
Benjamin Menelik George (born April 1994), known professionally as Drizilik, is a Sierra Leonean rapper, singer and songwriter from Freetown.
Benjamin Menelik George was born in Freetown and grew up in the Soja Tong neighborhood. As a child, George would play football and bare-hand tennis with friends. Growing up, he would listen to hip hop and R&B music. His mother used to travel to Europe a lot and would bring back Craig David and 50 Cent albums that he would listen to.
George began rapping in English but now raps in Krio in order to engage with his immediate Sierra Leonean audience.
He blends the genres of hip hop, afrobeat and indigenous “bubu” sound. He originally rose to fame in Sierra Leone in 2015 after the release of his single “Pop Collar”. Drizilik also performed at the first ever TED talk event in Sierra Leone, the TEDx Youth @ Kingtom. In 2018, he was named one of the 50 most influential young Sierra Leoneans. In 2019, he headlined the Freetown Music Festival.
In 2020, George connected with English grime MC Big Zuu, who is of Sierra Leonean heritage, to release the track “Move Right”.
