Apart from being South African hip-hop icons with stellar discographies and longevity in the game, the common denominator versatile musicians Ntokozo “K.O” Mdluli and the late Kiernan “AKA” Forbes have always shared is their ear for timeless music. Manifested in their on-song chemistry, the pair have collaborated on hits such as DJ Vigilante’s “God’s Will”, K.O’s “Fire Emoji”, and the legendary hit “Run Jozi (Godly)” before AKA’s unfortunate passing. Transposing their bromance from the songs to music videos, the duo also built a reputation for luxurious visuals predicated on trendsetting streetwear and silver screen theatrics which match their mercurial personalities.
K.O has finally released an ocular tribute to his latest single “King Size”, paying homage to his departed friend and long-time collaborator and featuring the never-heard-before verse from The Moltitalented released along with the single on 30 October 2024.
The music video for “King Size” opens with a nostalgic callback to memorable scenes from their 2014 hit “Run Jozi (Godly)”, with the opening frame showing the Skhanda Gawd doing pushups on top of a mini-bus parked in the middle of the Nelson Mandela Bridge. “King Size”, more than just a tributary music video, contains fingerprints of AKA with slick references that watermark the presentation with his soul as an artist. This is depicted in frames which capture a standing microphone fletched with the South African flag – an antic the “Jika” hitmaker was especially known for during his performances in shows and concerts.
“King Size” Snippet:
“King Size” also features rich chess-related imagery. The king pieces in particular are spotlighted in various frames as a way to tie the controlling metaphor to the song’s name and to the concept of the pair being kings of the hip-hop space locally.
One poignant still (which lingers from 2:27 to 2:28) shows a fallen king on a chessboard surrounded by a gang of pawns, which is subtly synced with the lyrics: “The podcasts is bitter, they out the circle of trust / The pop star subliminals, ain’t no love in Hip Hop.” This powerful, and though-provoking depiction doesn’t only carry aesthetic appeal. It boldy alludes to how the game in South Africa supposedly ended the day the King (AKA, figuratively) fell, a parallel comparison to how the fall of a king resulted in an automatic loss, no matter how many other pieces were still left standing.
The final act of posthumous respect comes from K.O rapping while holding a rose as he reposes on a floor with the projected picture of a field of similar roses – a way of giving AKA his flowers. AKA’s status as one of the greatest musicians the country has ever produced is also affirmed by the presence of a goat in various parts of the music video, literalising the idea of AKA being a GOAT as a hip-hop artist.
Watch “King Size” here:
