''Touch My Blood'' is the third album released by South African rapper

AKA Aka, AKA or a.k.a. may refer to: * "Also known as", used to introduce an alternative name Languages * Aka language (Sudan) * Aka language, in the Central African Republic * Hruso language, in India, also referred to as Aka * a prefix in the n ...

. released on 15 June 2018 through Beam Group in partnership with NYCE Entertainment. It is his first independent release and is the follow-up to his sophomore album, '' Levels''. It features

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...

s from fellow South African artists including

L-Tido Thato Madonsela (born 30 January 1985), better known by his stage name L-Tido, is a South African hip hop recording artist from Alexandra, Johannesburg. He is best known for being one of the few independent artists in the country to reach comme ...

, JR, Yanga Chief, Stogie T,

Kwesta Senzo Brikka Vilakazi (born 11 August 1988) known professionally as Kwesta, is a South African rapper and songwriter. Born in Katlehong, Gauteng, a township also known as "K1". In 2003, at the age of 15, he and his friends formed a rap group ...

Okmalumkoolkat Smiso Zwane (born Smiso Brian Mkhasibe; 27 July 1983), commonly known by his stage name Okmalumkoolkat (sometimes stylized as OkMalumKoolKat) is a South African rapper and half of the rap/ electronic duo Dirty Paraffin from Umlazi Township in Du ...

, as well as a sole international appearance by Nigerian artist and producer

Kiddominant Ayoola Oladapo Agboola also known as KDDO or Kiddominant is a Nigerian recording producer, songwriter, and artist. He's best known for producing Afrobeats longest charting billboard single "Fall" by Davido, which peaked on US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay ...

. Production is handled by AKA, Master A Flat,

Tweezy Tumelo Thandokuhle Mathebula (born 24 October 1992), professionally known as Tweezy, is a South African record producer and rapper from Johannesburg, South Africa. Early life and career Tumelo Mathebula moved to Johannesburg in the Gauteng Pr ...

, Tazzy, Kiddominant,

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, DJ Maphorisa, Makwa, Buks and additional production by Julian McGuire. ''Touch My Blood'' was certified

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

by the

Recording Industry of South Africa Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA) is a trade association representing the interests of major and independent record labels of South Africa. Located in Randburg, RISA is responsible for running the annual South African Music Awards (SAMA ...

(RiSA) on 25 June 2018, just one week into its release. On 9 November 2018, the album was certified platinum by RiSA four months after its release.

Artwork and title

On 20 April 2018, AKA announced a "Touch My Blood Challenge" for an internship opportunity at Beam Group. He invited members of the "Megacy", a name he has given his fanbase, to design the cover of the album which will be titled ''Touch My Blood''. The winner of the challenge was promised a one-year internship at Beam Group. He instructed: On 8 May 2018, the official artwork of the album and the winner of the challenge was announced. Beam Group's & AKA's Design Team (Nicky Heat & Johnny Malepa) won the challenge with their front cover, and Taonga, a visual artist from

Rustenburg Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa (549,575 in 2011 and 626,522 in the 2016 census). In 20 ...

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was the runner-up of the challenge and received an internship at Beam Group. Furthermore, his artwork was featured as the back cover for the album.

Release and promotion

''Touch My Blood'' was originally set for release on 25 May 2018. AKA announced on social media that the new album would be pushed back for release until 15 June 2018, because he needed more time to shoot videos, release singles, drop merchandise and confirm tour dates. Giant billboards were deployed around the city of

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

to promote and build hype for the album release. He took to Twitter to share some of the images of the "''Touch My Blood''" billboards and also called on his followers to share those they come across with him.

Singles

On 2 December 2016, AKA released the album's first single, "The World Is Yours". The music video for the song was later released on 2 February 2017 and was shot in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

while he was on vacation with then girlfriend,

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. The song topped the charts and has been certified triple Platinum by the

Track listing

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes. Notes * signifies an additional producer * "Daddy Issues II" features additional vocals from AKA's daughter, Kairo. Sample credits * "Amen" contains a sample of "This Is Goodbye", as performed by Hollis P Monroe. * "Sweet Fire" contains an interpolation of "Fire, Passion & Ecstasy", as performed by

Ray Phiri Raymond Chikapa Enock Phiri (23 March 1947 – 12 July 2017) was a South African jazz, fusion and mbaqanga musician born in Mpumalanga to Thabethe Phiri, a Malawian immigrant worker, and South African guitarist nicknamed "Just Now" Phiri. He wa ...

Stimela Stimela is a South African Afro-fusion band, founded during the 1970s by Ray Phiri, a self-taught guitarist. The band was formed when Phiri got together with drummer Isaac Mtshali, Thabo Lloyd Lelosa and Jabu Sibumbe, and they initially called th ...

. * "Fela in Versace" contains an interpolation of "Shibobo", as performed by TKZEE from the album ''Guz Hits''. * "The World Is Yours" contains a sample of "Løb Stop Stå" as performed by Boom Clap Bachelors from the EP ''MELLEM DINE LÆBER''. * "Me and You" contains an interpolation of "

Raf The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

" as performed by

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(featuring

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), as well as an interpolation of " Mr. Loverman" as performed by

Shabba Ranks Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home cou ...

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes. *

– vocals; executive producer *

– production * Buks – production * DJ Maphorisa – production *

– production * Julian McGuire – additional production *

— production * Master A Flat – executive producer; production * Ningi Poro - mix assistant * Prince Costinyo – executive producer * Robin Kohl – mixing * Tazzy – production * The Homies – executive producer *

– production

Release history

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2018 albums AKA (rapper) albums Albums produced by Kiernan Forbes Albums produced by Tweezy Albums produced by DJ Maphorisa Albums produced by Kiddominant