Forbes family slams 'distasteful' book about AKA and Anele

The Forbes family has labelled a new book about Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and Anele Tembe "distasteful and opportunistic". 

The slain rapper's parents, Tony and Lynn Forbes, are distancing themselves from Melinda Ferguson's book, 'When Love Kills: The Tragic Tale of AKA & Anele'. 

The South African author confirmed last week that she had written a book about the couple. It allegedly contains "exclusive insights from key players in the tragedy". 

"I have never been more freaked out by a story... it's been a real journey to get this out. It nearly killed my own relationship. It's a story that broke my heart," she wrote. 

AKA was assassinated in February 2023 while leaving Wish restaurant on Florida Road in Durban. His friend, Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane, was also killed in the crossfire. 

The 'Fela in Versace' rapper died almost two years after his fiancée, Anele Tembe, fell to her death from the 10th story of a Cape Town hotel in April 2021. 

ALSO READ: WATCH: AKA shares throwback video of his late fiancée Anele Tembe

AKA's parents released a statement slamming Melinda's book. Tony and Lynn revealed that Melinda reached out to them while she was writing the book, but they "respectfully and rightfully" declined. 

"We are not in any way associated with Melinda Ferguson’s book and we do not endorse it. We distance ourselves from the contents of the book," they said in a statement. 

They added: "We cannot give any further comment on the book as we are unaware of its contents. We do, however, find the intended publication of the book and the timing distasteful and opportunistic." 

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According to a synopsis of the book, "'When Love Kills' is the tale of hip hop star, AKA. whose life unraveled when he embarked on a relationship with 21 year-old Anele Tembe. When she "fell" to her death from the 10th storey of the Pepper Club in April, 2021, after a long night of heated arguing, details would emerge that they'd been caught up in a whirlwind of toxic obsession, alleged substance abuse and violence. Less than 2 years later AKA was assassinated in what looked like a hit to avenge her death. This is their tragic story."

Melinda received some backlash online after announcing her book news. 

"Hauwa….. she’s writing s story like she was there through all of it," one X user wrote. 

The author said she feels "deeply affected and misunderstood" by some of the hate she has received online. 

"I wrote this book in an attempt to try and understand a story about two people who fell down a rabbit hole of toxic love. Something kept driving me to keep on in search of some kind of truth around what happened. And why they were now both dead....I have been through my own kind of hell in my life as an addict and as someone who has embarked on dangerous and obsessive relationships. Their story spoke to me. It literally broke my heart," she wrote on Facebook.

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Main image credit: Instagram/@akaworldwide