Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy has disclosed that he and late South African rapper AKA quietly settled their long-running dispute before the rapper’s death.

Burna Boy made this revelation in a heartfelt birthday tribute shared on his Instagram page in honour of AKA, whose real name was Kiernan Forbes.

Burna Boy expressed sadness that their reconciliation never translated into a musical collaboration or the execution of plans they had discussed privately.

NewTelegraph recalls that the feud between the two artists dates back to 2019, during a period of heightened tension between Nigerians and South Africans following xenophobic attacks in parts of South Africa.

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At the time, Burna Boy reacted strongly to reports suggesting AKA had supported the attacks, leading to public exchanges and threats that further deepened the rift.

However, Burna Boy revealed that the disagreement was later resolved away from the public eye through private conversations on social media.

According to him, the reconciliation was unknown to many fans and industry observers.

In his tribute, Burna Boy lamented the missed opportunity to properly reconnect and work together, describing the fallout as unnecessary and something he would always regret. He added that despite their differences, peace had been restored between them before AKA’s passing.

AKA was shot and killed outside a restaurant in Durban on February 10, 2023. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding his murder are still ongoing.

The late rapper remains one of South Africa’s most influential hip-hop artists, while Burna Boy continues to be a leading global figure in African music.