MASS COUNTRY | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 24 February 2023 | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 54:30 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer |
| |||
AKA chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Mass Country | ||||
|
Mass Country (stylized MASS COUNTRY), [1] is the fourth studio album by South African rapper AKA. It was released posthumously by Sony Music Entertainment Africa and Vth A on 24 February 2023. [2] [3] It was preceded by four singles "Lemons (Lemonade)", [4] "Prada", [5] "Paradise", [6] and "Company", [7] with guest appearances from Nasty C, KDDO, Thato Saul, Khuli Chana, Blxckie, Gyakie, Nadia Nakai, Sjava and others. [8]
It is the final album recorded by AKA shortly before he was murdered in February 2023. The album was promoted on the rapper's official Instagram account hours before his shooting. The album's lead single, "Lemons (Lemonade)", received positive reactions from the likes of American record producers Swizz Beatz and Diplo. [9] Spotify honored AKA by displaying a billboard of the album in Times Square, New York. [10]
Sony Music Africa manager, Caroline Morabe, stated that AKA left unreleased music behind and they plan on releasing a special edition of Mass Country. [11]
"You know Kiernan in studio, he brought a whole bunch of songs and we can't release everything at once, so he left us some serious magic and we're very excited later on in the year to have the 'Mass Country Deluxe' coming out"
The album surpassed 10 million streams on Spotify in less than 8 hours, becoming his most streamed album. [12] Mass Country was certified Gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) two weeks after its release, [13] and later Platinum. Sony Music Africa hosted a private brunch to celebrate the milestone and announced that the posthumous album surpassed 35,404 album-equivalent units, which is equivalent to 40,972,588 streams in South Africa alone. [14]
AKA revealed the album's artwork on 11 January 2023, on his Instagram account. The artwork was designed by South African illustrator Karabo Poppy. [15] It shows the face of AKA surrounded by objects which represent South African Culture, like a 10-cent coin, an old BMW, a skull, and a snake. [16]
In an interview with Slikour, AKA revealed that the album's title is inspired by a South African cultural music genre called Maskandi, citing that the title "MASS COUNTRY" sounds like "Maskandi", blending the genre with hip hop music and country music. [17] [18]
Thus the link between the title of the album and its artwork are about South African Culture, as particular objects that represent the culture appear. [19]
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Last Time" | Zadok | 3:33 |
2. | "Mbuzi (Freestyle)" (featuring Thato Saul) |
| 5:14 |
3. | "Crown" (with Emtee featuring Manana) |
| 3:47 |
4. | "Lemons (Lemonade)" (with Nasty C) |
| 4:20 |
5. | "Prada" (with Khuli Chana) | Christer | 2:56 |
6. | "Sponono" (with Sjava featuring 031 Choppa, Baby S.O.N) |
| 4:14 |
7. | "Company" (with KDDO) | KDDO | 4:05 |
8. | "Paradise" (with Musa Keys, Gyakie) |
| 3:25 |
9. | "Ease" (with Blxckie, Yanga Chief) | Christer | 4:18 |
10. | "Amapiano" (featuring Weathrd, Laylizzy) | Christer | 3:49 |
11. | "Dangerous" (with Blxckie featuring Nadia Nakai) |
| 3:44 |
12. | "Everest" | Christer | 3:08 |
13. | "Diary (Anxiety)" | Thabo | 4:41 |
14. | "Army (Bonus)" | Thabo | 3:21 |
Total length: | 54:00 |
AKA came out as the most nominated individual in 2023 leading the nomination list of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) with seven nominations, [21] of which four categories namely Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Hip Hop Album, and Best Engineered Album he scored amid the success of MASS COUNTRY. [22]
List of Accolades | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Award / Music Festival | Year | Recipient | Nomination | Result | Ref. |
Metro FM Music Awards | 2023 | Mass Country | Best Hip Hop Artist | Won | [23] |
South African Music Awards | 2023 | Male Artist of the Year | Won | [24] | |
Album of the Year | Nominated | [25] | |||
Best Engineered Album | Won | [26] | |||
Best Hip Hop Album | Nominated | [25] | |||
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
South Africa (RISA) [27] | Gold | 35,404 [14] |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Edition(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | 24 February 2023 |
| Standard |
| [28] |
Brasse Vannie Kaap (BVK) was a hip-hop group from the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa. They rapped predominantly in the Cape Flats dialect of Afrikaans. The original line-up included Deon Daniels (Boeta-D), Roger Heunis (Hamma), Ashley Titus and Enver Pietersen. Bboys Cheeze, Baby-L and Levi joined the group soon after they started to perform live.
Ntokozo Mdluli, known professionally as K.O, is a South African rapper, songwriter, record producer and businessman He began his career as a member of Teargas, a hip hop group which released its debut album, K'shubile K'bovu, in 2006, followed by Wafa Wafa (2008), Dark or Blue (2009) and Num8er Num8er (2012).
Kiernan Jarryd Forbes (28 January 1988 – 10 February 2023), known professionally as AKA, was a South African rapper, record producer, and businessman. Born in Cape Town and raised in Johannesburg, Forbes gained recognition after releasing his single "Victory Lap" from his debut studio album, Altar Ego (2011). Often regarded as one of the greatest South African musicians of all time, he was one of the most popular South African musicians of his era and the best-selling South African hip hop artist of all-time.
Rikhado Makhado, known professionally as Riky Rick, was a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. He was also the founder and owner of record label Cotton Club Records and a member of Boyz N Bucks and he's well known for his hit song Boss Zonke from his album Family Values.
Mzayifani Mzondeleli Boltina, better known as iFani, is a South African Hip-Hop/Rap artist, MC and television presenter. Born in Mthatha and raised in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, His first single was "Hola Hater", followed by "Ewe", "Shake", "Milli" released on his album I Believes in Me albums, which was certified Gold by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) on the day of its release, selling over 20 000 of copies.
Tumelo Thandokuhle Mathebula, professionally known as Tweezy, is a South African record producer and rapper from Johannesburg, South Africa.
South African hip hop artist and record producer AKA has released four studio albums, two collaborative albums with Anatii as well as Costa Titch respectively, one extended play (EP), 42 singles and 23 music videos. AKA's music has been released on record labels Sony Music Entertainment Africa, Vth Season and Beam Group.
Nadia Nakai Kandava, is a Zimbabwean-South African rapper and television personality.
Cole Bennett is an American music video director and record executive. He is also the founder of Lyrical Lemonade.
Amanda Faku is a South African singer, performer and songwriter. Born and raised in the township of eZinyoka, Port Elizabeth, developed musical interest at the age of 6 and participated on church choirs. Faku rose to fame as a contestant on The Voice SA season 2 in 2017, prior to getting recognition in the music industry.
Siyabonga Nene, known professionally as Big Zulu, is a South African rapper and songwriter. He rose to spotlight after releasing the single "Donsa Nkabi" in 2016.
Yanga Ntshakaza, professionally known as Yanga Chief is a South African rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter. Born in Mthatha and raised in Queenstown, Yanga studied film studies at University of Johannesburg.
Sihle Sithole, known professionally as Blxckie, is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer from Sydenham Heights, Durban. His debut studio album B4Now (2021) was certified gold in South Africa.
"Lemons (Lemonade)" is a single by South African rappers AKA and Nasty C, released on 16 September 2022 as album's lead single from his fourth studio album MASS COUNTRY (2023). Music video premiered on YouTube same day.
Lutendo Kungoane, is a South African DJ and record producer professionally known as DJ Sliqe, he came to prominence subsequent to the release of his single "Do Like I Do" featuring Kwesta and Flabba of Skwatta Kamp.
Thato Matlebyane, professionally known as Thato Saul ( ) is a South African rapper and songwriter who rose to prominence subsequent to the release of "Never Ride" by Mashbeatz after the single went viral on a video sharing platform TikTok.
Costantinos Tsobanoglou, better known by his stage name Costa Titch, was a South African Amapiano rapper and dancer.
"Run Jozi (Godly)" is a lead single by South African rapper and songwriter AKA from his second studio album Levels (2014). It features guest appearance from K.O, uncredited vocals from Yanga, and production from Tweezy. It was released on 24 June 2014 through Vth Season with exclusive license from SME Africa.
"Asibe Happy" is a single by South African singer-songwriter Ami Faku and record producers DJ Maphorisa, and Kabza de Small. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Piano Hub under exclusive license from Sony Music Entertainment Africa.
"Imithandazo" is an amapiano song by Kabza de Small and Mthunzi from their collaborative studio album Isimo (2023). It was released on 27 October 2023 by Piano Hub under exclusive license from Sony Music Entertainment Africa, it features guest appearances from DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine, Young Stunna, and Umthakathi Kush with production handled by Kabza de Small and DJ Maphorisa, collectively known as Scorpion Kings.