Amapiano Artists React To AKA’s Album ‘Mass Country’. Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, known professionally as AKA, was a South African rapper. Born and raised in Cape Town, Forbes gained recognition after releasing his single “Victory Lap” from his debut studio album, Altar Ego.
Released just two weeks after his death, AKA’s fifth solo studio album, MASS COUNTRY, is equal parts a love letter to the country and the sounds he grew up with. While the star is no longer around to witness the reaction from South Africans, they have taken to social media to appreciate the work he has done. Amapiano artists took to social media to react to his album and still continue giving him his flowers. Even his frenemie Cassper has shown love to the Megacy. Check it out:
AKA moved to Johannesburg with his mother, where he attended St John’s College, an Anglican institution that describes itself as being “among South Africa’s pre-eminent schools”. It was there that his musical career began, forming a hip-hop band called Entity with two high-school friends, Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh and Nhlanhla Makena. They went on to be nominated for a KORA All Africa Music Award.
“He was destined for greatness from then,” Mpofu-Walsh, now a writer and academic, said in a tribute on Twitter.
After the group disbanded, AKA went on to study sound engineering and then produced hits for artists including ProKid and Kuli Chana. He later worked with the likes of Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy, as well as Da L.E.S, Nasty C and Kwesta. The large number of musicians, producers, politicians and celebrities who have paid tribute has been testament to his impact.