Grammy-winning Nigerian star Burna Boy has shed new light on one of African music’s most talked-about fallouts, revealing that he and late South African rapper AKA quietly reconciled before AKA’s untimely death.
On January 28, 2026, AKA’s posthumous birthday, Burna took to Instagram with a message that caught fans off guard. While birthday tributes had already flooded social media, Burna’s stood out for its honesty and regret.
“Happy Birthday Supa Mega,” he wrote, before adding a more personal reflection. Burna admitted that their fallout had stemmed from unnecessary issues, explaining that they eventually resolved things privately through Twitter direct messages, a reconciliation that was never made public. Despite squashing the beef, the two never found the chance to properly reunite or collaborate again, something Burna says he will always regret.
The message confirmed what many fans never knew: behind the scenes, peace had already been made.
When Burna Boy and AKA Defined a Pan-African Moment
Long before the fallout, Burna Boy and AKA represented a powerful bridge between Nigerian Afrobeats and South African hip-hop. Between 2014 and 2016, their relationship symbolised a growing pan-African movement in music, where borders mattered less than creativity.
After Burna Boy’s debut album L.I.F.E. introduced him to the Nigerian mainstream in 2013, his reach quickly expanded southward. By the following year, songs like Don Gorgon had gained serious traction in South Africa. AKA, already a heavyweight in the Mzansi hip-hop scene, was among the first major artists to openly embrace him.
Their chemistry translated into music. All Eyes on Me — a collaboration featuring AKA, Burna Boy, Da L.E.S., and JR — became a defining cross-border hit and later won Best Collaboration at the MTV Africa Music Awards. More joint efforts followed, including Baddest and Burna’s appearance on Paid by Da L.E.S. The duo even shared the stage with French Montana at the MAMAs, a moment that underscored their growing continental influence.
At the height of it all, fans joked that Burna Boy had become “South African,” a testament to how deeply embedded he was in the scene.
Politics, Xenophobia, and a Very Public Fallout
That era came to an abrupt end in 2019 amid rising political and social tensions between Nigeria and South Africa. Waves of xenophobic violence in South African cities had already strained relations, and emotions were running high.
The situation escalated after comments made by AKA following a football match between the two nations. While likely intended as sporting banter, the remarks landed badly in the charged climate, triggering a heated exchange on social media.
Burna Boy responded strongly, distancing himself from South Africa and stating he would not return until meaningful change occurred. The online back-and-forth intensified, eventually culminating in aggressive tweets from Burna directed at AKA — messages that were later deleted but left a lasting impact on fans and the industry.
What had once been one of African music’s most exciting partnerships appeared to be permanently broken.
A Quiet Reconciliation Behind Closed Doors
Despite earlier vows, Burna Boy returned to South Africa in September 2022 to headline the DStv Delicious Festival in Johannesburg. During his performance, he made light references to having “enemies” before performing his verse from All Eyes on Me — a subtle moment that hinted at thawing tensions.
At the time, few knew the full story.
According to Burna’s recent revelation, the real reconciliation had already happened privately via direct messages. There were no public apologies, no joint statements, and no social media announcements. They had simply moved on — quietly, respectfully, and away from the spotlight.
Tragically, they never got the chance to take things further.
Loss, Silence, and Lingering Regret
On February 10, 2023, AKA was fatally shot in Durban, bringing a devastating end to the life of one of South Africa’s most influential artists. Burna Boy initially remained silent, sparking speculation among fans.
When he eventually spoke, it was through an emotional snippet of unreleased music shared on Instagram. In the clip, Burna reflected on a past conversation with AKA about safety and the dangers they faced, capturing the complicated mix of distance, respect, and unresolved emotion between them.
Now, three years later, Burna’s birthday tribute has brought closure to a story that long lived in the public imagination. It confirmed that the bitterness did not last forever — but also that reconciliation came too late to give fans what could have been another iconic chapter in African music history.
As AKA’s murder trial continues into 2026, their story stands as one of the continent’s greatest “what ifs”
BY queen serem
