Remembering AKA: Memorable Quotables from Supa Mega’s Twitter
It has been a year since South African hip-hop star Kiernan “AKA” Forbes tragically passed on from a fatal gunshot wound, but the Megacy lives on. With a string of RiSA-certified albums, an endless discography of earworms dating back to when he blew up in 2011, and memorable times in front of the camera, AKA left a mark not only in the industry but SA pop culture as a whole.
In the words of his 2016 hit single “The World Is Yours”, “My legal team can’t stomach my Twitter feed.” Although resting in power, AKA continues to shake up X spaces with past tweets that have led South Africans to coin the phrase: “There’s an AKA tweet for everything.”
What better way to commemorate the life of Supa Mega than by taking a trip down digital memory lane, reviewing some of his most memorable quotables on X?
The Greatest SA Hip Hop Artist
From Altar Ego (2011) to Mass Country (2023), AKA left an indelible mark on SA hip-hop, breathing life into the space and taking English rap in the country to higher levels in an industry that was dominated by code-switching and vernacular lyricism. With multiple SAMA wins and BET Award nominations for Best International Act, AKA refurbished the game with his pop-touched hip-hop sound and an unrivalled ear for sampling SA classics. With his evolution, he was able to craft albums sonically, lyrically, and thematically different from each other, with all of them being commercially successful at that.
The Protective Father of Kairo
A proud father of baby Kairo, AKA, in his lifetime was lauded for not only being involved and active in his child’s life but for also fostering a healthy co-parenting relationship with DJ Zinhle. As patriotic as he was, Kiernan was still cognizant of the everyday struggles South Africans grappled with, particularly the scourge of GBV and child abuse. One would’ve thought that his riches and fame would be enough for him to live in an ivory tower, but AKA acknowledged the common struggle, echoing sentiments of fathers with daughters.
The Youth’s Voice
True to Kiernan’s identity of being a man of the people, he showcased his love and passion for the youth by encouraging political involvement. He believed that the youth could change the narrative surrounding them by heading to the ballot box. And the tweet below couldn’t be any more relevant than in 2024, as the youth face rising unemployment levels ahead of the 2024 general elections slated for the coming months.
The Realist About Celeb Life
No stranger to timeline controversy, AKA took to Twitter in 2020 to post cryptic shade at celebrities, reminding the public that they are as dumb as them. As backhanded as the dig was (and mysterious), his realist take on celebrities has resurfaced, with many people quoting the tweet whenever a celebrity does something questionable or posts an eyebrow-raising take on the net. The post has now emerged as a “gotcha” card and a rebuttal.
The Nigerian Brotherly Rival
Apart from being a patriot, AKA was also famed for having a competitive rivalry with Nigeria. But it wasn’t one without good byproducts, some of his greatest songs like “All Eyes On Me” and “Baddest” featured Grammy-winning Naija star Burna Boy, with whom there was an eventual falling out over xenophobia-centered tension. As respectful as he was of the rivalry, he admitted being bitter towards South Africa (including himself) always losing against Nigeria. With SA having recently lost to Nigeria in the AFCON semis, the post resonated with many.
A Nation Unifier
Having done his part to boost nationalism with his music, he was vocal about sports, being seen wearing the Springboks top, as well as donning the Proteas special pink kit for Pink Day. His love for the national sports teams also showed itself in dismay whenever Bafana lost. He yearned to see the country perform well on all fronts, resulting in him poking fun at Bafana, suggesting that if they were given the same structure as the boks, they’d perform better.
The Patriot
Kiernan was known for doing his performances with a huge South African flag present, and his pride wasn’t limited to his performances. He was vocal about injustices as much as he spotlighted the beauty of being a South African. To him, it wasn’t a curse to be born in the home of Table Mountain, but a mixed blessing that called for one to be appreciative and just as realistic about dark side of the coin without being treasonous to unity.