DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (CelebrityAccess) – Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, an influential South African rapper, was shot and killed outside of a restaurant in Durban on Friday (February 10). Also fatally shot during the incident was his friend, chef, and entrepreneur Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane. AKA was 35. The news of his death was confirmed via his official Twitter account in a post by his parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes.
“It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son, and confirm his untimely and tragic passing on the evening of February 10, 2023. We are awaiting further details from Durban police.”
The pair were heading to a performance at a local nightclub as part of AKA’s belated 35th birthday celebration when they were gunned down. The motive of the killing is currently under investigation.
Police representative Colonel Robert Netshiunda reported to the BBC that the two men were walking towards a vehicle when they were approached by two armed men who shot them at point-blank range. The assailants fled on foot.
Forbes began his hip-hop career as part of the rap group Entity before launching into a solo career, winning several awards in South Africa for his music. He also has had several nominations for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) award in the US and an MTV Europe Music Award.
Before his untimely death, the 35-year-old posted on social media that his next album, Mass Country was set for release later this month.
Beauty Dlulane, who chairs a parliamentary committee on arts and culture, condemned AKA’s murder, describing it as a “hit”. She called on authorities “to protect South Africans from this new scourge of what seems to be contract and revenge killings where performing artists and DJs seem to be targeted”.
