British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG made his name in the London rap scene after growing up in the English capital.
Born Richard Abiona, a talented producer as well as rapper, he has been an active influence in helping young people in his local communities realize their musical aspirations through a mobile studio.
In conjunction with this he helped to found the TINA (This Is New Africa) movement which set out to encourage Africans to use their skills in rebuilding their communities and take pride in their cultural heritage.
In 2011 he traveled to Ghana and met with African producer Killbeatz and rapper Tiffany and they collaborated on viral dance track "Azonto", which had millions imitating his moves worldwide. His distinct combination of Afro-beats, hip-hop, and rap led to favorable comparisons with Akon and K'naan alongside winning the Urban Music Award for Best Afro-Beats Artist in 2012 and being nominated for a Ghana Music Award -- the first U.K.-based artist to be considered.
His success was hard to deny with over a million views on his YouTube channel and the triumphant release of his 2012 EP The Buzz. The following year Fuse sparked another dance craze with his single "Antenna," which featured American rapper Wyclef Jean and rose to the Top Ten of the U.K. Singles Chart. ~ Scott Kerr, Rovi
