Koo Kumi

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William Du Bois Yaw Sakyi Kumi, known as Koo Kumi, (born 5 May 1994) is a Ghanaian traditional leader and artist. He is a spoken word poet, photographer and mixed media visual artist who blends Twi and English, mixing traditional sounds with an alternative hip‑hop vibe. He began performing in 2012. He is the Apesemakahene of Abotakyi in the Akuapem area (Nana Yaw Sakyi I) and comes from Mampong Akuapem. He is the eldest of four children; his parents are Kumi Jonathan and Comfort Kumi.

He studied at St Paul’s and Mampong Presbyterian high schools, excelled in visual arts and graphic design, then earned a BA in journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2018 and a Master’s in Brands and Communication Management from UPSA. Koo Kumi started Trotro Vibes, a movement that turns public transport into a stage for poetry and music. He has performed at major venues in Ghana and worked with artists like Okyeame Kwame, Kwame Write, Wanlov the Kubolor, Ko-Jo Cue and Chief Moomen. He published the poetry anthology Beautiful Africa in 2013 and released Woke On The Mountain in 2019. In 2020 he issued the EP An Ode To A New Moon and his 10‑track album The Griot, which explores politics, urban life, culture, youth and gender. He has appeared on BBC Africa twice, including a 2016 feature on Trotro Vibes. He has won awards such as Slam Ghana (2013) and Poet of the Year at the Eminence Awards (GIJ), and received other honors like the Eminent Alumnus award (2019) and a Ghana Association of Writers award (Kofi Anyidoho Award) in 2019.