AKA is a well-known South African Hip-Hop artist. His real names are Kieman Jarryd Forbes and he was born on the 28th January 1988 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The rapper AKA has been in the music industry since 2002 and he’s currently signed under Vth Season record label, and Sony Music Entertainment Africa. He has worked with the likes of: Ice Prince, Tweezy, Stoneboy, K.O, JR, Tumi, Nasty C, Khuli Chana, Burna Boy, Sarkodie, Dreamteam, Da L.E.S, Diamond Platnumz, Emtee, Yanga, Wizkid, Anati and many more.
Background Information On AKA (Kieman Jarryd Forbes)
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, better known as AKA, is a multiple award nominee and winner, both locally and internationally. His popularity came after he released his single titled ‘Victory Lap’, he later released the remix of it and it became a trending song among South Africans. After the its most successful remix, the multi-talented Hip-Hop rapper released a debut studio album called, Altar Ego, which became popular among Hip-Hop fans in Mzansi. after realizing that this journey was his dream, the rapper went on to become one of the most celebrated Hip-Hop artists in South Africa and Africa as a whole. AKA is also respected for his helping hand to the growth of hip hop and the foundation of a legacy in South Africa and Africa as a whole.
Music Career
In 2009 Kiernan Forbes decided to take on the journey of becoming a solo artist and released hit tracks such as ‘Do it’, ‘In My Walk’ and ‘Mistakes’ with one of them being number 1 on Top 40 Charts on 5FM. The rapper also won the ‘Best Newcomer’, ‘Best Produced Album’ for his debut studio album Altar Ego and ‘Best Hip Hop’ as a solo hip-hop artist at Metro FM Awards. This was when Mr. Forbes was named the ‘Prince of SA Rap’ by one of the well-known newspapers in South Africa. The same year during the South African GQ Awards, he has also won the ‘Best Dressed Man’ together with “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius.
In 2011 at the 7th Annual Channel O Music Video awards, his hit single ‘Victory Lap’ won Channel O’s Most Gifted Video in Hip-Hop category, followed by the Best Street Urban Music Album and Male Artist of the Year Awards at the 18th SAMA Awards.
The rapper opened for popular international acts such as 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West on their tours in Mzansi. The rapper inked a multi-album agreement with Sony Music. This deal was made through its new local urban label South African recordings in late 2014. Zakes Bantwini, Sony’s Executive head of A&R, declared this agreement via their platform. Zakes said they are very pleased to add Mr. Forbes’ music career to their portfolio and they are also thrilled about AKA’s growth probability in internationally.
The Rapper and Sony Music joint venture is the key reactionary to modify the corporation and face of African music, particularly in the significant areas of distribution, quality and content management. In 2015 June, his second album Levels was accredited Gold by RICA . The album which sold over 20 000 copies locally, was accredited platinum by RICA (Recording Industry of South Africa) in May 2016.
In late November 2016, the rapper released an anticipated hit single titled ‘The World Is Yours’ and he performed it live for the first time at the Idols Season 12 Finale in 2016. Later, the hit single debuted on British Station BB1 Xtra and on American Radio station Shade 45, hosted by Sway. Later that week, AKA’s 2014 hit single ‘All Eyes on Me’ and 2015 hit single ‘Baddest’ were accredited Platinum and Gold respectively by RICA.
Rumours About Leaving The Record Label
Vth Season
In October 2016, the rapper implicated his record label Vth Season on Twitter of unreasonably remunerating him in terms of royalties. That year, rumours circulated that the rapper parted ways with the label and urged his former label mates rappers, Big Star Johnson, Yanga Ntshakaza and singer Tresor to each get personal accountants and have the record label’s financial statements checked. The rapper later stated that his problems with Vth Season have been resolved. In an interview with Slikour, he said that the repercussion with his ex-boss had not been good but that they are fixing things between them. He further added that he’s always been one to voice his dissatisfaction, even though it may not have been the right way to confront things, but it was done with and he could still see Vth Season manager Benza, and they can take care of business.
Descriptive Catalogue Of His Musical Recordings
Studio albums list
- Altar Ego – this album was released on the 23th of August 2011 under Vth Season recording label. Formats of the album were both CDs and Digital Downloads.
- Levels – the album was released in 2014, 30th June under Vth Season and SME Africa. The album is available on Digital download, CD as well as Vinyl and it was accredited Platinum by RISA.
Singles as lead artist
- 2009 – ‘I Want It All’ (ft Khuli Chana & Prokid) – Altar Ego Album
- 2010 – ‘Victory Lap’ – Altar Ego
- 2011 – ‘All I Know’ and ‘Bang’ (ft Khuli Chana) – Altar Ego Album
- 2012 – ‘Jealousy’
- 2013 – ‘Kontrol” (ft Da L.E.S)
- 2014 – ‘Congratulate’ – Levels
- 2014 – ‘Run Jozi (Godly)’ (ft K.O) – Levels Album
- 2014 – ‘All Eyes On Me’ (ft JR, Burna Boy and Da L.E.S)
- 2015 – ‘Sim Dope’
- 2015 – ‘Baddest’ (ft Burna Boy, Yanga and Khuli Chana)
- 2015 – ‘Composure’
- 2016 – ‘Dreamwork’ (ft Yanga)
- 2016 – ‘One Time’
- 2016 – ‘The World Is Yours’
- 2017 – ’10 Fingers’ (ft Anatii)
- 2017 – ‘Caiphus Song’
- 2017 – ‘Don’t Forget To Pray (ft Anatii)
- 2017 – ‘Holy Mountain’ (ft Anatii)
As a featured artist
- 2013 – ‘Heaven’ (Da L.E.S ft Maggz and AKA)
- 2013 – ‘Hit ‘Em Up’ (X-Static ft AKA and Priddy Ugly)
- 2014 – ‘N Word (Remix) (Ice Prince ft AKA)
- 2014 – ‘Tsiki Tsiki (Remix)’ (Duncan ft Professor, AKA and Mampintsha)
- 2014 – ‘Tsekede (Remix)’ (Dreamteam ft Tamarsha, Big Nuz and AKA)”
- 2014 – ‘Bump the Cheese Up (Remix)’ (Reason ft Tol A$$ Mo, AKA, and OkMalumKoolKat)
- 2014 – ‘God’s Will’ (DJ Vigilante ft AKA and K.O.)
- 2015 – ‘Awuth’ Yam’ (Remix) (Yanga ft Kid X and AKA)
- 2015 – ‘The Saga’ (Anatii ft AKA)
- 2015 – ‘P.A.I.D’ (Da L.E.S ft Burna Boy and AKA)
- 2015 – ‘Yipikayay’ – (Reason ft Khuli Chana and AKA)
- 2015 – ‘Roll Up (Re-Up)’ (Emtee ft Wizkid and AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Lie 2 Me’ (Ma-E ft AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Real Stuff’ (Da L.E.S ft AKA and Maggz)
- 2016 – ‘Day One’ (Kwesta ft AKA and Tweezy)
- 2016 – ‘Make Me Sing’ (Diamond ft AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Hello’ (LayLizzy ft AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Bounce’ (Stanley Enow ft AKA and Locko)
- 2016 – ‘Bang Out’ (DJ Vigilante ft K.O., Nasty C and AKA)
Non-single guest appearances list, with other acts
- 2012 – ‘Hape Le Hape, Part 1’ (Khuli Chana ft AKA, Zeus, Reason, Towdee Mac and Kay Gizm)
- 2012 – ‘Tswa Daar (Remix)’ (Khuli Chana ft Ice Prince, AKA, Reason, Maggz, Navio and Ice Queen)
- 2013 – ‘Dirty Politician’ (Da L.E.S ft Junior Prez and AKA)
- 2013 – ‘I Wish’ (Professor ft AKA)
- 2015 – ‘Return of the King (Intro)’ (Tumi, performed by AKA)
- 2015 – ‘Talk That Shit’ (Dreamteam ft Ice Prince and AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Miss Joburg’ (Stogie T ft AKA)
- 2016 – ‘Money over B***es’ (Da L.E.S ft Maggz and AKA)
Music videos list by Kieman Jarryd Forbes
- 2009 – ‘I Want It All’ (ft Khuli Chana & Pro Kid)
- 2010 – ‘Victory Lap’
- 2011 – ‘All I Know’
- 2011 – ‘Bang’ (ft Khuli Chana)
- 2012 – ‘Jealousy’
- 2013 – ‘Kontrol’ (ft Da L.E.S)
- 2014 – ‘Congratulate’
- 2014 – ‘Run Jozi (Godly)’ (ft K.O)
- 2014 – ‘All Eyes On Me’ (ft JR Burna Boy, and Da L.E.S)
- 2015 – ‘Sim Dope’
- 2015 – ‘Composure’
- 2015 – ‘Baddest’ (ft Burna Boy, Khuli Chana and Yanga)
- 2016 – ‘Make Me Sing’ (ft Diamond Platnumz)
- 2016 – ‘Dreamwork’ (ft Yanga)
- 2016 – ‘One Time’