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Birth Name:
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Kiernan Jordan Forbes
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Stage Name:
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AKA
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Occupation:
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Rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur
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Date of Birth
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28 January 1988 (age 36 years)
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Place of Birth
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Cape Town, Western Cape |
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Nationality:
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South Africa |
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Gender:
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Male
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Girl Friend:
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Nelli Tembe
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Ex-Girl Friend:
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DJ Zinhle, Bonang Matheba
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Children:
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Kairo Owethu Forbes
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Parents:
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Lynn Forbes (Mother)
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AKA is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur.
Who is AKA?
Born, Kiernan Jarryd Forbes on 28 January 1988, in Cape Town, Western Cape, AKA is a South African multi-award winning rapper. AKA gained significance after releasing his single “Victory Lap” which was released from his debut album, Alter Ego (2011).
AKA Parents
AKA was raised by her mother Lynn Forbes.
AKA’s Children, Girlfriend and Ex-Girlfriends
AKA was dating producer DJ Zinhle and couple have a daughter named Kairo, born on 8 July 2015. He later dated television presenter Bonang Matheba and they broke up on December 2017.
AKA is currently dating Nelli Tembe.
Career
In 2002, he was part of the rap group Entity that had a hit with “Touch N Go”. Entity were nominated in 2005 for “Best African Hip Hop” in the KORA Awards and performed during the event. He went on to study sound engineering before choosing to perform. “I decided that’s what I needed to do,” says the man dubbed the Prince of South African Rap.
As Entity disbanded in 2006, AKA went on to study sound engineering and later joined Buks and Kamza to form the production collective known as The I.V. League in 2007. His production credits include tracks by PRO, Tuks Senganga, Andile, Shugasmakx, Khuli Chana, Teargas, Psyfo, Jub Jub, Loyiso Bala, Bala Brothers, Jae, JR and Proverb.
In 2009 AKA ventured for a solo career with hits like “Mistakes”, “In My Walk” and “Do It” with the latter making it to number 1 on the South African 5FM Top 40. He won Metro FM Music Awards for “Best Newcomer”, “Best Hip Hop” as a solo act and “Best Produced Album” for his debut Altar Ego. It is then that he was dubbed “Prince of South African Rap” by one of the national newspapers. He also won “Best Dressed man” during the GQ Awards in South Africa alongside Oscar Pistorius.
In 2011 AKA’s song “Victory Lap” won Channel O’s Most Gifted Hip-Hop Video at the 7th annual Channel O Music Video Awards and at the 18th South African Music Awards AKA was awarded Male Artist of the Year and Best Street Urban Music Album. The rapper went on to say “Winning the awards has been a big honour and it is very humbling. The Male Artist of the Year award has made me see myself as a musician across all genres and not just a hip-hop artist,”.
AKA has opened for Kanye West, Snoop dogg, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar in their South African tours. He has won many awards including “Best Street Urban Music Album” and “Male Artist of the Year” at the 18th South African Music Awards (SAMA) South African equivalent to the Grammys.
In late 2014 rapper AKA signed a multi-album deal with Sony Music through its new local urban label Sound African recordings. Executive head of A&R for Sony, Zakes Bantwini made the announcement through their platform. ‘We’re excited to add AKA’s illustrious career to our stable. We are excited about AKA’s growth prospects in Africa and beyond.’ The Sony Music/AKA partnership is the key catalyst to change the business and face of Music across Africa, especially in the key areas of quality, distribution and content management’. In June 2015, AKA’s sophomore album Levels was certified Gold, by theRecording Industry of South Africa, for shipments of over 20,000 copies domestically.
In 2015, aka’s sophomore album Levels is available on a vinyl known as a gramophone record.
Awards
His numerous awards include GQ Best Dressed Award 2011, Best Music Video Award 2011 for Channel O, two SAMA Awards in 2011, one Metro FM Award and more.
- 2016: Best Hit Single during 15th Metro FM Music Awards for the song ‘Baddest’
- 2016: Best Collaboration during 15th Metro FM Music Awards for the song ‘Baddest’
- 2015: Video of the year during the 4th South African Hip Hop Awards for the song Anatii.
- 2015: Song of the Year during the 4th South African Hip Hop Awards for the song Baddest and Anatii.
- 2015: Most Digital Sales during the 4th South African Hip Hop Awards.
- 2015: Most Valuable artist during the 4th South African Hip Hop Awards.
- 2015: Best Collaboration for the song ‘Anatii’ during the 4th South African Hip Hop Awards.
- 2014: Best Male Artist during 21st South African Music Awards for his song ‘Levels’.
- 2014: Best Collaboration during MTV Africa Music Awards
- 2014: Best Collaboration during African Muzik Magazine Awards.
- 2014: Best Male Southern Africa during African Muzik Magazine Awards.
- 2012: Best Male Artist during the 18th South African Music Awards for the song Altar Ego.
AKA Albums
- Levels (2014)
- Be Careful What You Wish For (2017)
- Taking Chancez (2017)
- Altar Ego (2011)
- Down To Earth (2017)
- La maladie de la haine (2010)
- Attention Deficit (2018)
- And so It Begins (2011)
- Slave To The Sound (2004)
- Sex Hot (2018)
AKA Songs List
- Caiphus Song
- The world is ours
- Baddest
- All eyes on me
- Run Jozi
- Dreamwork
- Sim Dope
- Composure
- Special Fi Mi
- One Time
- Badai Bulan Desember
- Congratulate
- I Want it all
- Victory Lap
- All i know
- Bounce
- Bang
- NO!
- Crazy Joe
- Reign
- Eyes on me remix
- Dunia Buram
- Do what you like
- Kontrol
- Let me show you
- Darkest hour
- Sunshine
- Rep your city
- Daddy issues
- Puber Kedua
- Skip Away
- Only One Man
What is AKA’s Instagram and Twitter?
AKA’s on Instagram and Twitter, his official handle on both is @akaworldwide.