Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Entering AKA’s listening session at the cavernous African-styled Moyo in Melrose Arch, you could have sworn Queen B was hired to decorate the red-themed venue, which sported enough balloons for baby Kairo to play with all night. But spice was left on Twitter and the family was up for celebration.
Baby daughter Kairo was the apple of her famous parents’ eyes at the exclusive listening of Touch My Blood, AKA’s first album under his own record label, Beam Group. Between every track, she would run to dad and then back to mum, House producer and now author DJ Zinhle.
Former ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa, rapper Slikour, TV star Moozli, musos Sjava and Tresor, and AKA’s first manager, Tebello Tibz Motsoane, were some of the guests who were treated to cocktails and finger snacks ahead of the screening of a seven-minute documentary on the journey to making the album, a time of emotion and great friendships, according to the country’s best-selling rapper.
Chatting with City Press, AKA said: “There was no particular reason to drop at this time outside the significance of Youth Day, but this was the soonest we could get everything ready. If you see the momentum, the billboards and roll out of this album, it is a case study for other artists and labels doing it independently.”
We couldn’t resist asking about the song Beyoncé, which many on social media said was directed at his former lover, Bonang Matheba.
After denying this, he said: “I just want to put a smile on people’s faces and make people dance.”
It wouldn’t be a family affair without AKA’s mum, who chatted with City Press.
“I cannot claim to be a hip-hop listener,” she said, “but I obviously listen to his songs because there are stories he tells and I need to know what the stories are. They are very personal and it’s him and it’s real and authentic.”
We asked about her granddaughter: “I think Kairo has changed him and grown him so much. I don’t think he loves anybody more than he loves her. It was expected yet awesome that she featured on the album.”
We hear her voice on the track Daddy Issues II, and when the track played, dad handed Kairo the mic. It was a real family affair.
See #Trending for an exclusive interview with AKA and a review of Touch My Blood.
