Nadia Nakai's biography: Age, boyfriend, family, songs, car, album and net worth

Nadia Nakai, commonly known as Bragga, is a South African rapper and songwriter with Zimbabwean roots. She rose to fame as the first female rapper to win the Mix Tape 101 competition on e.tv. Since then, Nadia has released several songs and in 2025, her second album. Here is Nadia Nakai's biography.

Key takeaways

• Nadia Nakai was born in 1990. She chose her mother's name to honour her heritage.
• She won e.tv's Shiz Niz Mixtape 101 competition. She has many hit songs and collaborations.
• Nadia Nakai's latest album, Braggacy, was released on 28 February 2025. This 13-track project is a heartfelt tribute to her late partner, AKA.

Profile summary

Nadia Nakai's biography

Nadia Nakai was born to a Zimbabwean mother and a South African father. At 16, she changed her surname from Dlamini to Nakai to reflect her maternal roots. Nadia Nakai’s mother has had a strong influence on her life. While this is a key part of her identity, little is publicly known about Nadia Nakai’s parents or extended family.

How old is Nadia Nakai?

Nadia Nakai is 35 years old as of 2025. She was born on 18 May 1990. Her zodiac sign is Taurus.

Nadia Nakai's early life

Nadia Nakai’s real name is Nadia Nakai Kandava. In her earlier years, she also went by Nadia Dlamini, a name that still appears in some records and search results.

She attended Fourways High School in South Africa before enrolling at Monash University. There, she studied Media Studies, Communication, and Marketing as part of a double major.

During her time at university, she moved to Kenya, where she met Kenyan rapper Nazizi. This meeting had a strong impact on her decision to pursue music seriously.

Nadia Nakai's career

Nadia Nakai began her music career after being mentored by Kenyan rapper Nazizi. The experience inspired her to take rapping seriously and pursue it professionally. She soon became the first female rapper to win the e.tv Shiz Niz Mixtape 101 competition, a major milestone in her early career.

In September 2013, she released her debut single, Like Me, under Sid Records. She later featured on the Amantombazane Remix and worked with Ice Prince on the track Saka Wena. This collaboration came shortly after her performance at the Channel O Music Video Awards.

Between 2013 and 2018, Nadia continued to release hit singles and steadily built her reputation in the South African music scene.

International exposure and major performances

In 2018, Nadia performed a freestyle for Sway Calloway. This was a significant moment, as Sway had featured other major African acts like Nasty C and Cassper Nyovest. She also hosted the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Bilbao, Spain. That same year, she became the first female rapper from South Africa to perform at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.

In 2019, Nadia released her debut album titled Nadia N*ked. The album received strong reviews and included collaborations with artists like Cassper Nyovest, Kwesta, and Ycee. Around this time, she signed with Family Tree Records, which was founded by Cassper Nyovest.

Television and broader media presence (2020–2022)

In 2020, she expanded into television and co-hosted Yo! MTV Raps South Africa on MTV Base. She also joined the cast of the Netflix reality series Young, Famous and African in 2022. This appearance helped introduce her to an international audience.

In 2023, Nadia faced personal tragedy with the loss of her partner, rapper AKA. She took time to grieve but later returned to music with a deeper and more emotional tone in her work.

By 2024 and into 2025, Nadia continued to grow as an artist. She began exploring new sounds that combined hip-hop with Afrobeat and trap elements. She also remained active in fashion and brand partnerships.

Braggacy album release

In 2025, Nadia released her second studio album, Braggacy, which serves as a heartfelt tribute to her late partner, rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. The album blends vulnerability with assertiveness, featuring tracks that navigate themes of grief, healing, and empowerment.

Notable songs include M.E.G.A featuring Cindii Masina and Missing You featuring Shekhinah, produced by Grammy-winning artist Zakes Bantwini. Braggacy achieved significant streaming success, reaching one million streams shortly after its release.

Nadia Nakai's songs

Since she released Like Me, Nadia Nakai has been working on and releasing new music every so often. Below is a complete list of her singles that includes songs in which she featured other artists in the industry both in South Africa and Africa.

• Like Me
• Whatever
• Saka Wena (feat. Ice Prince)
• Money Back
• The Man (feat. Cassper Nyovest)
• Don’t Cut It
• Naaa Meaan (feat. Cassper Nyovest)
• Sqwaa (feat. Tshego and Gemini Major)
• Money Calling (feat. Frank Casino)
• Yass B!tch
• David (feat. Blxckie)
• 143 (with Boity)
• Feeling (feat. Kwesta)
• Cough (feat. Rouge and Blxckie)
• Missing You
• Never Leave

Nadia Nakai featured songs

Nadia Nakai has been featured on numerous tracks since 2014, including Riky Rick’s Amantombazane Remix, Miss Pru’s Isaga Lam, and collaborations with Blxckie and Boity.

Her versatility and impact have made her a frequent and respected presence in South African hip-hop and Afrobeat collaborations. Here is a list of songs that featuring Nadia Nakai:

• Amantombazane by Riky Rick
• Do Like I Do Remix by DJ Sliqe
• Sugar Free by Tumi
• Ragga Ragga by Gemini Major
• Savage by DJ Milkshake
• Crazy by Spectacular and DJ Naves
• Isaga Lam by Miss Pru DJ

Nadia Nakai's boyfriends

In January 2018, Bandile Mbere confirmed he was dating Nadia Nakai after earlier denying it. He praised her for bringing out the best in him. The couple shared photos on social media before eventually parting ways. Bandile is one-half of the Major League DJs alongside his twin brother, Banele.

Nadia Nakai and AKA's relationship

Nadia later entered a relationship with South African rapper AKA, also known as Kiernan Forbes. Their relationship became public in 2022 and was featured on the Netflix series Young, Famous and African. They often appeared at events and shared supportive posts online, showing a strong and affectionate bond.

In February 2023, AKA was tragically shot and killed in Durban. Nadia was devastated by the loss and took time away from the spotlight. As of 2025, she has not confirmed any new relationships and continues to focus on healing, personal growth, and her evolving music career.

Nadia Nakai's net worth

Nadia Nakai is worth approximately $1 million to $2.5 million as of 2025. Her wealth mainly comes from the different projects she works on including being featured on TV shows, music sales, brand and fashion partnership.

Nadia ranks among the richest rappers in South Africa and is impressively one of the few women in the male-dominated list.

Nadia Nakai's YouTube

Nadia Nakai's music can be found on her YouTube page where the artist shares her music and fresh content for her fans. The Nadia Nakai's YouTube page has over 75k subscribers with its highest performing video being Naa Meaan (featuring Cassper Nyovest).

Nadia Nakai's Instagram

Nadia's Instagram handle, like most people, serves as a wall where her most recent and captivating photos are kept. Going through her handle will give you a glance into her life and how she is progressing including music releases.

Does Nadia Nakai have a child?

As of 2025, Nadia Nakai does not have a child. She has not shared any news about becoming a mother. There are no public records or reports about Nadia Nakai's kids. For now, the rapper seems focused on her music, career, and personal journey.

Why is Nadia Nakai called Bragga?

Nadia Nakai is called "Bragga" after her 2016 EP titled Bragga, which highlighted her bold and confident style. The name reflects her strong persona in hip-hop and has become part of her brand, even inspiring the name of her own label, Bragga Records.

Does Nadia Nakai have a degree?

Yes, Nadia Nakai holds a degree in Marketing, Communication, and Media Studies from Monash University in Johannesburg. She completed her studies after attending Fourways High School in Johannesburg for a year and finishing her schooling in Kenya.

What was Nadia Nakai's relationship with AKA?

Nadia Nakai and AKA began dating in 2021 and went public in 2022. They shared a strong bond and even got matching tattoos. Nadia spoke about wanting children with AKA. His tragic death in February 2023 deeply affected her. Since then, Nadia Nakai has honoured AKA’s memory through her music and public tributes.

How long did Nadia date AKA?

Nadia Nakai and AKA were in a relationship for about a year. In an interview, AKA shared that they had been together for roughly that time.

What is Nadia Nakai's most popular song?

Nadia Nakai's most popular song to date is Dangerous, a collaboration with AKA from his 2023 album Mass Country. The track has amassed over 2.7 million streams on Spotify, making it her top-performing song on the platform.

Nadia Nakai’s biography shows her as a powerful, authentic African rapper. She started young and has achieved great success. Fans loved her second album Braggacy, which performed really well commercially. Her carefully chosen singles prove she is a rising star with more to come.

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Source: Briefly News