Rapper AKA's father, Tony Forbes, has come out to defend him against a Non-Profit Organization calling for AKA's music to be muted across all media.
Read next: Scoop Dragged For Allegedly Accusing AKA
Read next: Scoop Dragged For Allegedly Accusing AKA
'Women For Change' is an organisation opposing gender-based violence (GBV) and has, on social media, called for radio stations, television channels, DJs and fans to stop supporting AKA by not playing his music or ads under the hashing #MuteAKA.
This comes after Sunday newspapers and online publications revealed damning and disturbing footage and images alleging to the nature of the rapper's relationship to his late fiance Anele 'Nelli' Tembe.
Nelli tragically died on April 11 after allegedly falling from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town.
Weeks later, video footage of Supa Mega breaking down a door in their Bryanston home in Johannesburg emerged, with Nelli's friends coming out to claim that AKA had been physically abusing his fiancé that night in March and she had locked herself in one of the rooms to get away from him. Pictures of Nelli' face also surfaced, with claims that AKA had bashed her head against the wall.
Although the rapper had released a statement the night before this information was published - claiming to have had "ups and downs" in his relationship with his late partner - social media is now convinced that there is more AKA is hiding and that he was an abusive partner.
In an attempt to fan out these flames, Tony Forbes came to AKA's defense on Instagram under the comments section when Women For Change urged followers and the entertainment industry to mute AKA.
"You want to mute him so that you don't have to listen to the other side of the story? You want to take away a man's bread and butter on the basis of an unnamed source who sent images showing him breaking down a door, nothing more? Have you actually engaged the verifiable facts? Does your justice for women include the principles of transparency, the truth, process and fairness? If so, fight first to hear all the facts on both sides. Demand that before you condemn him. No one is hiding here or running away. Demand it from the tabloids. If you do not subscribe to the principles mentioned, what differentiates you from a vigilante group? And is this really the change for women in South Africa you are after?" Tony wrote.
When asked if he had seen the viral pictures and videos, he responded by saying that he knows more than what we have seen in those videos.
"I did see it. I do also know more than what appears in that video. I am saying exactly what you are accusing me of. Don't be shallow, look deeper before you judge."
Speaking to TshisaLive, Tony explained that he was prompted to reply to the NPO because he was frustrated.
“It becomes frustrating as a father to watch while your loved one is being disparaged and tarnished. Relationships are very difficult to navigate, I can only imagine what one under public scrutiny is like. Do all relationships have their ups and downs? Absolutely, and Kiernan’s relationship with Anele was one of those. But in talking about it we have to be truthful and be accountable to the overall truth of it.”
He also highlighted he does acknowledge the importance of NPOs such as Women For Change as he, too, condemns GBV.
“The fight against GBV has been slow and painstaking in gaining ground and recognition. For the longest time, the battered have not been heard nor given a platform. I support the movement.
"With the same breath, we have to caution ourselves from acting in haste and by proceeding to cancel people without the full facts being laid bare. We have to interrogate allegations. In this instance, we are going off based on images grabbed from an unseen video that rightfully evokes emotions. We should be asking ourselves where the video was shot and what is the context of it with audio. As a family, we oppose GBV and do not endorse such behaviour.”
Read next: GBV Organization Demands AKA's Music To be Muted
Image credit: Twitter