# Nadia Nakai

Nadia Nakai Kandava (née Dlamini; born 18 May 1990), is a Zimbabwean-South African rapper and television personality.

## Early life and education

Nakai was born in South Africa. Her father is South African and her mother is Zimbabwean. When she was 16 years old, her surname was changed from her father's to her mother's.
Nakai attended Fourways High School in Johannesburg for a year then finished her schooling in Kenya. She later studied a degree in marketing, communication, and media studies at Monash University, Johannesburg.

## Career
### 2013–2017: Beginnings

Nakai made her first television appearance on the e.tv hip hop show Shiz Niz where she won the Mixtape 101 competition, making her the first female to win the competition. She then rose to prominence in September 2013, when she released her debut single "Like Me". The following year, she was featured on the remix of Riky Rick song, Amantombazane amongst various South African acts. As for June 2015, Nakai released her third single "Saka Wena" featuring rapper Ice Prince, following her second single, "Whatever" featuring DotCom and Psyfo.
In August 2016, Nakai pre-released her single "The Man" featuring Cassper Nyovest from her EP, Bragga. Bragga was then released on 15 September 2016. In November 2017, Nakai released her critically acclaimed single "Naaa Meaan" featuring Cassper Nyovest. The song topped charts in several radio stations in South Africa. On 4 November 2016, she hosted the red carpet special for MTV Africa at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards.

### 2017–2020: Nadia Naked, and Def Jam Africa

In 2019, Nakai co-hosted the MTV Base hip hop show, Yo! MTV Raps South Africa alongside television presenter Siyabonga Ngwekazi. On 3 May 2019, Nakai confirmed that her debut album Nadia Naked would be released on 28 June 2019. On 18 May 2019, "Imma Boss" was released as the third single accompanied by the album's artwork cover. On 15 October 2020, she released a documentary on Showmax about the making of the album Nadia Naked. In May 2020, she signed a record deal with Def Jam Africa.
At the 6th ceremony of AFRIMA, she took-home Best Female Artist award. She was awarded the most stylish performing artist at the 2020 SA Style Awards.

### 2021–present: TV shows

In 2021, Nakai hosted the first season of Channel O's Gen-Z South Africa television show. In June 2021, she left Family Tree Records to pursue her own label. At the 2021 South African Hip Hop Awards, Nakai received a nomination for Artist of the Decade.
In 2022, Nakai appeared on the Netflix original reality show Young, Famous & African.

## Influences

Nakai was inspired by a female Kenyan rapper, Nazizi, who she met while she was staying in Kenya. She said that Nazizi influenced her in starting her rapping career.

## Personal life

She was in a relationship with the late South African rapper AKA.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Category | Result |
| Zimbabwe Achievers Awards | 2016 | Herself | Music Artist of the Year | Won |
| Metro FM Music Awards | 2016 | Baddest (Remix) (with AKA, Fifi Cooper, Rouge & Gigi LaMayne) | Best Remix | Nominated |
| Metro FM Music Awards | 2016 | Do I Like I Do (Remix) (with DJ Sliqe, Riky Rick, Reason, L-Tido, Kwesta & Flabba) | Best Remix | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards | 2018 | Naa Meaan (feat. Cassper Nyovest) (Directed by Family Tree) | Music Video of the Year | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards | 2021 | Nadia Naked | Best Hip Hop Album | Nominated |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2019 | Nadia Naked | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2019 | Herself | Best Female | Won |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2019 | Herself | MVP/Hustler of the Year | Nominated |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2020 | Herself | MVP/Hustler of the Year | Nominated |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2020 | 40 Bars (featuring Emtee & DJ Capital) Directed by Kaykayribane | Best Video | Nominated |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2020 | More Drugs (featuring Tshego) Directed Allesio Bettocchi & Jilten Ramlal | Best Video | Won |
| South African Hip Hop Awards | 2021 | Herself | Artist of the Decade | Nominated |
| All Africa Music Awards | 2019 | Nadia Naked | Album of the Year in Southern Africa | Nominated |
| All Africa Music Awards | 2019 | Herself | Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa | Won |
| All Africa Music Awards | 2019 | Herself | Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Hip Hop | Won |
| SA Style Awards | 2021 | Herself | Most Stylish Performing Artist | Won |
| Basadi in Music Awards | 2023 | Herself | Hip Hop Artist of the Year | Won |

## Discography
### Studio album

Studio album :
| Title | Extended play details |
| Nadia Naked | Released: 28 June 2019 Label: Family Tree Records Format: Digital download |

### Extended Play

Extended play :
| Title | Extended play details |
| Bragga | Released: 15 September 2016 Label: Family Tree Records Format: Digital download |

### Singles
#### As lead artist

List of singles, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Album |
| Title | Year | Album | Certification |
| "Like Me" | 2013 | | |
| "Whatever" (featuring DotCom and Psyfo) | 2014 | | |
| "Saka Wena" (featuring Ice Prince) | 2015 | | |
| "Money Back" | 2016 | | |
| "The Man" (featuring Cassper Nyovest) | 2016 | Bragga | |
| "Don't Cut It" | 2016 | Bragga | |
| "Sqwaa" (featuring Gemini Major and Tshego) | 2016 | | |
| "Naaa Meaan" (featuring Cassper Nyovest) | 2017 | Nadia Naked | |
| "Money Calling" (with Frank Casino) | 2018 | | |
| "Yass Bitch" | 2018 | Nadia Naked | |
| "Imma Boss" | 2019 | Nadia Naked | |
| "Kreatures" (featuring Kwesta & Sio) | 2019 | Nadia Naked | |
| "40 Bars" (featuring Emtee & DJ Capital) | 2020 | Nadia Naked (Deluxe) | |

#### As featured artist

List of featured singles, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Album |
| Title | Year | Album | Certification |
| "Amantombazane Remix" (Riky Rick featuring Okmalumkoolkat, Maggz, Kwesta, Ginger Breadman, Kid X, Nadia Nakai and DJ Dimplez) | 2014 | | RiSA: Gold |
| "Do Like I Do Remix" (DJ Sliqe featuring Riky Rick, L-Tido, Kwesta, Reason, Flabba and Nadia Nakai) | 2015 | Injayam, Vol. 1 | |
| "Sugar Free" (Tumi featuring Nadia Nakai) | 2015 | | |
| "Ragga Ragga" (Gemini Major featuring Cassper Nyovest, Nadia Nakai, Riky Rick and Major League) | 2016 | | |
| "Savage" (DJ Milkshake featuring Da L.E.S,Maggz and Nadia Nakai) | 2016 | | |
| "Crazy" (Spectacular and DJ Naves featuring Floda, Nadia Nakai and DJ Tira) | 2017 | | |
| Isaga Lam (Miss Pru DJ featuring LaSauce, Gigi LaMayne, Nadia Nakai and Londie London) | 2017 | | |
| Uh Huh (Priddy Ugly featuring Nadia Nakai) | 2017 | | |
| Zonke (Phantom Steeze featuring Sjava, AKA, Nadia Nakai,Robot Boii, Buzzi Lee and Mustbedubz) | 2022 | | |