How Burna Boy Squashed Beef With AKA Before His Death

On January 28, 2026, Burna Boy revisited one of the most complicated relationships of his career. Marking the posthumous birthday of South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, the Grammy-winning Nigerian artist shared a series of Instagram stories that provided context into their friendship, fall out, and eventual reconciliation. 

“Happy Birthday Supa Mega,” Burna wrote. In a follow-up slide, he added a more revealing note: “We fell out over bullshit even though we squashed it over Twitter DMs nobody knew about. We never got the chance to really link up and do what we were supposed to do. I will regret that till I see you again. Until then, R.I.P Mega.”

AKA’s birthday fell on January 28, and tributes had poured in already. Burna Boy’s message stood out because it publicly confirmed something many never knew: that the two artists had privately reconciled long after their very public fallout. 

Between 2014 and 2016, Burna Boy and AKA were the faces of a moment when Nigerian Afrobeats and South African hip-hop stood side by side to set the pace for the future of pan African collaborations.

After Burna released his debut album ‘L.I.F.E’ in 2013, his profile exploded in Nigeria. By 2014, singles like “Don Gorgon” had also turned him into a popular figure in South Africa. One of the first major artists to embrace him there was AKA, already a dominant force in the Mzansi hip-hop scene.

Their most defining collaboration, “All Eyes on Me”, brought together AKA, Burna Boy, Da L.E.S., and JR. It was a key single from AKA’s sophomore album, ‘Levels’, and quickly became one of the most visible cross-continental African records of its time. In Nigeria, the song further cemented AKA’s mainstream appeal, following earlier traction from records like “Victory Lap” and “Jealousy”. In 2015, it won Best Collaboration at the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs).

The partnership continued with “Baddest”, another AKA and Burna collaboration that generated buzz. Burna also appeared on “Paid”, a single by AKA’s close associate Da L.E.S., contributing a verse that showed his growing comfort outside Afrobeats and his connection with the South African music industry. In 2014, Burna Boy and AKA famously joined French Montana onstage at the MTV Africa Music Awards, further underlining their shared moment.

At the time, Nigerian fans joked that Burna had become “South African,” a reflection of how deeply he had embedded himself in that scene.

That era came to a sudden halt in 2019. Rising tensions between Nigeria and South Africa, sparked by waves of xenophobic attacks in South African cities, created an environment that went beyond music.

The situation escalated after comments from AKA after Nigeria defeated South Africa in the African Nations Cup. While the statement might have been made in the spirit of footballing rivalry, it was interpreted in the context of the xenophobia that shaped that era, thus leading to a heated back-and-forth on Twitter (Now X). 

Burna Boy was among the Nigerian stars who reacted to AKA’s statement while also firmly stating that he would never set foot in South Africa again until meaningful action was taken.

What followed was the most explosive moment in their relationship. In a series of tweets that were later deleted, Burna Boy directly addressed AKA, telling him to beef up his security and warning him not to cross paths with him. It was an abrupt and ugly end to one of the continent’s superstar friendships that birthed memorable moments.

Despite his vow, Burna Boy returned to South Africa in September 2022 to headline the DStv Delicious Festival in Johannesburg. During his set, he jokingly referenced having “enemies” before performing his verse from “All Eyes on Me”. For many, it was the first sign that the hostility had eased, even if a full reconciliation wasn’t visible.

Burna’s birthday message this week adds crucial context to that moment. According to him, the real peace happened privately, in direct messages on Twitter. It was never announced, never posted, and never acknowledged publicly. They had moved on quietly, but never found the time to reconnect fully or work together again.

That opportunity disappeared on February 10, 2023, when AKA was shot and killed in Durban.

Burna Boy stayed silent for days after AKA’s death, prompting widespread speculation. When he finally spoke, it was through an emotional, unreleased song snippet shared on Instagram. In it, he referenced a memory where AKA once saw his gun and called him “wild.” Burna recalled telling him he should carry one too, a reflection of the dangers they navigated.

“I ain’t really f**k with you, but I didn’t want you dead,” he said in the snippet, capturing the complexity of their relationship.

Now, in 2026, Burna’s birthday tribute brings the story full circle. It confirms that the anger did not last forever, but also that reconciliation might have come a little too late and robbed fans of the opportunity to enjoy potential new collaborations from the iconic, super-talented stars.

AKA’s murder trial continues, with proceedings scheduled to run through mid and late 2026 (20 July to 21 August 2026 and 05 October to 06 November 2026). Their story remains one of African music’s most powerful what-ifs, with questions on whether we would ever experience that kind of collaboration again.

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