Kojo Funds, a British vocalist and songwriter of Ghanaian and Dominican heritage, coined the term Afroswing to describe his mixture of rap, dancehall, R&B, and other African and Caribbean influences. Delivering brash lyrics with melodic, Auto-Tune-heavy cadences, he emerged during the mid-2010s and reached the Top 40 of the U.K. album chart with his 2018 full-length debut, Golden Boy.

Kojo Funds, whose actual name is Errol Bellot, was born and raised in East London -- an area that also produced grime originators Dizzee Rascal, Kano, and Wiley. Kojo's music career began in 2014 when he started freestyling with friends, and their encouragement led him to take his musical aspirations seriously. His first track, "Want from Me," was released in 2014 and featured his melodic rap style as well as demonstrating the impact of dancehall on his music. In 2016, Kojo collaborated with Abra Cadabra on the song "Dun Talkin'," which proved to be his big break. He was then featured on several singles in 2017, including Yxng Bane's silver-certified "Fine Wine" and Mabel's Top Ten hit "Finders Keepers." Kojo was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2017 MOBO Awards.

His debut album, Golden Boy, was released in 2018 and made it to number 40 on the charts. In 2019, he issued the singles "Take Off" (with Stefflon Don) and "I Like" (featuring WizKid), in addition to guesting on Kano's Hoodies All Summer. Through 2020, Kojo released the more Afro-pop-driven "Vanessa" before taking shots at rival MCs on the street-led Afroswing of "Duppy." ~ Bekki Bemrose, Rovi