Zimbabwean-South African rapper Nadia Nakai joined Kairo Forbes in celebrating what would have been AKA’s 37th birthday on Tuesday, 28 January.
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A heartfelt tribute to AKA
AKA, born Kiernan Forbes, was tragically shot and killed outside Wish Restaurant in Durban on 10 February 2023. On what would have been his 37th birthday, Nadia and Kairo, AKA’s daughter with DJ Zinhle, came together to honour his memory.
Nadia shared touching photos of the intimate celebration, featuring herself, Kairo, AKA’s mother, Lynn Forbes, Kairo’s younger sister Asante Mohosana, and DJ Zinhle’s longtime helper Zama. The images showed Kairo holding a cake with candles shaped as “37,” symbolising her late father’s milestone.
“Kairo is the ONE! 💜 Happy Heavenly Birthday @akaworldwide. Love and miss you forever! 💜 🕊️,” Nadia captioned the post.
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AKA and DJ Zinhle welcomed Kairo in 2015, and in 2021, Zinhle had her second daughter, Asante, with musician Bongani ‘Murdah Bongz’ Mohosana.
Nadia Nakai on grief and healing
On Young, Famous & African season three, Nadia opened up about the emotional toll of losing AKA admitting she struggles to cope with the grief.
In a conversation with Ghanaian singer Fantana, she shared, “It’s difficult, just manoeuvring life. Low-key, I’m not fine, and I know I need therapy. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon… I just have too much to unpack.”
During a confessional interview, she admitted she often tells people she’s okay to avoid worrying them, but her grief hits hardest when she’s alone.
“My person is gone. So, it’s difficult. I tell people I’m fine because I don’t want them to worry. And I do feel okay—to a certain extent—until I’m alone.”
Despite her pain, Nadia revealed that her friends have rallied around her, ensuring she’s never left to navigate her loss alone.
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Featured Image: Instagram | @nadianakai
