The murdered rapper once 'destined for greatness'

On the opening way of his 2011 breakthrough solo medium Altar Ego, AKA said helium "never planned… ne'er wanted to beryllium a celebrity".

But the South African, who was gunned down successful Durban a week ago, did not clasp backmost astir his talents.

A fewer days earlier his death, which constabulary judge was a targeted killing, the award-winning 35-year-old rapper anointed himself arsenic the champion shaper successful his genre.

Sparking a immense debate, the creator who besides went by the nickname Supa Mega, tweeted: "Statistically speaking, since I've produced 90% of each my music, surely I'm the top SA hip-hop shaper of each time."

But already successful 2014, connected Congratulate, 1 of the hits that solidified his megastar status, helium said helium would beryllium "shining similar a diamond that's forever, present congratulate me".

Thousands of fans - known collectively arsenic "The Megacy" - are expected to either travel online oregon crook up astatine his nationalist memorial connected Friday successful Johannesburg, making definite that helium volition proceed to shine.

He whitethorn person said that helium did not privation it but helium undoubtedly achieved that personage status. The person of 1 of South Africa's provinces, Gauteng, adjacent elevated his presumption to nationalist leader suggesting a authorities ceremonial - a petition that was denied by the president.

However, his beingness and vocation were not without controversy.

AKA, calved Kiernan Forbes successful Cape Town successful 1988, was 1 of the country's astir celebrated hip-hop artists aft releasing 3 solo albums, arsenic good arsenic collaborations with different performers.

When helium was precise young helium lived with his grandparents successful Mitchells Plain, 1 of Cape Town's astir unsafe townships, known for gangsterism and cause abuse.

But helium past moved to Johannesburg with his mother, wherever helium attended St John's College, an Anglican instauration that describes itself arsenic being "among South Africa's pre-eminent schools".

It was determination that his philharmonic vocation began, forming a hip-hop set called Entity with 2 high-school friends, Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh and Nhlanhla Makena. They went connected to beryllium nominated for a KORA All Africa Music Award.

"He was destined for greatness from then," Mpofu-Walsh, present a writer and academic, said successful a tribute connected Twitter.

After the radical disbanded, AKA went connected to survey dependable engineering and past produced hits for artists including ProKid and Kuli Chana.

He aboriginal worked with the likes of Nigerian Afrobeats prima Burna Boy, arsenic good arsenic Da L.E.S, Nasty C and Kwesta.

The ample fig of musicians, producers, politicians and celebrities who person paid tribute has been testament to his impact.

But successful the past 5 years, scrutiny implicit his idiosyncratic beingness grew, with quality astir his romances and nationalist break-ups making tabloid headlines.

He dated well-known celebrities including DJ Zinhle, with whom helium had a daughter, present 7 years old.

He besides did not shy distant from nationalist spats with different manufacture colleagues, including chap South African rapper Cassper Nyovest and memorably Burna Boy.

During South Africa's xenophobic clashes successful 2019, AKA started a feud with the Nigerian aft the West African creator urged achromatic migrants successful South Africa to support themselves against attacks.

In 2021, the scandals surrounding the rapper took a acheronian crook erstwhile his 22-year-old fiancée Anele Tembe died successful arguable circumstances, erstwhile she fell from the 10th level of a Cape Town hotel.

It was believed that she had taken her ain life. But astatine her funeral, her father, well-known businessman Moses Tembe, denied this and said his girl was not suicidal.

In her honour, AKA released azygous Tears Run Dry arsenic a reminder of their relationship.

"When I aftermath up, I cannot consciousness sunshine 'cause you're not by my side," helium sang.

But a antithetic broadside of the instrumentalist surfaced aft the model's death, erstwhile videos were leaked connected societal media, showing quarrels betwixt the couple, with him breaking down doors during 1 altercation.

In a conflict to reconstruct his battered estimation a fewer weeks aft his fiancée's death, AKA denied ever being abusive oregon violent. In a determination seen arsenic a vindication for him, South African prosecutors decided not to prosecute a lawsuit against him.

Some of those adjacent to AKA said that Tembe's decease changed him, including South African signaling creator and award-winning DJ Oscar Mdlongwa, popularly known arsenic Oskido.

"When helium near this world, helium was a changed Kiernan, you could spot that helium wasn't the Kiernan we knew 10 years ago," helium said aft visiting the household to wage his respects earlier this week.

AKA himself said helium was a changed man.

"Sometimes I crave dishing retired humble pastry similar I utilized to… rubbing people's faces successful it… Being a amended idiosyncratic is challenging," helium said.

The authorities judge that his sidesplitting extracurricular a fashionable edifice successful Durban connected Friday evening was carried retired by a paid hitman.

On CCTV footage, a antheral wearing a achromatic sweater and chapeau tin beryllium seen crossing the roadworthy and walking towards AKA and past firing 2 shots to the rapper's head, sidesplitting him instantly. AKA was killed on with his long-time person Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane.

"From what we cognize and person seen, it was a hit, AKA was assassinated successful wide daylight," said Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula who visited the household connected Sunday.

"We request to get to the bottommost of wherefore this happened, due to the fact that AKA was not a cause lord, helium was a musician, wherefore does helium merit to beryllium killed similar that?" helium asked.

In that opening way of his solo debut album, AKA asked: "What would hap to conscionable a mean dude who had bonzer talent?"

Twelve years aboriginal that question had a tragic answer.