Nasty C Reflects On His Verse For AKA’s ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’: “I Didn’t Think I Could Do It.” In a recent interview with Heart FM, South African rapper Nasty C shared an interesting backstory about his verse on AKA’s hit song ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’—and how, at first, he almost backed out.
The Durban-born lyricist admitted that the beat was unfamiliar territory for him, making it one of the most challenging collaborations of his career. Nasty C revealed that he initially struggled to find his rhythm on the song. After AKA sent it to him, he spent weeks trying to figure out his approach.
“To me, it was like, yo, this sound is very you, and it’s not me at all. I don’t know how to…” he recalled. After a week of wrestling with it, he even called AKA to express his doubts. “I was like, yo bro, I don’t think I can do this one.”
But despite his hesitation, Nasty C eventually found a way to merge his style with the beat, delivering a standout verse that fans would later praise. Though they weren’t in the studio together, Nasty C acknowledged that AKA played a role in shaping his performance.
“I think he definitely played a part, but it wasn’t in real-time because we weren’t in the studio together,” he explained. This revelation adds another layer to the track’s legacy, showing how even in a long-distance collaboration, AKA’s presence still influenced the final product.
‘Lemons (Lemonade)’ went on to become a major success, solidifying itself as one of the standout tracks from AKA’s final years. Looking back, it’s clear that Nasty C’s persistence paid off, proving that even when outside his comfort zone, he can still rise to the occasion. What started as a challenge became a moment of growth—and ultimately, a hit.
