Ghanaian music sensation Black Sherif came under intense scrutiny during the UniFest concert in Takoradi after a dramatic delay in his performance led to crowd unrest, including a fan throwing a bottle of water at him on stage.
The highly anticipated event, which took place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the Takoradi Mall, had Black Sherif listed to perform at 8:00 PM. However, to the shock and growing frustration of thousands of fans in attendance, the artist did not appear on stage until 5:27 AM the following morning — more than nine hours later than scheduled.
Videos circulating on social media captured visibly agitated concertgoers chanting in protest and throwing bottles toward the stage. In one viral clip, a water bottle narrowly missed Black Sherif moments into his performance, drawing gasps from the crowd and prompting swift intervention by event security.
Sources close to the event claim the delay was due to unresolved issues between the artist’s team and the event promoters. Allegedly, Black Sherif had been paid a performance fee of GH¢300,000 in advance, but upon arriving at the venue, he expressed dissatisfaction with the stage setup, citing that it did not meet his technical standards.
It is further alleged that Black Sherif’s management demanded an additional GH¢50,000 as a penalty for the substandard stage. This last-minute demand reportedly caused tension and delays, as the promoters scrambled to address the situation.
While neither Black Sherif nor his management team has released an official statement, murmurs from inside sources suggest the artist had previously given specific technical and production requirements that were not adequately met. The lack of compliance with these conditions is believed to have played a significant role in his hesitation to perform.
On the other hand, event organisers have remained tight-lipped, declining to confirm or deny the financial dispute. The prolonged delay and eventual backlash have sparked a wave of debate online about the professionalism of event organisers and the growing demands of A-list performers.
Fans, many of whom had travelled from various parts of the Western Region to see the award-winning star, have expressed disappointment. “We love Black Sherif, but waiting until 5:30 AM is disrespectful. Some of us slept here,” said a concertgoer.
Industry analysts argue that the incident reflects broader challenges in Ghana’s live music scene, including poor time management, weak contractual enforcement, and communication gaps between artistes and promoters.
As the dust settles on what was supposed to be a night of celebration, the UniFest Takoradi concert serves as a wake-up call for better coordination and transparency in event planning. Whether this controversy affects Black Sherif’s reputation remains to be seen, but the conversation around artist professionalism and event standards is clearly far from over.
