Ugly Dray: The Story Behind the Name, The Pain And The Rise

On this episode of Culture Daily, rising Ghanaian rapper, Ugly Dray, pulled up with energy, honesty and a story that perfectly captures the grind of chasing music dreams in Ghana.

At first glance, the name Ugly Dray sounds ironic especially when the Jay Foley jokingly pointed out how fresh he looked.

But for him, it’s deeper than aesthetics. “UGLY means ‘You Gotta Love Yourself,’” he explained. A simple phrase, but one that defines his brand and mindset, self-acceptance in an industry driven by perception.

Ugly Dray’s journey began at Ada Technical Institute, where music wasn’t initially the plan. It wasn’t until his final year in senior high school that he wrote his first verse, something he still remembers to this day.

Like many artistes, it started casually: freestyling with friends, vibing in school houses and testing creativity without pressure. That raw beginning eventually turned into something bigger.

After SHS, things got serious.

He met his first investor, started recording and began releasing: freestyles, singles and visuals. Fast forward, he’s now been doing music professionally for about 4–5 years.

Interestingly, his early inspiration wasn’t hip-hop. He started with dancehall, heavily influenced by Alkaline before transitioning into rap after discovering Young Thug.

That shift shaped his current sound, hip-hop with versatility, occasionally blending into other genres like Afro-swing.

One of the defining highlights of his career came when Vic Mensa gave him a shoutout, calling him the best rapper he had heard at the time.

For an artiste who had been doubted, that moment meant everything.

“People told me it wouldn’t work… that shoutout made me feel like I was actually doing something.”

He also touched on a recurring issue, hip-hop’s position in Ghana’s music scene.

While genres like Afrobeats dominate, platforms like Hip Hop Africa are working to push the culture forward.

He believes collaboration and consistency will eventually elevate the scene.

Ugly Dray recently dropped a new EP featuring four tracks, collaborations including rising artiste Afel and production from talents like Monell and Beats by Pep. 

Interestingly, he has a backup.

He studied building & construction and says it’s something he could still pursue alongside music.