The impact of the concert is also likely to benefit the UK economy, especially hotels and tourism, as fans from across Europe have reportedly bought tickets for the event.

As excitement builds, the rapper has been giving fans hints of a high-quality show, said to feature a live orchestra and surprise guest appearances from top UK and African artists.

For Ghana’s creative industry, this sold-out concert stands as an example for other artists, showing that with strong branding and consistency, performing on the world’s biggest stages is possible.

About Rapperholic 2025The concert was held on Saturday, 27, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. When the stadium was announced as the venue to host the concert, concerns were raised by football enthusiasts and stakeholders about the authority approving the concert to be held at the stadium when Ghana is preparing for an international match. Ghana has a mixed history when it comes to the quality of our pitches, with rare cases of consistent maintenance often from hosting football, concerts, and rallies. Lack of pitch covers, among others.The Baba Yara pitch is undergoing renovations to meet CAF and FIFA standards, including turf upgrades and drainage improvements.Hence, to address these concerns, the Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, clarified that while his outfit has given the rapper the green light to host the concert at the stadium, he has been banned from extending his activities to the pitch itself.Acknowledging the poor state of pitches in the Ghana government’s efforts to renovate and add to the number of stadiums nationwide, he explained that, “Sarkodie is prohibited from using the pitch to host the Rapperholic event. The pitch is important to us, and there is no way the event will be hosted on the pitch,” he said during an appearance on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.He continued that, while Sarkodie has explicitly been told to stay away from the pitch itself, he cautioned that sanctions would be applied if the arrangements were violated.“We are aware that there is an agreement in place stating that a penalty or fine will be incurred should that happen, but we are not interested in pursuing that. There are no pitch covers, so we have to put measures in place to ensure that the pitch is safe,” he noted.Sarkodie, responding to the NSA’s directive, took to his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to assure fans that, as he had been explicitly directed from the outset, he expressed his intention to host the concert at the stadium and would not break any rules.“The rules were set from day 1, and we are not ready to break it (sic),” he said.When did Rapperholic startThe Rapperholic Concert was founded in 2012 to showcase Sarkodie’s music, celebrate Ghanaian rap, and thrill fans with exciting performances from both local and foreign artists. The concert is usually headlined by Sarkodie, who mostly gives opportunities to emerging rappers to perform. Rapperholic is mostly nothing short of an actual display of fashion and culture, with fans dressing in streetwear, among others.Sarkodie visits OtumfuorSarkodie visited Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at Manhyia Palace to formally seek royal blessing for the Rapperholic Kumasi Edition. During the meeting, Otumfuo warmly welcomed Sarkodie’s initiative and said:“They don’t allow me to go out often, but this one, I would like to attend and watch the event myself.”Sarkordie was there with his team to officially inform the King about the upcoming concert and also seek his blessings and consent.