Lynn Forbes on How AKA Would’ve Wanted to be Remembered on His 38th Birthday

Today, January 28, 2026, marks what would have been the 38th birthday of South African hip‑hop artist Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, better known by his stage name AKA. Born on January 28, 1988, Forbes was a defining figure in South Africa’s music scene until his untimely death on February 10, 2023.

Three years after his passing, AKA’s legacy continues to resonate with fans, family, and colleagues across the music industry. In an exclusive interview, Lynn Forbes, AKA’s mother, spoke about how she believes her son would’ve wanted to be remembered on this milestone birthday and anniversary of his life.

Lynn reflected on her son’s life with clear and heartfelt detail. “I think Kiernan would want to be remembered as someone who lived fully and honestly … not just as an artist, but as a human being,” she said. “He was passionate, driven, and complex. He loved deeply, felt things intensely, and was capable of expressing both pride and vulnerability.”

Lynn’s comments focus on the personal dimensions of AKA’s life rather than his public persona alone. She emphasized that her son’s impact was not confined to his chart‑topping music but extended into how he lived and interacted with those closest to him.

During the interview, Lynn highlighted aspects of his character she believes he would want people to carry forward in memory. “He wouldn’t want to be remembered as perfect,” she explained. “He would want to be remembered as real. As someone who worked hard, who kept growing, who made mistakes, learned from them, and kept going.”

Central to her reflections was AKA’s deep love and commitment to the people and places that shaped his life. Lynn said, “Above all, I think he would want people to remember the love he had … for his loved ones, for his daughter, for the Megacy, and for the country that shaped him.”

AKA’s daughter, Kairo, his loved ones and his legion of fans known collectively as the Megacy remain integral parts of how his memory is preserved and celebrated. In the years since his death, tributes from supporters and collaborators underscore how his music and presence continued to influence South African hip‑hop culture.

Lynn summed up her son’s self‑perception with a phrase familiar to those who followed his career: “He would want to be remembered as the Supa Mega!”

Though his life was cut tragically short at age 35, AKA’s body of work and the memories shared by those who knew him continue to affirm that his legacy lives on.