Smiling from heaven: Nadia Nakai’s tribute single to late bae AKA, set to be released
Zimbabwean-South African rapper Nadia Nakai has taken to Instagram to unveil her latest musical endeavour, a heartfelt single dedicated to the memory of her late lover AKA, also known as Kiernan Jarryd Forbes.
Scheduled for release on Friday, January 26, the poignant track arrives just two days before what would have marked AKA’s first birthday since his tragic demise.
The acclaimed artiste, AKA, met an untimely end when he was shot outside Wish Restaurant on Florida Road in Durban on February 10, 2023.
Nadia Nakai, who was romantically involved with the late rapper, shared the last conversation she had with him in March of the same year, revealing a glimpse into their final moments. Regrettably, her messages were never delivered as AKA’s life was cut short before he could read them.
Also read: Be safe please! Nadia Nakai’s last words with AKA before he was shot
Despite the profound grief she openly expressed for her late boyfriend, Nadia Nakai has found solace and creative inspiration in the studio. On December 6, 2023, she took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share her excitement about an upcoming album, describing it as a departure from her previous work and a spiritual experience.
Recently, the artiste behind the hit “Imma Boss” announced her plans to drop a fresh single on January 26, strategically aligning with AKA’s approaching birthday.
As a teaser, she posted a brief snippet of the emotionally charged song on social media, captioning it with a poignant message: “I Miss You. Happy Heavenly Birthday (28 January 2024)🐺💜🇿🇦.”
In an emotional interview on the L-Tido podcast in July 2023, the South African rapper painfully opened up about the painful memories of the day AKA was fatally shot.
While Nadia was performing at an event, she received a call from AKA just ten minutes before the unimaginable happened. Recounting their conversation, she shared, “He called me in the greatest of spirits, and he told me that the boys and he were going to the hotel to change and would head to the club.”
Also read: He couldn’t get to a church! Nadia Nakai relives final moments of AKA
Little did she know that this would be their final interaction. In a gut-wrenching turn of events, a friend broke the devastating news to Nadia about the shooting of her now-late boyfriend.
The reality didn’t immediately sink in for her. She recalled, “It didn’t register that it was fatal. What do you mean shot? I literally ran out of that venue. We got in the car and raced to Durban.”
Before the tragedy, AKA had expressed his desire to attend church. Nadia shared their failed attempt to reach the church, saying, “We tried to access all roads leading there, but they were closed. We stopped at a casino, where we prayed and read scripture. He had been a believer in God for a long time, but I feel that as the end neared, he was drawing even closer to God. I have no doubt about where he is now.”
About a week after his passing, AKA was laid to rest during a private burial ceremony at Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg, leaving behind a void that continues to impact those who loved him dearly.