The life and career of AKA: A biography.

“Starts out with a pipe dream…I had to make moves of faith.” These were the opening words of South African rapper AKA on his 2014 single ‘Congratulate.’ Who knew he was going to have such an illustrious career after penning down such words?

Indeed the ghastly murder of the rapper has left a huge void in the African Music and Pop Culture scene. It is as if since the late rapper’s breakout single ‘Victory Lap’ in 2011, he never took the pedal off the gas. It is only right we remember this multi-talented, once in a generation musician who has been taken from us too soon. We are going to discuss the life and career of AKA, affectionately called ‘Supa Mega’ or ‘Bhova.’

Career.

AKA is a South African rapper born on January 28, 1988, in Cape Town, South Africa. as Kiernan Jarryd Forbes. He later went on to grow in Johannesburg, known for replicating the US Hiphop culture and developing a more commercial music scene. In 2002 when he was 14, AKA, alongside his two friends Vice Versa and Greyhound, formed a hip hop group called Entity. The group received a nomination for a KORA Award in the Best African Hip Hop category. The group the broke up in 2006 and he went on to study sound engineering, which was going to serve as the foundation of the next phase of his career. In 2006, Forbes co-founded the production collective The I.V League alongside two other members. They had production credits for several artists, including high-profile South African rappers Khuli Chana, ProKid and JR. In 2009, he released three singles: ‘In My Walk,’ ‘I Do,’ and ‘Mistakes.’

On 28 July 2010, AKA released ‘I Want It All,’ which is the lead single from his debut studio album, ‘Altar Ego.’  Two singles were later released called ‘All I Know’ and ‘Victory Lap,’ with the latter becoming extremely succesful by topping South African local radio charts. ‘Altar Ego’ was then released on 23 August 2011. The album was certified gold by RiSA for its commercial success. The album also won several accolades, including the 2011 Metro FM Awards for Best Hip Hop Album. Forbes went on to win Best Male Artist of the Year at the 2012 South African Music Awards. At this point, he had clearly established himself as a rapper, songwriter, singer, sound engineer and record producer.

In 2014, AKA cemented his name as the ultimate king of South African Hip-hop with the release of his sophomore album ‘Levels.’ He released the album on 30 June 2014 supported by four singles: ‘Jealousy,’ ‘Kontrol’ featuring his longtime collaborator and good friend  Da L.E.S, ‘Congratulate’ and ‘Run Jozi (Godly)’ which features KO and Yanga. The video for ‘Run Jozi (Godly)’ made a career defining pop culture moment when it was apparent that traffic was stopped on the infamous Mandela Bridge for production. Another smash hit was ‘All Eyes On Me’ which set in motion an incredible music partnership between AKA and Nigerian Afro-fusion superstar Burna Boy. The ‘Levels’ album was certified platinum in 2014, and double platinum in 2018 by RiSA.

On 2 December 2016, Forbes released the lead single ‘The World is Yours’ from his third studio album which would come out later in 2018. With the delay of its release, AKA collaborated with associated act Anatii in composing one of the best joint albums in SA Hip-hop history, ‘Be Careful What You Wish For.’ The album was released on 28 July 2017, with a positive response from critics, supported by three singles: ’10 Fingers,’ ‘Don’t Forget To Pray’ and ‘Holy Mountain.’

With the pre-release of ‘The World is Yours’ in 2016, AKA also pre-released songs including ‘Caiphus Song,’ ‘Star Signs’ featuring Stogie T and ‘Sweet Fire ahead of the release of his third album, ‘Touch My Blood.’ Concerning the album’s cover art, he took to Twitter to announce a contest for graphic designers to design the artwork for it, using his clear face portrait. As numerous entries were sent, AKA chose a winner named Taonga, who received an internship with Beam Group. Fifteen days before its release, he released the controversial single ‘Beyonce’ which was a dismissive song dedicated to his past partner Bonang Matheba. ‘Touch My Blood’ was then released on 15 June 2018 as it was set to release on 25 May 2018 but then delayed for taking time in building its promotion. The album was certified platinum then later certified double platinum by RiSA as for 2019. However, ‘Touch My Blood”s sixth single ‘Fela in Versace’ featuring Nigerian producer and singer Kiddominant (now KDDO) received higher commercial success compared to the other singles. Another career defining pop culture moment. The album features guest appearances from fellow South African artists including L-Tido, JR, Yanga Chief, Stogie T, Kwesta and Okmalumkoolkat.

On 8 April 2018, AKA took his love for American sport wrestling to the next level, as he was featured on a WWE live event in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa.

In February 2019, he was the featured roastee in Comedy Central SA annual roast special. Also in April 2020, Forbes alongside vodka brand Cruz launched a watermelon-flavoured drink with his initial on the bottles.

On 6 November 2021, AKA’s EP ‘Bhovamania’ was released. The EP had four lead singles namely: ‘Energy,’ ‘Python,’ ‘Monuments’ and ‘Cross My Heart.’ At the tenth ceremony of the South African Hip Hop Awards, he received a nomination for Artist of the Decade.

In the same 2021, he teamed up with Costa Titch to drop a joint EP called ‘You’re Welcome.’ It had three critically acclaimed singles of ‘Yizo Yizo,’ ‘Super Soft’ and ‘Big Deal.’

In early September 2022, AKA announced plans for his upcoming fourth studio album ‘Mass Country’ on Instagram. He preceeded that with the release of three singles; ‘Lemons (Lemonade),’ ‘Paradise’ and ‘Prada.’ The Nasty C-assisted track ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’ was released on 16 September 2022, as the album’s lead single and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). The album was scheduled to release on 24 February 2023, before he met his untimely death on 10 February 2023.

AKA has equally made appearances on songs by other African artists like Sarkodie, M.I Abaga, Ice Prince, Emtee, Diamond Platnumz and many others.

Personal Life.

AKA began dating South African producer and artist DJ Zinhle at the end of 2014. After receiving several South African Hip Hop Awards accolades, Zinhle hinted at their relationship by tweeting “Congratulations to my winner”. The couple later went on to have a daughter named Kairo Olwethu Forbes, born in 2015. In August 2015, AKA and Zinhle split after it was revealed that Forbes allegedly cheated on Zinhle with television presenter Bonang Matheba. They both denied the allegations but they later revealed their relationship in 2016 and broke up in December 2017. Surprisingly, AKA and Zinhle got back together in late 2018, although later in 2019 they broke up again.

On 21 February 2021, AKA posted a picture on Instagram announcing his engagement to girlfriend Nelli Tembe. On 11 April 2021, Tembe died after a fall from a hotel in Cape Town.

While AKA has made a name for himself in the music industry, he also has a love for food. He is known for his love of steak and often indulges in a juicy sirloin or ribeye when he is out and about. AKA has also expressed his passion for traditional South African cuisine, often sharing his favorite dishes on social media. Despite his busy schedule, AKA makes time to enjoy good food and explore new culinary experiences. His appreciation for food is just one of the many facets that make him a well-rounded and relatable figure to his fans.

Businesses.

Apart from being a maverick at his music, AKA equally was successful at some of his business endeavors. In 2016, he launched his own energy drink which was a commercial success. He also partnered with Cruz Vodka to launch his own limited edition vodka range, which was also a commercial success.

AKA co-founded Beam Group, a talent management and entertainment company that worked with several popular South African artists.

AKA launched his own sneaker range, SneAKA, in collaboration with Reebok in 2019 and then went on to launch his own online TV channel in 2020, offering exclusive content and behind-the-scenes footage.

Controversies.

AKA has been engaged in several public feuds throughout his career. Some of the most notable ones include his feud with fellow rapper Cassper Nyovest, his feud with his former manager, and his feud with the South African media. He has also been involved in public disputes with other artists and celebrities, such as Burna Boy and Black Coffee.

Following the death of Nelli Tembe, reports emerged that AKA had been on drugs and had a hand in her death. He later on issued a public statement in response saying he would not be drawn into exposing their troubles as a couple to defend himself against “one-sided views.”

In conclusion, AKA has made an undeniable impact on the South African and African music industry by extension. Through his unique style and relatable lyrics, he has captured the hearts of millions of fans and has left an indelible mark on the music scene. AKA’s tenacity and business acumen have also resulted in numerous successful ventures, proving that he is not just a musician but a true entrepreneur. His contributions to the music and business world will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations to come, cementing his status as a true icon and legend in South African and by extension, African music history.

LONG LIVE SUPA MEGA!