Kweku Smoke, born Paul Amankwah, is a Ghanaian rapper and songwriter celebrated for his raw, drill influenced sound and gritty street storytelling. He raps fluently in Twi, Pidgin, and English, blending hip-hop, trap, and drill into a style that has made him one of the most recognizable voices in Ghana’s new generation of rap talent.
Music entered his life early through his older brother, an aspiring artist who often brought him along to studio sessions while babysitting him. Watching these sessions sparked his interest in rap, and he spent his youth memorizing lyrics and studying flows from CDs he collected. He attended Benkum Senior High School before continuing his education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
He began his career releasing freestyles under the name YRS before adopting the name Kweku Smoke. His breakthrough came in 2019 with “Yedin,” a collaboration with Ghanaian rap heavyweight Sarkodie, who had publicly endorsed his talent on social media. The song’s success introduced him to a wider audience and established him as a rising force in Ghanaian hip-hop.
Since then, Kweku Smoke has built a steady catalog of projects, including Snoop Forever, Eye Red, Born In Hell, and the album kweku Jesus, released in March 2024, which reached number one on iTunes Ghana. He has collaborated with artists such as Bosom P-Yung, Yaw Tog, O’Kenneth, Jay Bhad, and Sarkodie.
His work has earned formal recognition. At the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards in May 2025, he won three categories: Best Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste, Best Hip Hop Song of the Year, and Best Rap Performance of the Year, the latter two both for his track “Holy Ghost.” He was also nominated for Artiste of the Year at the same ceremony.