The tragic passing of Kiernan Forbes, affectionately known as AKA, has sent shock waves across South Africa, Africa and the world. His death is a stark reminder for everybody of how organized crime, gangsterism and lawlessness have griped this country. The grotesque levels of crime seem to have paralyzed citizens, thus rendering them unable to hold law enforcement authorities accountable.
Nonetheless, I want to share the little I knew and admired about AKA. I had the good fortune and privilege of attending the same school as Kiernan. His dream of becoming a music icon started on the school benches, bus trips, lunch breaks, dormitories, practically anywhere a beat could drop. It was in those spaces where him and a group of friends would beatbox and rap. It was exciting to see their musical talent on display.
This passion for music crystalized into a group called Entity which included Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, Kiernan Forbes and Nhlanhla Makenna who produced an album called the Royal School of Hip Hop. The album was nominated for a KORA All Africa Music Award for Best African Hip-Hop in Lower V. A testament of their talent and potential at an early age.
Its one thing to encounter AKA or Supermega the celebrity. It’s another thing to witness where Kiernan’s dream germinated from, and how it manifested into something of true greatness. My experience in the creative industry has given me a deep appreciation of the kind of commitment, persistence, resilience and passion it takes to achieve greatness in the industry. It is not a journey for the faint hearted.
The natural difficulty with a career in the sports and entertainment industry (unlike a corporate job) is that there’s no place to hide. Your craft, relationships, family life, politics and personality are all scrutinized in real time. In this respect, AKA wore his heart on his sleeve. Like a true artist he took us with on his life journey. The public observed him and his imperfections, but the more we learnt of his trials and tribulations the more we began to appreciate that to err is human.
He stood by his political beliefs and was conscious about putting South Africa and Africa in general on the global stage. The #FeesMustFall movement benefitted from his voice and support, for example. His authentic character found timeless expression in his music. However, when all is said and done, beyond the great music and complexities of his life, he was a loving father and a family man.
I am a fan of his music and it was a staple in my playlist during training and match days. Or when driving around the city. More recently, I saw the potential for his brand, music and performances to contribute to the growth of the business of sports in South Africa. He was among a hand full of artist who could genuinely operate at the intersection of sports and entertainment by producing something similar (or even better) than the halftime show in The National Football League, for example.
The country has been robbed of the opportunity to experience the second wave of music and performances by the multitalented, internationally acclaimed and great patriot of the republic - AKA. To his parents, family, friends and fans I would like to take this opportunity to share a poem below by John Donne and one my favorite song by AKA respectively:
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou'art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy'or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.;
May His Soul Rest in Perfect Peace.
The Music Lives On!