South African Rapper AKA Fatally Shot

BYGabriel Bras Nevares3.8K Views
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Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images/Getty Images
After being shot outside a restaurant, AKA passed away just a couple of weeks before he was set to drop a new album.

South African rapper AKA passed away on Friday (February 10) after a shooting in his home country. According to various reports circling around the media, AKA and another unidentified person sustained multiple gunshot wounds outside of a nightclub in Durban. Moreover, police haven't identified a motive for the shooting, although they gave a bit more details. “I can confirm that two men were killed and one of them is a well-known rapper,” said police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said, per New24. “Police will not [release] any names of the victims yet until a full investigation is completed.”

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA OCTOBER 02: (SOUTH AFRICA OUT) South African rapper AKA during the exclusive launch of AKA Beam World App powered by Vodacom at the Pivot, Montecasino on Johannesburg, South Africa. AKA officially launched his much anticipated personal app in partnership with the mobile communications at an event attended by family, friends and business partners. (Photo by Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes, passed shortly after culprits gunned him down near a popular nighttime spot. ALS paramedic Garrith Jamieson spoke to TimesLIVE about what occurred when medical assistance got to the scene. “On arrival, paramedics met total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” he stated. “Paramedics assisted the men and unfortunately the first male sustained multiple gunshot wounds and showed no signs of life and declared deceased at the scene.”

Furthermore, paramedics found the second victim in critical condition and were unable to save them. This news is all the more tragic when you consider Forbes had much to look forward to in life. For example, AKA planned to release a new album titled Mass Country on February 24th. Also, his work included collaborations with the likes of Burna Boy and Nasty C during his career. The late rapper lives on through his music and his daughter, Kairo. While he never became the biggest star, he was well on his way to breaking into the U.S. markets. Moreover, Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur recently voice his sadness for the loss and reflected on an interview they did for AllHipHop.

"I cannot believe they took AKA from us," Jigsaw wrote on Twitter. "He was such good energy. He was one of the few rappers I let my daughter meet when she was young. When he came to the states, I made sure I interviewed him for @AllHipHopcom. He was incredibly dope. #RIPAKA."
Rest In Peace AKA.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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