LISTEN | ‘He was happy in his last days’ — AKA’s business partner Raphael Benza remembers the late rapper

Raphael Benza, business partner of AKA, has opened up about the heartbreak and anger the rapper's assassination  has left him with.

Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was gunned down outside a popular restaurant in Durban on February 10. Also shot dead was his lifelong friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, a chef and author.

Having been hands on in AKA's career as the Vth Season record label executive, Raphael says he's saddened he was not able to remedy the tragic circumstance. 

“He always looked up to me to fix things and correct things and this one I just cannot do so I feel really helpless and very sad and angry for him leaving us this way,” he told TshisaLIVE.

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He last saw AKA on February 7 and had a last conversation with him over the phone on February 9 when they were planning a project in Nigeria for him.

While his death has been traumatic for AKA's family, close friends, team and fans Raphael said he's grateful to have seen the Fela In Versace hit maker happy in his last days.

“The family are shocked, numb, deeply hurt and deeply saddened. But on the other hand, Kieran has been the happiest in the last six months so it was great to see him at peace. He was happy in his last days rather than about a year and a half ago when he was completely depressed.”

Raphael said the prime focus for him and his team is to console the family and ensure “financial stability for AKA's daughter” and guide her through her grief. 

“We are glad AKA saw happy and brighter days, and his daughter saw him happy. That's the memory she will have of him.” 

Since meeting AKA in his early 20s and watching him grow into a public figure and  responsible father, Raphael said he's proud to have had the honour to witness his transition in the entertainment industry.

“I can see how in later years when he looked back on being a young man and the way t I advised him and shared my experiences with him, and how he used that to model his life. He tried to make the right decisions.

“As a young adult he went through the same trials and tribulations all young adults go through. We are very proud of him for being a good father. Proud of him for providing for himself and his mom, dad, sister and brother. He was someone who has a lot of love for the arts, someone who is a great father, someone who is a great friend, someone who pays attention to detail.”

Raphael said he is unbothered by unfounded allegations pinning AKA's close friends as suspects in his murder because “there was harmony, respect, and love in the group”. 

“AKA has an extensive team [which includes] a road manager, DJ, photographer, sometimes security, sometimes band members, so they form part of the team and family. We know we are a close-knit team.

“We've been very successful and he's been very happy so if they want to use that to take away our wins and our successes they can try, but there's nothing they can do with the fact that AKA is an icon. He's a heroic figure and SupaMega for South African music. They cannot take that away, and they cannot take away the fact that the team helped him achieve that.”