AKA, born Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, was a South African rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur best known for his 2011 breakthrough single “Victory Lap” and his debut album Altar Ego, which established him as the best-selling South African hip-hop artist of his generation.
He built a catalog of platinum-certified albums across more than two decades before his death in February 2023, when he was shot and killed in Durban at the age of 35.
Who is Aka?
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, known professionally as AKA and sometimes as Supamega, was one of the most influential hip-hop artists South Africa has produced.
From his early years as part of the group Entity through his solo career spanning six studio albums, he shaped the sound and business of African hip-hop.
His music crossed genres and borders, earning him MTV Africa Music Awards, South African Music Awards, and BET Award nominations throughout the 2010s.
He was the first South African rapper to go platinum with an album recorded primarily in English.
Beyond music, Forbes built business interests and used his platform to engage with South African youth culture.
He appeared as a special guest at WWE Live events held in Johannesburg and Cape Town in April 2018.
Forbes died on February 10, 2023, shot outside a restaurant in Durban. His death shocked South Africa and drew tributes from across the continent and around the world.
Early Life of Aka
Kiernan Forbes was born on January 28, 1988, in Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in Johannesburg. His parents, Tony Forbes and Lynn Forbes, supported his early interest in music.
His brother is Steffan Forbes. The Forbes family maintained a relatively private profile despite Kiernan’s fame throughout his career.
Forbes attended Holy Cross Convent and Greenside Primary School as a child. He later enrolled at St John’s College in Johannesburg, where he completed his high school education.
After leaving school, he pursued further studies in sound engineering, a qualification that directly informed his later production work.
His interest in rap began in his early teens, and by 2002, at the age of 14, he had already formed his first music group.
Aka Age / Birthday
Kiernan Forbes was the real name of Aka, was born on January 28, 1988, and died on February 10, 2023, at the age of 35.
His zodiac sign was Aquarius, a sign often linked with independence, innovation, and originality.
At the time of his death, he had just released his final album and was actively performing in Durban.
Aka Ethnicity and Nationality
AKA held South African nationality. He was of mixed ethnic heritage, a background he carried through his upbringing in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
His family’s roots in South Africa shaped both his identity and the content of his music.
Aka Height and Weight
AKA stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, approximately 173 centimeters or 1.73 meters. His weight was reported at around 70 kg.
He carried a slim, energetic build that defined his stage presence across years of live performances.
Aka Education
Forbes attended Holy Cross Convent and Greenside Primary School in Cape Town before moving to Johannesburg and completing his schooling at St John’s College.
He then studied sound engineering, a decision that proved formative for his production career and laid the groundwork for the I.V League collective.
Aka Career
AKA’s career ran from his first group recordings in 2002 through to a posthumous album release in 2023, covering more than two decades of South African hip-hop history.
Entity and I.V League (2002–2009)
Forbes began his musical career in 2002 as a founding member of Entity, a hip-hop group he formed with friends Vice Versa and Greyhound.
The group earned a KORA Award nomination in the Best African Hip-Hop category, one of the continent’s most prestigious music honors.
The entity disbanded in 2006. Following that, Forbes and two collaborators founded the I.V League, a production collective that worked with a string of established South African artists.
The I.V League produced tracks for Khuli Chana, ProKid, and JR, among others, building Forbes’s reputation as a producer before he launched his solo career.
In 2009, Forbes released his first solo singles: “My Walk,” “I Do,” and “I Want It All.” Those tracks signaled a shift from group work to his own voice and set the foundation for his debut album.
Altar Ego and Breakthrough (2010–2013)
Forbes released the lead single from his debut album Altar Ego, “I Want It All,” on July 28, 2010. The album arrived on August 23, 2011, and became a landmark moment for South African hip-hop.
“Victory Lap” emerged as its standout single, topping local radio charts across South Africa.
Altar Ego went seven times platinum, certified by RiSA (Recording Industry of South Africa). The album took home the 2011 Metro FM Award for Best Hip-Hop Album.
Forbes won Best Male Artist of the Year at the 2012 South African Music Awards, the biggest recognition in the local industry.
That success made Altar Ego the first South African hip-hop album in English to achieve platinum status, a milestone no local rapper had reached before him.
Levels and Major International Recognition (2014–2016)
His second studio album, Levels, arrived in 2014. Like its predecessor, it charted immediately and went double platinum. The album featured seven singles, including “Congratulate,” “Jealousy,” “Kontrol,” and “All Eyes On Me.”
Levels earned Forbes his first BET Award nomination for Best International Act (Africa) and a nomination for the MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act.
At the South African Hip Hop Awards, he collected multiple wins, and DJ Zinhle publicly acknowledged their relationship by tweeting “Congratulations to my winner” after his victories.
Forbes won the 21st South African Music Awards for Best Male Artist and the African Muzik Magazine Award for Best Male Southern Africa in 2015.
Touch My Blood, Bhovamania and Mass Country (2017–2023)
Forbes collaborated with rapper Anatii on the joint album Be Careful What You Wish For, released in 2017, which went platinum and featured singles including “10 Fingers” and “The Saga.”
In 2018, he signed a new deal with SONY Music Entertainment Africa and Vth Season and released Touch My Blood, his fourth solo studio album. The deal elevated his international distribution significantly.
Forbes released the Bhovamania EP in 2021, supported by the singles “Energy,” “Python,” “Monuments,” and “Cross My Heart.”
That same year, he received a nomination for Artist of the Decade at the South African Hip Hop Awards.
Mass Country was his final project. Forbes was promoting the album and had planned a performance in Durban on the night of his death. The album was released posthumously two weeks after his passing.
Aka Discography
Here are some songs.
| Year | Title | Type | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Altar Ego | Album | Vth Season |
| 2014 | Levels | Album | Vth Season |
| 2017 | Be Careful What You Wish For (with Anatii) | Album | Independent |
| 2018 | Touch My Blood | Album | Sony Music / Vth Season |
| 2021 | Bhovamania | EP | Vth Season |
| 2023 | Mass Country | Album | Vth Season |
Aka Awards and Recognition
Here are some awards.
- 2011 Metro FM Award: Best Hip-Hop Album (Altar Ego)
- 2012 South African Music Awards: Best Male Artist of the Year
- 2015 African Muzik Magazine Award: Best Male Southern Africa
- 2015 South African Music Awards (21st): Best Male Artist (Levels)
- 2015 MTV Africa Music Award: Best Collaboration
- 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award: Favourite South African Star
- 2019 Namibia Annual Music Award: Pan-African Artist of the Year
- 2021 South African Hip Hop Awards: Artist of the Decade nomination
Aka Relationships
AKA had several high-profile relationships over the course of his public life. His longest and most publicly discussed relationship was with DJ Zinhle, the South African DJ and entrepreneur.
The two first dated from 2012 to 2015. They reconciled in 2018 and separated again in 2019.
Together, AKA and DJ Zinhle have a daughter, Kairo Owethu Forbes, born on July 8, 2015. Kairo became a public figure in her own right, well-known to South African audiences from an early age.
Between his two relationships with DJ Zinhle, Forbes dated television presenter Bonang Matheba from 2015 to 2017. Their relationship attracted significant media coverage across South Africa.
On February 21, 2021, Forbes announced his engagement to Anele “Nelli” Tembe on Instagram. Tembe died on April 11, 2021, after falling from the 10th floor of a hotel in Cape Town.
Her death sparked widespread media coverage and public debate in South Africa.
After that period, Forbes began a relationship with rapper Nadia Nakai in 2022. The two were together until his death in February 2023.
Aka Children
AKA had one daughter, Kairo Owethu Forbes, born on July 8, 2015, with DJ Zinhle.
Kairo has grown up in the public eye and became well known on South African social media, partly through her mother’s public presence and partly through AKA’s own posts featuring her throughout her childhood.
Aka Net Worth
AKA’s estimated net worth was $15 million at the time of his death.
His wealth came from music sales and streaming, live performance income, record label deals with SONY Music Entertainment Africa and Vth Season, and business ventures.
He owned a notable property portfolio, including a reported R197 million mansion in Johannesburg.
His six platinum and multi-platinum certified albums produced substantial royalty income across more than a decade. Endorsement deals and brand partnerships added to his earnings throughout the peak years of his career in the mid-2010s.
Aka Death
On the evening of February 10, 2023, Forbes had planned to perform at Durban’s Yugo Nightclub as part of his birthday celebrations.
He and friends, including Tebello Motsoano, gathered outside Wish restaurant on Florida Road in Morningside, Durban.
A gunman approached and shot Forbes in the head. A second shooter, who had been waiting near Forbes’s car, killed Motsoano. Both Forbes and Motsoano died at the scene. Forbes was 35 years old.
Police confirmed the shooting and launched an investigation. Forbes was buried at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg.
His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from musicians, public figures, and fans across South Africa and the wider African continent. His parents announced the news via his Twitter account.
Aka Social Media
During his lifetime, AKA maintained active accounts on Instagram at @akaworldwide, where he built a following of over 3.4 million, and on Twitter/X at @akaworldwide.
Both accounts remain online as a record of his public life and career.
Conclusion
Kiernan Forbes built a two-decade career that produced South Africa’s first English-language platinum hip-hop album, two SAMA Best Male Artist wins, and a level of mainstream crossover no local rapper had achieved before him.
His death in Durban in February 2023 cut short a career that had never slowed and left Mass Country as the final chapter of a catalog that transformed South African hip-hop.