Nadia Nakai is undoubtedly one of the top female rappers in South Africa currently. Commonly referred to as Bragga, she has graced the Mzansi music industry with several hits such as More Drugs, Imma Boss, Naaa Mean and Dangerous.
Nakai marked her television debut on the e.tv hip-hop program Shiz Niz, achieving victory in the Mixtape 101 competition. She then gained widespread recognition in September 2013 when she unveiled her first single, Like Me.EDUCATION
Nakai attended Fourways High School in Johannesburg for one year before completing her education in Kenya. She then pursued a degree in marketing, communication, and media studies at Monash University in Johannesburg.
CAREER
Nakai gained recognition after winning the Mixtape 101 competition on e.tv’s hip-hop show Shiz Niz, becoming the first female to do so. In September 2013, she released her debut single Like Me. The renowned rapper went on to release more music, some of the most popular including, More Drugs, Imma Boss, Dangerous, Naaa Meaan, Practice, Amai, Yatch, and Kreatures.
Additionally, throughout her career, the rapper has released three albums including Nadia Naked (2019), Nadia Naked II (2020) and Nadia Nakai The Evolution of an African Trap Queen (2022). In 2019, Nakai took on a co-hosting role on the MTV Base hip-hop program known as Yo! MTV Raps South Africa, where she partnered with television presenter Siyabonga Ngwekazi.
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Nakai took on the role of hosting the inaugural season of Channel O’s Gen-Z South Africa TV series in 2021. Later in June of the same year, she decided to leave Family Tree Records to establish her label. Nakai’s outstanding contribution to the music industry earned her a nomination for the Artist of the Decade at the 2021 South African Hip Hop Awards.
In 2022, Nakai appeared on the Netflix original reality show Young, Famous & African.
PERSONAL LIFE
The More Drugs hitmaker is the former girlfriend to the late rapper Kiernan Jarryd Forbes alias AKA. The pair allegedly started dating secretly in 2021. Finally, they made their relationship official by attending public events, sharing affectionate posts on Instagram, and getting matching tattoos. The pair were together until AKA’s untimely death in February 2023, after he was shot.
Even after AKA’s death, Nakai has remained vocal about their relationship and has maintained ties with AKA’s daughter with DJ Zinhle, Kairo Forbes.