Publications
AKA's latest album, Mass Country, was released posthumously on Friday, 24 February – and fans can't get enough of his track Dangerous, which features his girlfriend, Nadia Nakai, and Durban rapper Blxckie.
At a listening party held for the album on the eve of its release, Nadia shared what it was like to work with the rapper, who was gunned down just two weeks before his fourth album was released.
“It was part of our love language," Nadia (32) says. "It was something that we used to do, just the two of us in the living room. It was part of our date nights and showing love to each other. It was something that we always did because we’re both musicians and rappers.”
READ MORE | Loved ones share memories of slain AKA: We would chat for hours over a jar of peanut butter
She also said that Dangerous wasn't the only track she and AKA collaborated on.
“We worked on multiple songs. This is probably the second-last song that we worked on. We worked on a song the week before he passed away as well.”
Nadia says she admired AKA (35) for many years before she got her start in the music industry.
“It’s crazy that the moment we were able to get together and make music was from a lover’s perspective, and not just two artists that are collaborating together,” she says.
“I think that’s why it’s so special to me.”
When they weren't in the recording studio working on new music, they enjoyed hanging out together at home, pretending to be Beyoncé and Jay-Z, mimicking their Dangerously in Love performances.
“We’d be watching them in the lounge and we’d be drunk as f***. We’d be fanning ourselves and it was exciting,” she recalls.
“We knew that we needed a song together because when he was going to do his show, we wanted to have our own moment like that on stage, because that’s what we looked up to.”The release of Dangerously is bittersweet for her.
“He’s no longer with us but I still love everything about how it came about and how we made music together. I hope you guys enjoy it," she says.
The couple began secretly dating in 2021. In 2022 they took their relationship public when they attended red carpet events together, got matching tattoos, and posted loved-up selfies on their social media accounts.
Though they moved in the same circles for many years, Nadia and AKA barely interacted because she was signed with rival rapper Cassper Nyovest’s record label.
It was only when she announced that she'd be leaving Cassper's label to start her own record company a few years ago that they started hanging out.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but it feels like something that God did. God placed us together when we really needed each other at that time,” Nadia told the breakfast show on Kaya 959.
READ MORE | The beefs, the lovers, the drama: the highs and lows of AKA's colourful life
For AKA, the feeling was mutual.
“I'm in a fantastic place. Love is in the air. Nadia and I have been together for about a year and just enjoying each other. Music always unites us. Both of us being artists complement our relationship," he told DRUM at the time.
In the days following his death, Nadia shared a series of candid pictures and videos of AKA cuddling her, dancing with his mother, and jamming to music in his lounge.
She's still battling to come to terms with his death and is relying on her faith to get her though it.
“Oh God, come to my assistance. Oh Lord, hurry to help me. Please take the consuming anguish I feel right now, take it from me and hold me in Your arms. Heal my broken heart and bind my wounds. Amen. Psalm 147:3,” she recently posted.
In the face of her immense grief, she continues to promote Mass Country in AKA's honour.
“I can’t believe this is happening without you," she captioned a picture of herself looking at the album's cover art.
"I’m so proud of you baby. You did it.”
SOURCES: NEWS24.COM, NEWS24.COM
