Tewodros Assefa (Amharic: ቴዎድሮስ አሰፋ),[1] known professionally Teddy Yo, is an Ethiopian rapper regarded as the greatest rapper in Ethiopian hip hop music culture. His single "Gurage Tone", which was released in 2007, became a signature song and popularized him to the hip hop music industry.[2]
Life and career
Tewodros Assefa began his career in the 2000s while performing in a musical group called Gamo Boys, but quickly established himself as a solo singer. Hence, he adapted "Teddy Yo" as his stage name. In 2007, he released his breakthrough single titled "Gurage Tone", becoming a major success in the music industry. In 2018, he released Prisoner, referring to "prisoner of culture" in hip-hop context. The album has 18 tracks with different beats. His single "Africa" from the 2018 album Arada, Vol. 2 described as "upbeat, feel-good song about Africa’s culture, struggles, and beauty" The album also features celebrities like the Jungle Crew and reggae star Jah Lud. Assefa is signed to Hope Music Ethiopia and Nahom Records.[3][2]
On 31 December 2022, he was jailed for a night after releasing "Menberish" ("Your throne"), which was critical of the incumbent government for emphasizing free speech regarding Oromo dominance in Addis Ababa. In the music video, he is seen in jail in harsh conditions while depicting Addis Ababa residents.[4][5] On 5 January 2024, he released Yileyal.
