AKA

Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (28th January 1988 to 10th February 2023), popularly known as AKA, is a South African hip hop recording artist and record producer.

AKA started his music career as part of a group called Entity with two of his classmates but went solo in 2006 after the group disbanded when they matriculated from school. AKA then went on to study Sound Engineering so that he could improve his skills as an artist.

After studying for a year, he went on to establish production collective called I.V. League with Buks and Kamza. The I.V. League produced for numerous notable South African musicians like the Bala Brothers, Jae, JR, Jub Jub, Khuli Chana, Loyiso Bala, PRO, Proverb, Psyfo, Shugasmakx, Teargas, and Tuks Senganga.

In 2009, AKA later decided to pursue his performing, rapping side more and he released an EP titled 24/7/366. In the same year, he released his first single for his debut album Alter Ego titled “I Want It All” featuring PRO and Khuli Chana. Then in 2010, he released the second single to Alter Ego in “Victory Lap” which launched his solo career into the South African mainstream.

The following year 2011, he released his debut solo album Alter Ego to critical acclaim. The album won him three Metro FM Music Awards for “Best Newcomer”, “Best Hip Hop” and “Best Produced Album” as well as “Best Street Urban Music Album” and “Male Artist of the Year” at the 18th South African Music Awards.

His sophomore album, Levels, was released in 2014. The album went gold in June 2015 and won him a number of accolades which include 4 awards at the 2014 SA Hip Hop Awards for Best Male, Video of the Year for “Congratulate”, and Best Collaboration for “Run Jozi (Godly)”.