The passing of local rapper Riky Rick has left many of his fans and ordinary South Africans heartbroken and in disbelief.
The local artist is one of the most talented musical acts that Mzansi has had. He was a true cultural innovator with his reach going beyond music.
His passing was confirmed in statement issued to the media.
He died in Johannesburg in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
His catalogue is filled with classics that have infectious lyrics. His music has trailblazed across Mzansi charts and helped shape street culture.
The rapper burst onto the music scene when he dropped the smash hit “Amantombazana” with OkMalumeKoolKat.
The song was later remixed and featured several Mzansi acts. The song was hugely successful and put South African hip hop on the map.
His 2015 hit “Boss Zonke” had the streets singing that infectious chorus. “Boss zonke, boss noLnke Akanandaba, unehaba KwaMashu naseMlazi Umswenko bayamazi…”
When one thinks of the “Boss Zonke” hitmaker it’s hard not to think of his 2016 hit “Sidlukhotini”, a cultural anthem that solidified the rapper's place in local hip hop.
Not only did the song show off his immense talent on the song but also his fashion sense. He is a “cotton eater” after all, and the song was him flexing about his great drop.
It’s quite surprising that Riky has actually never dropped an album. He instead opted to drop an EP in 2017 called “Stay Shining”.
The EP contains several hits with the most notable being “Stay Shining”, featuring Cassper Nyovest, Professor, Major League and Alie Keyz.
Riky Rick’s presence in the music industry has always been felt, even when he didn’t drop any music. His feature verses gained fame for doing the things. Riky was certainly known for bringing the heat.
His vocals on Major League DJz track “Zulu Girls” are unforgettable! He had everyone chanting “Oh, I love a Zulu girl”.
He did the most with his verse on Big Zulu’s smash hit “Imali” and showed his versatility on the viral song.
He may have created a name for himself in hip hop but the rapper was versatile. He showed this with his 2020 amapiano banger “Ungazincishi” in collaboration with Tyler ICU and Focalistic.
It’s hard to name Riky’s best song. We could say it’s his most played on Spotify, which is “Ungazincishi”, but then let’s face facts - each fan will have his or her own personal best when it comes to MaRicardo, Boss Zonke.