AKA (rapper)

AKA
Background information
Birth name Kiernan Jarryd Forbes
Also known as Supa Mega
Born (1988-01-28) 28 January 1988
Lavender Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)
Years active 2002–present
Labels
Associated acts

Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (born 28 January 1988), known by his stage name AKA, is a South African hip hop & pop artist, record producer and businessman.

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.[2] AKA has opened for Kanye West, Snoop dogg, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar in their South African tours.[3] 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. Then 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’.[4]

In June 2015, AKA's second 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.[5] AKA was announced as a special guest at WWE live events held in Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa. In June 2018, He released his third studio album titled Touch My Blood.[6]

Career

2009: Career beginnings

In 2009 AKA ventured for a solo career with hits like "Problems", "In My Walk" and "Do It" with the latter making it to number 1 on the South African 5FM Top 40.[7] 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.[8] It is then that he was dubbed "Prince of South African Rap" by one of the national newspapers.[9] He also won "Best Dressed man" during the GQ Awards in South Africa alongside Oscar Pistorius.[10] Later did a song with a Kenyan rapper known as Travee.[11]

2011–2012: Altar Ego

AKA's debut studio album Altar Ego, was released on 23 August 2011 and issued on independent record label Vth Season.[12] The album was preceded by three singles. The lead single "I Want It All" which features rappers, Khuli Chana and Pro was released on 28 July 28 2010. The second single "Victory Lap" was released on 3 December 2010 with the third single "All I Know" being released on 11 July 2011. Alter Ego won Best New Comer, Best Hip Hop Album and Best Produced Album at the 2011 Metro FM Music Awards which took place on 26 November 2011 at Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela (Nelspruit), Mpumalanga.[13][14] The album also won Best Street Urban Music Album and Male Artist of the Year at the 18th edition of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) which were held at Sun City, North West on 30 April 2012.[15][16] Alter Ego is cerified gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).[17]

2012–2014: Levels

AKA's second debut studio album Levels, was released on 30 June 30 2014.[18] The album's release was preceded by four singles "Jealousy", "Kontrol", "Congratulate" and "Run Jozi (Godly)" which features rapper, K.O. Originally slated for physical release on 8 July 2014, the hard copies of the album were later released on 28 July 2014 due to manufacturing issues. Levels won Best Male, Video of the Year for "Congratulate", and Best Collaboration for "Run Jozi (Godly)" at the 2014 South African Hip Hop Awards[19][20] and won Male Artist of the Year at the 21st South African Music Awards which took place on 19 April 2015 at Sun City, North West.[21][22] Levels is cerified platinum by RiSA.[23][24]

2016–present: Touch My Blood

On 2 December 2016, AKA released the first single from Touch My Blood, "The World Is Yours".[25][26] The music video for the song was later released on 2 Feb, 2017 and was shot in Thailand while he was on vacation with then girlfriend, Bonang Matheba.[27][28] The song topped the charts and has been certified triple Platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa.[29][30][31]

On 15 June 2018, AKA release his third and final studio album Touch My Blood which was issued on his independent record label Beam Group.[32] The album was originally set to release on 25 May 2018 but delayed because he needed more time to shoot videos, release singles, drop merchandise and confirm tour dates.[33][34][35][36] Touch My Blood was preceded by five singles, "The World Is Yours" and "Caiphus Song" which are certified triple platinum and gold respectively by RiSA[37][38][39]. "Star Signs" which features South African rapper and poet Stogie T, "Sweet Fire" and "Beyonce" also preceded the album. Touch My Blood is certified Gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).[40][41]

Discography

Studio albums

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 Himself Nominated
2014 African Muzik Magazine Awards Best Male, Southern Africa[42] Nominated
Best Rap Act[42] 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[43] Levels Won
KORA Awards Best African Hip Hop Nominated
BET Awards Best International Act (Africa) Nominated
MTV Europe Music Awards Best African Act Nominated
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
  • Levels (Gold album)
  • Congratulate (Gold single)
  • All Eyes On Me (Gold single)
  • Run Jozi (Godly) (Gold single)
 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[44] Nominated

References

  1. ↑ KEKANA, CHRIZELDA. "AKA's Beam Group is shutting down!". TimesLIVE. TSHISALIVE. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Aka". Trace. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Mail & Guardian: AKA done with opening shows for international artists". The M&G Online. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Akan, Joey. "SA Rapper AKA Signs Deal With Sony Music Africa". Retrieved 2015-09-12.
  5. ↑ "AKA goes gold at long-last - SundayWorld". www.sundayworld.co.za. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  6. ↑ "AKA Touch My Blood Full Zip Album Datafilehost Download Free". hiphopza.com. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  7. ↑ "MTVbase: AKA biography". MTV Base. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "IOL.co.za: Getting to know AKA". Iol.co.za. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "XXL Mag: Down South: The 10 Hottest Rappers in South Africa". Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  10. ↑ "SundayWorld: AKA: A masterminded triumph". Sundayworld.co.za. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  11. ↑ soundcloud.com/pro-travee
  12. ↑ "Altar Ego by AKA on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "WINNERS: 2011 Metro FM Music Awards". YoMzansi. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "2011 Metro FM Music Awards - all the winners". TVSA. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "The 2012 SAMA awards winners". Zkhipani. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  16. ↑ "WINNERS: The 18th Annual MTN SAMAs". YoMzansi. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "AKA's #LEVELS album reaches gold | YoMzansi™ BLOG". YoMzansi™ BLOG | HIGHEST GRADE SOURCE of SA Entertainment News. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  18. ↑ "Levels by AKA on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "History - check below all the previous winners throughout the years". South African Hip Hop Awards. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  20. ↑ "FULL LIST: SA Hip Hop Awards Winners!". Zkhipani. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "These are all the 2015 Sama winners". Channel24. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "All The SAMA Award Winners". Marie Claire. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  23. ↑ Biyela, Khosi. "AKA hits platinum". News24. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "AKA's LEVELS Goes Platinum and Snoop Dogg Approves". 947. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Listen To AKA's New 'The World Is Yours' Song". Hype Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  26. ↑ Mphuthi, Pearl. "AKA's The World Is Yours". People magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  27. ↑ "AKA - The World Is Yours Music Video". EastCoastRadio. East Coast Urban. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  28. ↑ "Fans React To AKA's 'The World Is Yours' Music Video". Youth Village. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  29. ↑ "AKA's 'The World Is Yours' Is Certified 3 Times Platinum". SA Hip Hop Mag. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  30. ↑ Makhudu, Tshegofatso. "AKA goes triple platinum amidst tax evasion allegations". channel24. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  31. ↑ "AKA goes triple platinum". SA Breaking News. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  32. ↑ "Touch My Blood by AKA on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes Store. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  33. ↑ "AKA postpones Touch My Blood album release to 15 June 2018". Political Analysis South Africa. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  34. ↑ "AKA postpones the release date of his Album "Touch My Blood" to the 15th of June". Nordarciopro. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  35. ↑ "AKA POSTPONED 'TOUCH MY BLOOD' RELEASE DATE". TooMuchEnt. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  36. ↑ "AKA Disappoints Fans Again". Fakaza News. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  37. ↑ "AKA's 'The World Is Yours' Is Certified 3 Times Platinum". SA Hip Hop Mag. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  38. ↑ Makhudu, Tshegofatso. "AKA goes triple platinum amidst tax evasion allegations". channel24. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  39. ↑ "AKA goes triple platinum". SA Breaking News. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  40. ↑ Dlala, Zee. "AKA's Touch My blood goes gold". ZAlebs. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  41. ↑ "AKA's 'Touch My Blood' goes GOLD a week after release". YoMzansi. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  42. 1 2 "See Nominees for the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) 2014". Bellanaija. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  43. ↑ "Home - Samasama". Samusicawards.co.za. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  44. ↑ "AKA, Cassper Nyovest, DJ Black Coffee NOMINATED for 2016 BET Awards and more African artists". theedgesearch.com. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
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