Dr. Pushkin

Dr. Pushkin (Paul Azunre) is a Ghanaian-American Hip-Hop & Afrofusion artist from Bolgatanga, based in Austin, TX — and a Voting Member of the Recording Academy (2026 class), with five songs currently under GRAMMY consideration.

Through an independent grind fueled by his love for Hip-Hop, African Beats & Conscious Lyricism, Dr. Pushkin tackles social issues with his music while managing to entertain & uplift the listener.

2022 was a breakthrough year, with 4 singles cracking the Official Ghanaian Top 20 YouTube charts, while collabs with Legendary artists Ofori Amponsah & Quata Budukusu trended on Twitter (X) & YouTube.

Dr. Pushkin's album "Outlandish" was released in 2023 to rave reviews, and was performed at his Official SXSW 2023 Showcase for the 1st time, leading to being honored as one of the "Essential SXSW 2023 Acts" by the Austin Chronicle.

2024 went off with a bang - collabs with major artists Lyrical Joe, Ko-Jo Cue & Cj Biggerman captured the imagination of Ghana Rap Fans & trended on multiple platforms.

The stunning music video for “Empty Grave” with B-Wayne was released during Christmas 2024 and stayed in the top 10 on YouTube Ghana charts throughout January and February of 2025, receiving major airplay at FM Stations in Ghana, Sweden and Brazil and becoming a mainstay on major Ghanaian Entertainment TV stations 3Music and GTV.

This video went on to set the record for the Most Streamed Music Video in Northern Ghanaian Music History (2.5M+ views) - exceeding a record held for 8 years by major artists Sarkodie & Fancy Gadam - and made Dr. Pushkin the first Northern Ghanaian rapper to pass one million views on a single video.

Coming off this momentum, Dr. Pushkin was a First Round Pick at SXSW 2025, representing Ghana on the International Hip Hop Stage alongside Nigerian heavyweight M.I. Abaga. The set featured an acoustic component, defining a new fresh direction for his sound which was an instant hit with the global SXSW audience.

Shortly after SXSW, "Empty Grave" won several prestigious awards, and was performed in LA at the iconic Academy LA stage in the heart of Hollywood. Seventeen international awards followed - from Zepstone, the Global Music Awards, California Music Video & Film Awards, Europe Music Video Awards, LAMMVA, Austin's own Short Film and Spotlight Film Festivals, and a 2026 Intercontinental Music Awards win for Best African Hip Hop with "Empty Grave".

He closed 2025 by headlining the Zepstone International Film & Music Festival in Salt Lake City - winning three of its annual awards - and performing at the GRAMMY Museum's "Hip Hop America" exhibition concert at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin. His catalog now counts more than 9.3 million views on YouTube, with radio play spanning Ghana, Sweden, and Brazil.

All of the above developments have increased the anticipation for his upcoming album duology "No Heroes”/”No Miracles". It features Ataman Nikita, Jon Connor, Strongman, Stevo Atambire, B-Wayne, Gingsen, King Ayisoba, AlaptaWan & many more top names, and is poised to cement his status as one of the most important voices in African Hip Hop.