AKA (rapper)
AKA | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kiernan Jarryd Forbes |
| Also known as | The Supa Mega, 3RDWORLDBOSS |
| Born | January 28, 1988 Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Genres | Hip Hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, record producer, sound engineer |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | iiirdwrld |
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, known by his stage name AKA, is a South African hip hop recording artist and record producer. He is a multiple award nominee and winner, both internationally and locally. His break through came after the release of his single, Victory Lap, followed by its remix, with features such as Khuli Chana. On the back of this, he released his first album, Altar Ego, which became a great success. He has grown to become one of the most significant hip hop artists in Africa. He is respected for his contribution to the growth of hip hop and the foundation of a legacy in Africa. He has influenced many and even stirred controversies with his intimidating and unique skill. His rise has been rapid, and he is popularly considered a young living legend. He recently started dating Bonang Matheba, the South African TV and radio personality, entrepreneur and model. Since their relationship became public, the couple have received widespread media attention. This has led to a synergistic relationship, and the two are often perceived as one of Africa's power couples.
Music career
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.[1] 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.[2] It is then that he was dubbed "Prince of South African Rap" by one of the national newspapers.[3] He also won "Best Dressed man" during the GQ Awards in South Africa alongside Oscar Pistorius.[4]
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.[5]
AKA has opened for Kanye West, Snoop dogg, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar in their South African tours.[6] 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) 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’.[7] In June 2015, AKA's sophomore album Levels was certified Gold, by the Recording Industry of South Africa, for shipments of over 20,000 copies domestically, as of May 2016 the album was certified platinum by RiSA.[8]
On 27 November 2016, at the end of the Idols Season 12 Finale, AKA premiered his single "The World is Yours" and performed it for the first time on the show. Later that week, the single premiered on American Radio station Shade 45, hosted by Sway, and on British Radio Station BB1 Xtra.
As of 5 December 2016, AKA's 2014 single "All Eyes on Me" and 2015 single "Baddest" were certified Platinum and Gold respectively by the Recording Industry of South Africa.
Controversy
Vth Season
In October 2016, AKA accused his management Vth Season in a stream of tweets of not being fairly remunerated in royalties. He announced his departure from the label, and warns his former label mates rapper Yanga Ntshakaza, Big Star Johnson, and singer Tresor to each get personal accountants and the record label's financial statements checked. AKA has since stated that his issues with Vth Season have been resolved. Speaking to Slikour, AKA said the fallout with his former manager was "not pretty" but that they were in a better space now, further stating that "I've always been one to voice my frustration...it may not have been the right way to do it but it was done and I can still see (Vth Season manager) Benza and we can handle business." in the interview.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Altar Ego[9] |
|
|
| Levels[10] |
|
RISA: Platinum [12] |
Extended plays
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| 24/7/366 |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Album | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "I Want It All" (featuring Pro Kid & Khuli Chana) |
Altar Ego | |
| 2010 | "Victory Lap" | ||
| 2011 | "All I Know" | ||
| "Bang" (featuring Khuli Chana) |
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| 2012 | "Jealousy" | Levels | |
| 2013 | "Kontrol" (featuring Da L.E.S) |
||
| 2014 | "Congratulate" | RISA: Gold[13] | |
| "Run Jozi (Godly)" (featuring K.O) |
RISA: Gold[14] | ||
| 2014 | "All Eyes On Me" (featuring Burna Boy, JR and Da L.E.S) |
RISA: Platinum[13] | |
| 2015 | "Sim Dope" | ||
| "Baddest" (featuring Burna Boy, Khuli Chana and Yanga) |
RISA: Gold[15] | ||
| "Composure" | |||
| 2016 | "Dreamwork" [16](featuring Yanga) | ||
| "One Time" | |||
| "The World Is Yours" | |||
| 2017 | "10 Fingers" (with Anatii) |
As featured artist
| Year | Title | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Heaven"
(Da L.E.S featuring AKA and Maggz) |
Mandela Money | |
| "Hit 'Em Up"
(X-Static featuring AKA and Priddy Ugly) |
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| 2014 | "N Word (Remix)"
(Ice Prince featuring AKA) |
||
| "Tsiki Tsiki (Remix)"
(Duncan featuring Professor, AKA and Mampintsha) |
Street Government | ||
| "Tsekede (Remix)"
(Dreamteam featuring Tamarsha, Big Nuz and AKA) |
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| "Bump the Cheese Up (Remix)"
(Reason featuring AKA, OkMalumKoolKat and Tol A$$ Mo) |
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| "God's Will"
(DJ Vigilante featuring AKA and K.O.) |
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| 2015 | "Awuth' Yam" (Remix)
(Yanga featuring Kid X and AKA) |
||
| "The Saga"
(Anatii featuring AKA) |
Artiifact | ||
| "P.A.I.D"
(Da L.E.S featuring AKA and Burna Boy) |
North God | ||
| "Yipikayay"
(Reason featuring AKA and Khuli Chana) |
Audio Re-Definition (Reason Season) | ||
| "Roll Up (Re-Up)"
(Emtee featuring Wizkid and AKA) |
Avery | ||
| 2016 | "Lie 2 Me"
(Ma-E featuring AKA) |
Township Counsellor | |
| "Real Stuff"
(Da L.E.S featuring AKA and Maggz) |
North God | ||
| "Day One"
(Kwesta featuring AKA and Tweezy) |
DaKAR II | ||
| "Make Me Sing"
(Diamond featuring AKA) |
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| "Hello"
(LayLizzy featuring AKA) |
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| "Bounce"
(Stanley Enow featuring AKA and Locko) |
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| "Bang Out" |
| Year | Title | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | "Hape Le Hape, Part 1"
(Khuli Chana featuring AKA, Zeus, Reason, Towdee Mac and Kay Gizm) |
Lost in Time | |
| "Tswa Daar (Remix)"
(Khuli Chana featuring Ice Prince, AKA, Reason, Maggz, Navio and Ice Queen) |
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| 2013 | "Dirty Politician"
(Da L.E.S featuring Junior Prez and AKA) |
Mandela Money | |
| "I Wish"
(Professor featuring AKA) |
The Orientation | ||
| 2015 | "Return of the King (Intro)"
(Tumi, performed by AKA) |
Return of the King | |
| "Talk That Shit"
(Dreamteam featuring AKA and Ice Prince) |
Dreams Never Die | ||
| 2016 | "Miss Joburg" (Stogie T featuring AKA) | Stogie T |
Music videos
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2009 | "I Want It All" (featuring Pro Kid & Khuli Chana) |
| 2010 | "Victory Lap" |
| 2011 | "All I Know" |
| "Bang" (featuring Khuli Chana) | |
| 2012 | "Jealousy" |
| 2013 | "Kontrol" (featuring Da L.E.S) |
| 2014 | "Congratulate" |
| "Run Jozi (Godly)" (featuring K.O) | |
| "All Eyes On Me" | |
| 2015 | "Sim Dope" |
| "Composure" | |
| "Baddest" (featuring Burna Boy, Khuli Chana and Yanga) | |
| 2016 | "Make Me Sing" (featuring Diamond Platnumz) |
| "Dreamwork" (featuring Yanga) | |
| "One Time" |
| rowspan="3" |2017 ! scope="row"|"The World Is Yours" |-
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award Ceremony | Prize | Recipient/Nominated work | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 18th South African Music Awards | Best Male Artist | Altar Ego | Won | |
| 2013 | Channel O Africa Music Video Awards | Most Gifted Hip Hop | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Afrikan Muzik Magazine Awards | Best Male, Southern Africa[16] | Nominated | ||
| Best Rap Act[16] | Nominated | ||||
| MTV Africa Music Awards | Best Hip Hop | Nominated | |||
| Channel O Africa Music Video Awards | Most Gifted Hip Hop | Nominated | |||
| 2015 | African Muzik Magazine Awards | Best Male Southern Africa | Won | ||
| Best Collaboration | Won | ||||
| MTV Africa Music Awards | Best Collaboration | Won | |||
| 21st South African Music Awards | Best Male Artist[17] | Levels | Won | ||
| KORA Awards | Best African Hip Hop | Nominated | |||
| BET Awards | Best International Act (Africa) | Nominated | |||
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best International Act | ||||
| M.O.B.O. Awards | Best International Act (Africa) | ||||
| 4th South African Hip Hop Awards | Best Collaboration | AKA - Baddest (featuring Burna Boy, Khuli Chana and Yanga) | Nominated | ||
| Anatii - The Saga (featuring AKA) | Won | ||||
| Most Valuable Artist |
|
Won | |||
| Most Digital Sales | Won | ||||
| Song of the Year | Anatii - The Saga (featuring AKA) | Won | |||
| AKA - Baddest | Won | ||||
| Video of the Year | AKA - All Eyes on Me | Nominated | |||
| Anatii - The Saga (featuring AKA) | Won | ||||
| Da L.E.S - P.A.I.D (featuring AKA and Burna Boy) | Nominated | ||||
| AKA - Sim Dope | Nominated | ||||
| 2016 | 15th Metro FM Music Awards | Best Collaboration | AKA - Baddest (featuring Burna Boy, Khuli Chana and Yanga) | Won | |
| Best Hit Single | Won | ||||
| Best Remix | AKA - Baddest Remix (featuring Fifi Cooper, Rouge, Moozlie and GiGi Lamayne) | Nominated | |||
| 22nd South African Music Awards | Best Collaboration | AKA - All Eyes on Me (featuring Redsan, Burna Boy and Stonebwoy) | Nominated | ||
| Best Remix | AKA - Baddest (featuring FiFi Cooper, Rouge, Moozlie and GiGi Lamayne) | Nominated | |||
| BET Awards | Best International Act[18] | Nominated |
References
- ^ "MTVbase: AKA biography". MTV Base. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "IOL.co.za: Getting to know AKA". Iol.co.za. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "XXL Mag: Down South: The 10 Hottest Rappers in South Africa". Retrieved 19 September 2014.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|publisherm.xxlmag.com=(help) - ^ "SundayWorld: AKA: A masterminded triumph". Sundayworld.co.za. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Aka". Trace. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Mail & Guardian: AKA done with opening shows for international artists". The M&G Online. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ Akan, Joey. "SA Rapper AKA Signs Deal With Sony Music Africa". Retrieved 2015-09-12.
- ^ "AKA goes gold at long-last - SundayWorld". www.sundayworld.co.za. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
- ^ "iTunes - Music - Altar Ego by AKA". iTunes. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ IDM Reports. "Metro FM to debut 'Congratulate' single off AKA Levels album". IDM Mag. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Online Youth Magazine | Zkhiphani.com – AKA drops 'Levels" on vinyl". www.zkhiphani.co.za. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
- ^ "News : Levels has gone Gold!". MTV South Africa. 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
- ^ a b "AKA's #LEVELS album reaches gold | YoMzansi™ BLOG |". YoMzansi™ BLOG | HIGHEST GRADE SOURCE of SA Entertainment News. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
- ^ "AKA's 'Run Jozi' gets Gold certified | YoMzansi™ BLOG |". YoMzansi™ BLOG | HIGHEST GRADE SOURCE of SA Entertainment News. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
- ^ "AKA accumulates a Gold Plaque for his hit single Baddest". Hip Hop Hub. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ a b c "See Nominees for the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) 2014". Bellanaija. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Home - Samasama". Samusicawards.co.za. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ^ "AKA, Cassper Nyovest, DJ Black Coffee NOMINATED for 2016 BET Awards and more African artists". theedgesearch.com. Retrieved 2016-05-20.