Apple Music today announces Ghanaian independent hip-hop artist Essumann as the latest artist to be featured in its Up Next artist development programme in Ghana.
Hailing from Tema, with roots in Anomabo and raised in Community 9, Essumann makes music grounded in lived experience, ambition, struggle and resilience. His sound blends contemporary Ghanaian hip-hop, trap and melodic rap with street-inspired storytelling, drawing on the realities of growing up, the pressure to survive and the determination to build a better life. Rather than presenting a manufactured image, Essumann uses his music to document his journey and the ambition that continues to drive him.
“I’m honestly grateful and honoured to be selected for Apple Music’s Up Next Ghana campaign. This moment means a lot because I’ve been building my journey from the ground up, staying true to my story and putting everything I have into the music,” Essumann tells Apple Music. “For me, this is not just about being selected. It’s about opening the door to a new chapter. I want people to hear the music, understand where I’m coming from and see what’s possible when you keep going, even when the odds are against you.”
In 2026, Essumann reached a significant milestone with “Big Bricks II”, featuring Medikal and Lalid. The record became a defining moment in his development, gaining strong attention across Ghana and reaching millions of streams across digital platforms. He has since released Ghetto Therapy P.T. II, an 11-track album that explores survival, faith, pain, ambition, relationships, loneliness and personal growth. Building on the story established by his earlier Ghetto Therapy release, the project offers a deeper, more personal perspective on the experiences shaping his life and music.
At the heart of Essumann’s work is a simple message: keep going. As an independent artist, he continues to build his career on his own terms, using his experiences to create music that listeners can recognise themselves in. With his sights set on reaching audiences beyond Ghana, Essumann enters this next chapter focused on telling more stories, continuing to grow and building a lasting career while representing where he comes from.
As the latest Up Next act to be spotlighted in Ghana, Essumann will be featured on Apple Music’s Up Next playlist https://apple.co/3eITdJd. The curated Up Next playlist features a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world. The playlist is genre-agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience.
The vast global Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone, Natanael Cano, Givēon, beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Tate McRae, Foushee and Tems.
About Apple Music
Apple loves music. Apple revolutionized the music experience with iPod and iTunes. Today, the award-winning Apple Music celebrates musicians, songwriters, producers, and fans with a catalog of over 100 million songs, expertly curated playlists, and the best artist interviews, conversations, and global premieres with Apple Music Radio. With original content from the most respected and beloved people in music, autoplay, time-synced lyrics, lossless audio, and immersive sound powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music offers the world’s best listening experience, helping listeners discover new music and enjoy their favorites while empowering the global artist community. Apple Music is available in over 165 countries and regions on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod mini, CarPlay, and online at music.apple.com, plus popular smart speakers, smart TVs, and Android and Windows devices. Apple Music is ad-free and never shares consumer data with third parties. More information is available at apple.com/apple-music
