South African rapper AKA, real named Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, is dead.
AKA was one of two men killed in a drive-by shooting in Durban on Friday February 10, 2023.
The 35-year-old rapper was shot not long before he was due to take to a stage to perform.
AKA and the second man were standing outside a restaurant in the South African city when they were killed by gunfire.
Local reports have stated that the pair were shot at 10 pm local time and that two cars drove past with passengers opening fire unleashing a hail of bullets.
AKA had been due to perform at a nightclub called YUGO but the event was subsequently cancelled with a notice on social media saying the gig was being abandoned “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
“On arrival, paramedics met total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Paramedics assisted the men and unfortunately the first male had sustained multiple gun shot wounds and showed no signs of life and was declared deceased at the scene,” Paramedic Garrith Jamieson told Times Live
While further reports have suggested AKA was shot six times.
Fans have taken to social media to express their shock and sorrow.
AKA was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 28 January 1988 and broke into the music scene in 2002 when he formed a hip hop group called Entity alongside fellow performers Vice Versa and Greyhound.
They went on to receive a nomination for a KORA Award in the Best African Hip Hop category before disbanding in 2006.
AKA went on to create music as a solo artiste leading up to the release of his debut album, ‘Alter Ego’, which was released in 2011.
He went on to release three further albums – with the most recent being the 2018 record Touch My Blood.
In his personal life, AKA had an on-off relationship with 39-year-old music producer DJ Zinhle, real name Ntombezinhle Jiyane.
They welcomed a daughter named Kairo Olwethu Forbes in 2015 – and the couple split up that same year before reconciling in 2018 and splitting again in 2019.
Tragically, AKA found love with Nelli Tembe, with the pair becoming engaged in February 2021 – but Nelli fell from a balcony and died in April that same year.
Before his untimely demise, AKA was in a serious relationship with fellow rapper Nadia Nakai, they were so much in love.
