In the seaside city of Durban, the well-known rapper AKA was killed by gunfire outside a restaurant. The rapper and his best friend were shot and died on their way to a club where they were to perform for Forbes’ birthday bash. The murder’s supposed motivation is now under investigation.
A police spokesperson told the BBC that the rapper and his buddy were shot at close range as they walked to their car. The gunman then ran away from the location.
The authorities are reluctant to speculate at this time about whether or not the killings were targeted as hits, but they do not rule out the possibility.
The rapper received acclaim on a global scale, being nominated for multiple awards at the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in the United States.
Hours before his death, the artiste had posted on social media about his upcoming album, “Mass Country”, which is set for release later this month.
In a statement on social media, Forbes’ parents paid tribute to him, writing: “To us, Kiernan Jarryd Forbes was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend, most importantly father to his beloved daughter Kairo. To many, he was AKA Supa Mega, Bhova and the many other names of affection his legion of fans called him by. Our son was loved and gave love in return.”