Watch as rap star AKA chats with friends in South Africa just seconds before gunman shoots him dead
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Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment one of South Africa’s most popular rappers was shot dead outside a restaurant in the south-eastern city of Durban.
Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, was gunned down alongside his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane on Friday, shortly before they were to perform on stage.
The clip shows Forbes socializing with a group of friends, one of whom he hugs, shortly before another man runs past him and appears to shoot point blank.
Police said the men were walking to their car from a restaurant when armed suspects allegedly approached them and shot them at point-blank range.
The 35-year-old rapper has won multiple South African awards, been nominated multiple times for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the United States, and was nominated once for an MTV Europe Music Award.
Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, was shot along with his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane on Friday. Pictured: Kiernan Forbes performs at the South African Music Awards in Durban on June 4, 2016
“It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son,” his parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, said in a statement posted on AKA’s Instagram account. ‘Our son was loved, and he gave love in return.’
“They were allegedly approached by two armed suspects who walked up to them from across the street and shot them at point-blank range,” police said in a statement.
The father-of-one was booked to perform at a club on Friday night, according to Durban City Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
The motive for the shooting is unknown, and police are investigating.
Speaking to the South African publication live timesParamedic Garrith Jamieson said: ‘On arrival, paramedics were met with total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
“Paramedics assisted the men and unfortunately the first man suffered multiple gunshot wounds and showed no signs of life and was pronounced dead at the scene.”
AKA’s fans, who had 3.3 million followers on Instagram, took to social media to mourn the rapper.
One wrote: ‘One minute you’re here, the next you’re gone. Make the most of your time folks, just like AKA did. RIP to the GOAT.
Another wrote: ‘Brother, thanks for the music and memories.’
A third said: ‘RIP AKA. The music industry in this world will not forget you. You did very well, sir.
Heartbreaking footage showed the moment a killer approached AKA and fired at point-blank range before fleeing the scene.
Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, was shot dead outside a restaurant in the southeastern city of Durban, his family said on Saturday.
“It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son,” his parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, said in a statement posted on AKA’s Instagram account.
The 35-year-old rapper has won multiple South African awards, been nominated multiple times for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the United States, and was nominated once for an MTV Europe Music Award.
Forbes was born in Cape Town in 1988 and began making music while still a teenager.
Along with two friends, Vice Versa and Greyhound, the rapper formed the group Entity. they then received a nomination for a KORA Award in the Best African Hip Hop category.
The group disbanded in 2006 and Forbes turned to music production, working with artists such as Khuli Chana, ProKid and JR.
He first gained recognition for his solo music in 2010 with the single ‘Victory Lap’ from his album ‘Altar Ego’. AKA garnered several awards following the success of her debut album, including the 2011 Metro FM Awards for Best Hip Hop Album and Best Male Artist of the Year at the 2012 South African Music Awards.
AKA released three more albums, with another ‘Mass Country’ album in the works.
Beauty Dlulane, who heads a parliamentary arts and culture committee, condemned AKA’s murder, describing it as a “coup”.
He called on the authorities to “protect South Africans from this new scourge of what appear to be contract killings and revenge killings in which artists and DJs appear to be the targets.”
Last November, a star of the Amapiano house music subgenre, Oupa Sefoka, known as ‘DJ Sumbody’, was killed along with his bodyguard in a drive-by shooting in Johannesburg.
Lucky Dube was killed in 2007 after dropping off his son at a relative’s home when gunmen shot him three times at point-blank range.
Gun violence in South Africa claimed the life of one of Africa’s most beloved international artists.
In 2007, reggae singer Lucky Dube was dropping off his teenage son at a relative’s home when gunmen shot him three times at point-blank range during a botched kidnapping.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Many people have licensed firearms for personal protection, and there are many more illegal weapons in circulation.
In the past year, the country has seen several mass shootings in taverns.
In the most recent incident, eight people were shot to death at a birthday party last month.