Remembering AKA | Two years on from the rapper's tragic passing
On this day, February 10, 2023 the South African musical landscape changed forever.
One of our country’s best rappers, Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was killed in Durban outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road.
The shocking news of his untimely death reverberated across the country, leaving fans, friends and even rivals grappling with the magnitude of the loss.
AKA’s friend, chef and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane was also killed in the crossfire.
As the nation continues to grapple with this profound loss, court proceedings are still ongoing against five men accused of the murders.
Lindokuhle Thabani Mkhwanazi, Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni and Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, who are accused of killing the rapper and Motsoane, are expected to appear in the Durban High Court on May 8.
At the time of his untimely death, the multi-award-winning artist was gearing up for the release of his fourth studio album, “Mass Country”, little did fans know, it would also be his last.
To honour his legacy, the Forbes family released the album as AKA originally planned to, on February 24, 2023.
In less than eight hours, the album surpassed 10 million streams on Spotify, becoming his most streamed album.
Two weeks after that, “Mass Country” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) and later Platinum.
The streaming giant honoured AKA by displaying a billboard of the album in Times Square, New York.
“Mass Country” also received positive reactions from the likes of American record producers Swizz Beatz and Diplo.
To date, AKA's last album has achieved over 99 million streams overall.
During the same year, AKA went on to win multiple awards posthumously, including Best Hip Hop Artist, Male Artist of the Year and Best Engineered Album among others at various prestigious music awards.
While we still have iconic rappers that have been leading the charge since AKA’s death, there definitely is a noticeable difference in the musical landscape. A void that just cannot be filled.
As we commemorate the second anniversary of AKA's death, we look back fondly on his artistry.
The tracks from “Mass Country” are more than just music; they are testaments to his unwavering spirit and talent.
Here are four standout tracks from the album that his fans never got the chance to experience with him in person.
“Lemons (Lemonade)” featuring Nasty C
“Company” featuring KDDO
“Paradise” featuring Musa Keys and Gyakie
“Sponono” featuring Sjava