AKA, also known as
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, was a well-known South African rapper and producer who
tragically killed away on February 10, 2023. This week, Dadaboy Ehiz conducts a
special homage to him.
Some of AKA's most
frequent collaborators, including Musa Keys, K.O., and Nasty C, reflect on his
influence on hip-hop in South Africa and across the continent as a way to honor
his life and legacy.
Nasty C, who most recently appeared with him on the
song "Lemonade," comments on the late rapper on Apple Music:
“AKA's
impact on South African hip-hop was like no other. He’s one of the guys that
commercialized rapping in English. He paved the way for people like me here in
South Africa as far as hip-hop goes. He’d always been a big brother to me; he’d
just always been caring; he always gave me tips and advice on how to elevate my
game. He will live forever in my heart.”
AKA's longtime partner K.O praised him for having the passion
and desire that took him outside the Hip Hop scene.
“AKA
is one of the people that really took showmanship to the next level. When you
listen to his catalog, and [consider] how he created his music, he created it
for big stages. He was the first person to actually fully immerse himself into
being a ‘pop’ act. Yes, he was an MC, but you know, he wanted to be a ‘pop’
artist and you can hear it in the music, the texture, the tone, and the energy,
and I think he successfully executed that.”
On his birthday, AKA,
also known as Supamega, was shot and killed in front of a restaurant in
Florida, Durban, along with his buddy and manager Tibz. Fans and coworkers
throughout the continent were shocked to hear of his demise.
In a private and
memorial ceremony held in Sandston, South Africa, on Friday, February 18, 2023,
he was laid to rest.
Before his passing, AKA was planning to release a new album called "Mass Country," which will now be released posthumously on Friday, February 24, 2023.
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