Mass Country Explained

MASS COUNTRY
Cover:Mass Country.png
Type:studio
Artist:AKA
Label:
Prev Title:Touch My Blood
Prev Year:2018
Year:2023

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]

Background and promotion

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]

Commercial performance

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]

Artwork

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]

Title

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]

Track listing

Awards and nominations

AKA came out as the most nominated individual in 2023 leading the nomination list of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) with seven nominations,[20] 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.[21]

List of Accolades
Award / Music FestivalYearRecipientNominationResultRef.
Metro FM Music Awards2023Best Hip Hop Artist[22]
South African Music Awards2023Male Artist of the Year[23]
Album of the Year[24]
Best Engineered Album[25]
Best Hip Hop Album

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Edition(s)Label
Worldwide24 February 2023Standard[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AKA reveals release date for upcoming album, 'Mass Country' . 13 February 2023 . gq.co.za . en . 13 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230213114539/https://www.gq.co.za/culture/entertainment/aka-reveals-release-date-for-upcoming-album-mass-country-ce6b490a-60ec-43c1-854e-0b1f73417da9 . live .
  2. Web site: Martin . Celeste . AKA plugs February for release of new album 'Mass Country' . 11 February 2023 . ewn.co.za . en . 11 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230211182237/https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/17/aka-plugs-february-for-release-of-new-album-mass-country . live .
  3. Web site: 'Back from the death': AKA's 'Mass Country' is Supa Mega supreme . subscription . 24 February 2023 . thesouthafrican.com . 24 February 2023 . 24 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230224052427/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/entertainment/breaking-aka-mass-country-release-megacy-rave-reviews-nadia-nakai-twitter-reactions-watch-trailer-tracklist-24-february-2023/ . live .
  4. Web site: AKA and Nasty C Team Up in "Lemons (Lemonade)" Music Video - OkayAfrica . 11 February 2023 . okayafrica.com . en . 1 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230401200613/https://www.okayafrica.com/aka-nasty-c-south-africa/ . live .
  5. Web site: Darangwa . Shangai . 2023-01-20 . AKA and Khuli Chana join forces as 'Mass Country' pre-order goes live . 2023-12-12 . www.iol.co.za . 16 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216082345/https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/aka-and-khuli-chana-join-forces-as-mass-country-pre-order-goes-live-8e403ca1-be4e-4bea-81d2-3e502f5f0009 . live .
  6. Web site: Banda . Clive . 29 November 2022 . AKA Gets Candid As To Why He Is Not Worried About The Balenciaga Scandal . 11 February 2023 . SA Hip Hop Mag . en-US . 11 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230211182238/https://sahiphopmag.co.za/2022/11/aka-gets-candid-as-to-why-he-is-not-worried-about-the-balenciaga-scandal/ . live .
  7. Web site: LISTEN: AKA and KDDO's new single "Company" DROPS . 2023-11-25 . www.thesouthafrican.com . 3 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230303044408/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/music/listen-aka-and-kddos-new-single-company-drops-17-february-2023/ . live .
  8. Web site: Wee . Naledi de . 16 September 2022 . 'A whole vibe': Fans praise AKA's new hip-hop banger with Nasty C . 11 February 2023 . The South African . en-ZA . 5 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221205073813/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/music/aka-nasty-c-lemons-lemonade-mass-country-reactions-new-album-16-september-2022/ . live .
  9. Peters . Mitchell . 11 February 2023 . Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes, South African Rapper, Shot and Killed at 35 . 12 February 2023 . Billboard . en-US . 12 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230212072131/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/kiernan-aka-forbes-dead-south-african-rapper-shot-killed-1235252334/ . live .
  10. Web site: Heever . Megan van den . 24 February 2023 . 'Mass Country' to the world! AKA gets Times Square billboard . 10 November 2023 . The South African . en-ZA . 31 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531003448/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/spotify-stream-download-mass-country-aka-billboard-times-square-latest-24-february-2023/ . live .
  11. Web site: Sony Music Africa Confirms the Upcoming Release of AKA's "Mass Country Deluxe" Edition . 28 July 2023 . 30 July 2023 . 29 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729052402/https://sahiphopmag.co.za/2023/07/sony-music-africa-confirms-the-upcoming-release-of-akas-mass-country-deluxe-edition/ . live .
  12. Web site: AKA's Posthumous Mass Country Album Clocks Six Million Spotify Streams. Clive. Banda. 24 February 2023. SA Hip Hop Mag. 24 February 2023. 24 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230224130815/https://sahiphopmag.co.za/2023/02/akas-posthumous-mass-country-album-clocks-six-million-spotify-streams/. live.
  13. Web site: Darangwa . Shangai . 10 March 2023 . AKA's new album 'Mass Country' goes gold in under two weeks . 10 November 2023 . Independent Online . 18 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418143729/https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/akas-new-album-mass-country-goes-gold-in-under-two-weeks-c5205643-aef2-4fdc-813f-7cf46682c9a3 . live .
  14. Web site: Darangwa . Shangai . 28 July 2023 . AKA's 'Mass Country' certified platinum after just 4 months . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230801142609/https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/akas-mass-country-certified-platinum-after-just-4-months-7ba0ad28-7f05-4921-bb3c-b3a86792ad16 . 1 August 2023 . 10 November 2023 . Independent Online . South Africa.
  15. Web site: AKA's last tweet was about going 'blonde or platinum' if his new album 'Mass Country' is a hit . 2023-12-12 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA . 4 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230804001820/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-02-11-akas-last-tweet-was-about-going-blonde-or-platinum-if-his-new-album-mass-country-is-a-hit/ . live .
  16. Web site: Heever . Megan van den . 22 February 2023 . 'Mass Country': Tweeps claim album cover 'predicted' AKA's death . 10 November 2023 . The South African . en-ZA . 8 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230508141748/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/mass-country-release-download-stream-order-aka-death-artwork-karabo-poppy-prophecy-breaking-latest-22-february-2023/ . live .
  17. Web site: AKA's team tells the story behind making of his magnum opus album 'Mass Country' . 2023-11-10 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA . 7 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231107090620/https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2023-02-24-akas-team-tells-the-story-behind-making-of-his-magnum-opus-album-mass-country/ . live .
  18. Web site: Mabena . Amogelang . 2023-01-10 . AKA Hints A Collaboration With A-Reece For His Upcoming Album "Mass Country" . 2023-11-10 . Zkhiphani . en-US . 10 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230110112109/https://www.zkhiphani.co.za/aka-hints-a-collaboration-with-a-reece-for-his-upcoming-album-mass-country/ . live .
  19. Web site: Gumede . Bongeka . Chepape . Lesego . 27 March 2023 . One Album Two Takes: Mass Country AKA . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230525044240/https://mg.co.za/friday/2023-03-27-one-album-two-takes-mass-country-aka/ . 25 May 2023 . 10 November 2023 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  20. Web site: K.O and Supermega lead #Sama29 nominations with six and seven nods . 10 November 2023 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA . 8 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231108024243/https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2023-10-03-ko-and-supermega-lead-sama29-nominations-with-five-and-six-nods/ . live .
  21. Maako . Compiled by Keitumetse . AKA, K.O lead Sama 2023 nominees as show heads to KZN . 10 November 2023 . Life . en-US . 6 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231006015741/https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/music/aka-ko-lead-sama-2023-nominees-as-show-heads-to-kzn-20231003 . live .
  22. Web site: He's smiling down on us: AKA wins big at the Metro FM Music Awards . 10 November 2023 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA . 31 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231031214706/https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2023-05-07-hes-smiling-down-on-us-aka-wins-big-at-the-metro-fm-music-awards/ . live .
  23. Web site: Nkonki . Anita . 19 November 2023 . AKA bags multiple awards at the SAMA#29 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231123185845/https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/aka-bags-multiple-awards-at-the-sama29-abf7dec1-df90-408e-ab2f-d99e3b587ca7 . 23 November 2023 . 23 November 2023 . . South Africa .
  24. Web site: Darangwa . Shangai . 3 October 2023 . AKA and K.O continue to lead hip hop resurgence with most SAMA29 nominations . 10 November 2023 . Independent Online. South Africa . 6 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106183510/https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/aka-and-ko-continue-to-lead-hip-hop-resurgence-with-most-sama29-nominations-84dda6ec-bcea-4fe4-8892-7ccb8c708dae . live .
  25. Web site: Kabza De Small reigns supreme at #SAMA29 . 2023-11-23 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA . 24 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231124004451/https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2023-11-19-kabza-de-small-reigns-supreme-at-sama29/ . live .
  26. Web site: AKA's posthumous album Mass Country released. 24 February 2023. Music in Africa. 25 February 2023. 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225110737/https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/akas-posthumous-album-mass-country-released. live.

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