Listen to AKA's Posthumous Album 'Mass Country'
The late South African rapper spent his last days ecstatic to share the album with the world, and now we know why.
It's been two weeks since South African hip-hop star Kiernan Forbes, aka AKA was gunned down in the streets of Durban, alongside close friend and celebrity chef Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane. As the Forbes family lays their son to rest this week, fans of the highly favored rapper have been bestowed with AKA's sixth and final album, 'Mass Country'. And what a treat it is.
Introductory track "Last Time" is a heart-wrenching reminder that this is, in fact, the last new release we will get from the rapper. His first album release in five years, AKA's classically sticky flow is that much more lively as his excitement is tangible. Track "Mbuzi" offers a sexy taste of the iconic Mgarimbe track 'Sister Bethina' and a hard feature from fellow South African rapper Thato Saul. Singles "Lemons (Lemonade)" and "Prada" -- featuring Zulu rapper Nasty C and Setswana rapper Khuli Chana, respectively -- were keen reminders of how well the late rapper created synergy with those in the industry, making him one of the best ever to grace South African music charts. Sigh.
The collaborative track "Sponono" features lovingly swooning verses from SA-based rappers 031 Choppa and Baby S.O.N. and offers a summertime fresh experience, while Kiddominant's influence on "Company" lays out an icy hot beat accompanied by a declaration that not one, two, three, or six girls are enough for the men in question. "Ease," and "Amapiano" illustrated the possible experimentation AKA was hoping to allow himself to explore as the diversity across the full project would suggest.
His posthumous release has had his fanbase "The Megacy" up in a tizz since its release, with #KiernanForbes trending for hours, and amassing over 6 million streams within the first day of the album's release.