Ghanaian rapper Edem was the sole artiste representing Ghana at this year’s Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage festival, performing with a live band before a large audience at Crotona Park in New York.
The concert, presented in association with GhanaFEST-NY, formed part of the festival’s 40th anniversary season. SummerStage, one of New York City’s best-known outdoor music festivals, has featured thousands of performers since it was established in 1986.
Edem’s performance featured songs from across his career, backed by a full live band. Audience members, including many from New York’s Ghanaian and wider African diaspora communities, sang and danced throughout the set.
The appearance comes during a successful year for the Volta Region-born rapper. Earlier in 2026, he released Gota, a high-energy single that gained widespread popularity in Ghana.
The song’s title, taken from the Ewe language and meaning “we’re outside”, has also become a popular expression on social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram and X, where users have adopted it to accompany posts about social outings and celebrations.
Edem’s appearance at SummerStage follows the success of the single and highlights the growing international visibility of Ghanaian hip-hop, with the rapper taking Ghana’s music to one of the United States’ most recognised free outdoor concert platforms.
About Edem
Edem is a Ghanaian rapper and songwriter known for combining Ewe-language lyricism with hip-hop and Afrobeats influences. Over more than a decade, he has established himself as one of Ghana’s leading rap artistes, with Gota becoming one of his most successful releases in 2026.
