SNAPS | ‘I am heartbroken. I feel for the family’ — Rasta pays tribute to AKA

20 February 2023 - 12:30
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Artist Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje honours slain rapper AKA. Image: Instagram/ Rasta
Artist Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje honours slain rapper AKA. Image: Instagram/ Rasta
Image: Supplied.

Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje has paid tribute to rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes.

This after the Fela In Versace hit maker was laid to rest on Saturday at Heroes Acre in  Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg after being gunned down outside a popular restaurant in Durban on February 10. The shooting also resulted in the death of his lifelong friend, celebrity chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane.

The controversial Zimbabwean-born artists took to his social recently to unveil his portrait of the late star.

He painted two, one for his exhibition and the other which he hopes to gift to the Forbes family.

When he heard about AKA's passing, Rasta said he was in utter disbelief, thinking social media users were spreading another death hoax.

“I slept heartbroken. In the morning my social media inbox was full of people telling me about it and asking if I was going to paint him. I feel for the family,” he told TshisaLIVE.

Rasta recalled his first encounter with the star when their met on Mandela Day in 2012 when he was painting a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela at a charity home.

“As I was painting he came to the stand and we chatted. He asked  me how I paint. We laughed and spoke of how we are always being doubted, like yena ku music wakhe too.”

Having had the opportunity to witness AKA perform live, Rasta said one that stands out was when the rapper paid tribute to the late Pro Kid.

“I remember when we were at Baseline and he paid his respects to the late Pro Kid. He spoke deeply about the hip hop culture and how he liked the guy and had to battle with this 'Soweto boy'.”

See Rasta's tribute to AKA below: 



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