Content
- Bio Data
- Biography
- Early Years
- Education
- Career
- Personal Affairs
- Social Media
- Discography
- Net Worth
- Death
Bio Data
Full Name: | Kiernan Jarryd Forbes |
Stage Name: | AKA |
Born: | 28 January 1988 (age 35 years old) |
Place of Birth: | Cape Town, South Africa |
Nationality: | South African |
Parents: | Lynn Forbes, Tony Forbes |
Children: | Kairo Owethu Forbes |
Height: | 1.73 m |
Siblings: | N/A |
Girlfriend • Wife • Spouse: | DJ Zinhle (ex.), Nelli Tembe (decease) |
Occupation: | Rapper • Songwriter |
Net Worth: | $20 million – $30 million |
Biography
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (born January 28, 1988) is one of the most prominent figures in the African music business.
Professionally known as AKA, he is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer who is 35 years old.
After the release of his acclaimed track, Victory Lap, he attained recognition. This tune from his debut album, Altar Ego, launched AKA into the national spotlight and garnered him international notoriety.
He has created chart-topping albums such as Levels, Touch My Blood, and Be Careful What You Wish For over the years.
Early Years
On January 28, 1988, AKA was born into the family of Mr. Tony Forbes and Mrs. Lynn Forbes. Kiernan, a millennial, was born in the South African city of Cape Town.
His formative years were spent in his parents’ home before he moved in with his grandma after his parents’ divorce. His grandmother lived in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town, in a home.
As he grew older, he left his grandmother’s residence and moved in with his Johannesburg-based mother.
As a youth, AKA acquired his passion for music by listening to rap tracks by American singers. This inspired him to begin composing rap songs each time he went home from school.
With his close friends Vice Versa and Greyhound, he formed the hip-hop group Entity around this time. The band was together for several years before disbanding in 2006.
Education
AKA received his elementary education at Holy Cross Convent, Cape Town, while staying with his grandmother. However, he did not finish his education there prior to enrolling at Greenside Primary School.
He completed his secondary school studies at St. John College, where he graduated with honors. However, he did not immediately enroll in college after graduating from high school.
Before pursuing Sound Engineering at the university, he focused on music for a period of time.
Career
AKA co-founded a second musical group, The IV Collective, with two other members while attending college.
The ensemble primarily produced music for other artists. Before disbanding, they collaborated with notable figures such as Khuli Chana, ProKid, and JR.
After releasing hits such as Mistakes, In My Walk, and I Do, AKA began to climb the South African music industry ladder.
After producing and releasing his debut album, Alter Ego, in 2011, he finally found gold. I Want It All, All I Know, and Victory Lap were the most popular songs on the album and topped the national music charts.
Now that he was a major celebrity in the eyes of music lovers, he began to receive requests to collaborate with other musicians and play at the most prestigious events around the nation.
The debut album set the door for AKA’s winning streak, as he was nominated for and won multiple music awards. Moreover, RISA certified Alter Ego as gold due to the tens of thousands of copies sold across the nation.
AKA released further singles over the next two years while working on his sophomore album. The Levels album was released on June 30, 2014.
The album included notable singles such as “Kontrol,” “Jealousy, “Congratulate, and “Run Jozi.” In June of 2018, his third album, Touch My Blood, was released to the public.
The album was a commercial success, as evidenced by its certification as platinum by the RISA and double platinum by the RIAA.
AKA released a four-track EP titled Bhovamania on November 6, 2020. Cross My Heart, Python, Monuments, and Energy are the singles comprising the album.
Personal Affairs
Due to his attractive facial features and strong physique, he is a favorite among female music fans around the nation. AKA, age 35, is a single parent residing in Johannesburg.
His daughter, Kairo Owethu Forbes, is the result of a previous long-term relationship with DJ Zinhle.
The relationship ended due to irreconcilable issues. However, they stay friends and collaborate to raise their girls well.
In the first quarter of 2021, AKA popped the question to his girlfriend, Nelli Tembe, who accepted.
The couple had been engaged for four months before Nelli Tembe fell to her death from a hotel balcony in Cape Town.
AKA is currently single, with the loss of his cherished girlfriend very fresh in his mind.
Social Media
As one of the most prominent South African celebrities, AKA has an extensive social media following. He currently has over 3 million Instagram followers and over 5 million Twitter followers.
- Instagram handle: @akaworldwide
- Twitter handle: @akaglobal
Discography
- Levels
- Alter Ego
- Victory Lap
- I Want It All
- Bhovamania
- Touch My Blood
- Be Careful What You Wish For
Net Worth
AKA is one of the wealthiest artists on the continent, with an estimated net worth between $20 million and $30 million.
Death
South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was fatally shot on Florida Road on Friday night February 10 2023, according to police sources in Durban.
According to an IOL report, another person believed to be AKA’s bodyguard was wounded, and an anonymous person believed to be a close friend of AKA was also killed in the drive-by shooting.
According to IOL, AKA was standing outside the Wish Restaurant when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting. Provincial police had not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
It is thought that two unidentified vehicles began to fire soon before 10 p.m.
On Friday evening February 10 2023, when an IOL team arrived on the scene, police had already roped off the area.