By Ibrahim S.Bangura
Benjamin Menelik George, aka Drizilik, a renowned Sierra Leonean musician, on Saturday July 6, 2024 at Howard Theatre in The United States of America (USA), held a musical concert aimed at to exciting his fans and showcasing Sierra Leonean culture to the world.
The show was attended by Sierra Leoneans, including entertainers who live in the USA and other countries. With a view to showcasing Sierra Leonean culture to the world, Drizilik performed traditional sounds, attracting the attention of a diverse audience. He also performed hip-hop and Afrobeat songs.
In his remark, he thanked colleague artists, fans and Sierra Leoneans for gracing and attending the event in large numbers. “Together, we can make Sierra Leone a better place. I thank you for joining me to tell our story and share our culture to the world. I want us to come together and tell the world that we can. I alone cannot do it, and you alone cannot do it. Once again, I say many thanks to my team, Sierra Leone, fans and colleague entertainers. You made my dream come true,” said Drizilik, in a jubilant mood.
In an interviews with Premier news, he disclosed that he has great love for Sierra Leone, his motherland, and added that he would always want to make sure that the country’s entertainment industry and its players are known throughout the world. He believes that that goal could only be achieved by holding musical concerts abroad. He further went on to explain that he is a music star today because of what he learned at the Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts. According to him, in 2012, he started his journey with the Academy as a singer, adding that he has really been a blessing to Africa and Sierra Leone to be specific.
“As an old boy of Ballanta, I should honour the Academy. If one could think of taking his career in music to an international standard, Ballanta is the best place to go and I strongly recommend it. I have never regretted being one of the products of the Ballanta Academy of Music. I am appealing to sponsors and all the private sector to fund the Academy so as to not only promote the Sierra Leone entertainment industry, but to also help the musicians to be professionals,” he said emphatically.
The name Drizilik came about after his then friends started calling him Driz after realizing he loved Drake, a renowned international musician. He then combined Driz and his middle name Menelik, and that’s how the name ‘Drizilik’ which he now goes by was born.
Drizilik started a career in music at the age of nineteen. He had been influenced by Kanye West, Drake and Shadow Boxxer, whom he referred to as his mentors.
He has released numerous songs that have hit the national and international markets, which include ‘Pop Collar’, ‘Ben 10 over 10’, ‘Shukubly’, ‘Aw Fo Du’, and many others.
He has earned several awards:- ‘Best New Artist’ at the Inaugural National Entertainment Awards, the Next-e Young Entertainer Award, ‘Hip Hop Song of the Year’ (Di Mami I moni Fo Komot) at the Sierra Leone Elite DJs Awards in 2017, ‘Best New Artist’ in the same year, Sierra Leone’s 50 most influential Youth figures in June 2018 and many more.