AKA news Archives - Ghafla! Kenya

The family of rapper AKA separates themselves from the book “When Love Kills.”

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Ozymandias

The family of the late AKA has distanced themselves from an upcoming book by journalist and author Melinda Ferguson, which has already stirred controversy.

Titled ‘When Love Kills: A Tragic Tale of AKA and Anele,’ the book delves into the tumultuous relationship between hip hop star AKA and 21-year-old Anele Tembe, culminating in her tragic death in April 2021.

In a statement, AKA’s parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, clarified that they declined to contribute to the book when approached by Ferguson and are not associated with its contents. They expressed their disapproval of the book’s publication and timing.

Similarly, Anele’s family, through spokesperson Manqoba Zungu, distanced themselves from the book, emphasizing that it reflects Ferguson’s own perspective and research.

Ferguson, on her part, expressed the challenges and emotional toll of working on the book, acknowledging leaks of its contents on social media. She described the process as intense and heartbreaking, revealing that it had strained her own relationship.

Police arrest hitmen paid to kill South African rapper AKA

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Ozymandias

The investigation into the killing of South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and renowned chef Tibz (Tebello Mostoane) continues to progress, with the recent arrest of a seventh suspect on Wednesday, February 28.

The suspect is connected to the fatal shooting of AKA and Tibz on the popular Florida Road in Morningside, Durban, on February 10, 2023. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has not disclosed the suspect’s identity, but they join six others, all below 36 years old, who have been arrested.

During a late-night press conference at SAPS headquarters in Durban, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that the suspects would appear in court on Thursday, February 29, without specifying the court.

According to authorities, hitmen were paid to target AKA, but the motive remains undisclosed. The police revealed that AKA and Tibz were ambushed by armed individuals while walking to their vehicle in Durban.

CCTV footage captured the incident, showing AKA was the primary target, and Tibz was not the intended victim. Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, described the roles of the suspects involved in the operation, including coordinators, shooters, and spotters.

One suspect allegedly tracked AKA from the airport to his hotel and then to the Wish on Florida restaurant, assembling the group and providing resources. Some of the arrested individuals may be linked to other murder cases.

Authorities recovered four vehicles, a firearm, and ammunition related to both the AKA incident and another shooting. The firearm used in AKA’s shooting was found on April 22, 2023, and a BMW trailing AKA upon his arrival in KZN was recovered on August 2, 2023.

AKA, a renowned South African hip-hop artist, enjoyed a successful career with multiple albums and hit songs.

Nadia Nakai Reflects on the Death of Her Boyfriend AKA

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Ozymandias

In a recent interview, South African rapper Nadia Nakai opened up about the tragic death of her boyfriend, renowned rapper AKA.

The couple had been dating for several years and were very close. Nakai said that she still remembers their last conversation, which took place just 10 minutes before AKA was fatally shot.

“He called me in the greatest of spirits,” she recalled. “He told me that he and his friends were going to the hotel to change and then head to the club.”

Nakai said that she was performing at an event when she received the news of AKA’s shooting. She didn’t immediately believe it, but when she realized that it was true, she was devastated.

“I literally ran out of that venue,” she said. “We got in the car and raced to Durban.”

Nakai said that she and AKA had planned to attend church together the day he was shot. However, they were unable to make it because the roads leading to the church were closed. Instead, they stopped at a casino, where they prayed and read scripture.

“He had been a believer in God for a long time,” Nakai said. “I feel that as the end neared, he was drawing even closer to God. I have no doubt about where he is now.”

Nakai said that she is still coping with the grief of losing AKA. She has found solace in the support of her family and fans, but she also acknowledged that she is still adjusting to life without him by her side.

“It’s been tough,” she said. “But I’m trying to stay strong.”

Kiernan Forbes, widely known as AKA, was a popular South African rapper who died on February 10, 2023, outside Wish Restaurant in Durban. He was 33 years old.

His death was a shock to the South African music industry and to his fans around the world. He was known for his unique sound and his ability to connect with his audience.

AKA’s death has left a void in the South African music industry. He was a talented artist who had a bright future ahead of him. His fans will miss his music and his presence in the community.

Nakai said that she is grateful for the support she has received since AKA’s death. She said that she is trying to stay strong and to focus on the positive memories she has of her time with him.

“He was a great man,” she said. “He will be missed.”

AKA brings Khuli Chana on board for ‘Bang’ and it’s really dope (Video)

Posted on January 18, 2020May 4, 2020 by David Kingsley

Award-winning South African rapper and producer Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, better known as AKA has teamed up with his countrymate Khuli Chana on a new jam and it’s getting a lot of love from their fans.

The song dubbed Bang has been ruling the airwaves since it came out a few days ago and we are also feeling it or else we would not be reviewing it, would we?

AKA’s lyrical prowess is unmatched. He has a unique ability to play around with words and come up with some very sleek rhymes. To add to that, his punchlines are out of this world.

Khuli Chana

However, the icing on the cake is that he can also sing. Put simply, he’s a whole package. If you’ve been a fan of AKA as long as I have then I am very sure that you will love this jam. Perhaps, even more than I did.

Khuli Chana also aced it. He breaks the monotony and generally spices up the song by throwing in some Xhosa lyrics and maybe, just maybe, he’s the reason why Bang is so infectious.

I also loved the beat on this track. It’s so subtle and it blends well with the flow of both Khuli Chana and AKA since it allows you to appreciate their flow.

Watch Bang below and tell us what you think.

Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph: Who has more international appeal?

Posted on August 28, 2019 by David Kingsley

If you are keen, I’m sure you’ve noticed that both Octopizzo and Khaligraph Jones have really upped their games in the last few years.

Also read: Octopizzo Vs Khaligraph: Whose music approach is better?

From their music videos down to language that they use, their content is definitely packaged batter than it was 5 (or so) years ago.

Octopizzo

After winning the hearts of Kenyans, they both decided to shift their focuses to the international audiences i.e. potential fans outside the country.

This journey has seen them go out of their ways to work with some of the best audio producers and videographers because let’s be honest, how can you compete against the likes of AKA, Sarkodie, and Nasty C if you don’t invest in good quality?

Khaligraph Jones

Of late, the music videos that are being released by Khaligraph and Octopizzo are of high quality and you could easily say that they meet international standards.

In as much as we appreciate the efforts that are being made by the two rappers, we’d still like to find out who between them has more international appeal.

To help you decide, we’ll ask you to compare two of their most recent releases that’s Kanye by Octopizzo and Leave Me Alone by Khaligraph Jones.

Who is killing it when it comes to international appeal? Leave a comment below!

Khaligraph Jones has no competitor in Kenya

Posted on June 27, 2019 by David Kingsley

As I was watching Khaligraph Jones’ new banger Leave Me Alone, I kept thinking how he’s way ahead of his peers and how long it will take them to catch up.

Also read: Khaligraph’s performance fee has shot to 1 million bob per show and it’s totally okay

In my opinion, the rapper whose real name is Brian Ouko Omollo is playing in the big leagues. His rivals are continental stars, the likes of AKA, Nasty C, M.I Abaga, Sarkodie, Ice Prince, Phyno etc.

Khaligraph has reached a point where his music is consumed by people across Africa and not just Kenya, a quick peek at the comments section of his music videos on YouTube will confirm this.

Khaligraph Jones

I find this interesting is because apart from Sauti Sol, the Superman hit maker is the only other Kenyan act who’s getting a lot of continental attention. The keyword is a lot.

In a way, this is a win for the country as a whole since it makes outsiders curious about the kind of music that is coming from Kenya.

Chances are, they’ll find other great musicians after listening to Khaligraph and perhaps they will enjoy their music even more.

Despite the fact that Khaligraph is doing well and making music that is consumable across Africa, I still feel that he needs a strong competitor in Kenya.

Khaligraph Jones

You see, as it is now Khaligraph is the pacesetter for the local rap scene, people are always curious to find out what he’s up to so that they can ‘copy’.

Because he’s ahead of the pack, this means that he doesn’t have someone to keep him on his toes. He can decide to slack because at the end of the day, he’s still the best of the best.

However, if he had someone to keep him in check i.e. a strong competitor, he would push himself harder and maybe, just maybe he’ll finally bring the BET Award for Best International Act: Africa home.

Watch his latest release dubbed Leave Me Alone below.

Khaligraph’s performance fee has shot to 1 million bob per show and it’s totally okay

Posted on March 20, 2019March 24, 2019 by David Kingsley

Gone are the days when Khaligraph had to perform at several local clubs in Eastlands before he could hold a million bob in his hands. These days, he makes that amount in one show, easily if I might add.

Khaligraph

You see, 2018 was a good year for Papa Jones. First, he dropped an album dubbed Testimony 1990 that was received well by fans. He also had some good hits including Ngori.

Secondly, he won the Best Rap Act at Annual African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) beating the likes of Phyno, Olamide, Sakordie, and Nasty C.

He was also nominated for the Best Hip Hop award at the Soundcity MVP awards but he lost to South Africa’s AKA and in the Best Male African Artist (Non Nigerian) category at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA). He lost to Sarkodie.

He was also featured on yet another season of Coke Studio.

After getting international recognition for his work, Khaligraph felt it was time to adjust his rate card. An event organizer tells me that the Omollo hitmaker asks for one million bob for a show.

“If you’ve worked together before, he can revise the fee downwards. If major brands are sponsors of the event, he will definitely ask for more money,” the event organizer told me.

Perhaps this would explain why Khaligraph is doing less shows these days. It only makes sense that he should do one show and be compensated handsomely rather than doing so many shows and getting exhausted for no apparent reason.

Khaligraph has been putting in a lot of work and it’s okay for him to ask for such an amount. It’s about time he got paid for what he is worth.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Diamond’s daughter attends star-studded birthday party of the daughter of South African rapper AKA (Photos)

Posted on July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 by Martin Oduor

South African rapper AKA and his baby mama DJ Zinhle threw their daughter Kairo Owethu Forbes a lavish birthday party as she turned 3.

Diamond’s daughter Princess Tiffah was among celebrity kids that were invited to the birthday party which was held at at DJ Zinhle’s home in Johannesburg.

DJ Zinhle and Tiffah’s mother Zari Hassan are close friends, the two women have hosted parties together in the past including one in Uganda recently.

Swan-themed birthday

AKA gifted his daughter two puppies for her birthday. The Swan-themed birthday party was attended by several South African celebs.

See more photos below: