The eternal legacy of Riky Rick

The rapper's final album, released after his death, is a celebration of the transformative power of music

- Lesego Chepape

There are a handful of artists whose impact transcends time, space and even their physical presence.

They become more than just musicians; they become symbols of culture, of belief, of hope.

Rikhado Makhado, better known to the world as Riky Rick, is one of those artists. His influence remains potent, even in the wake of his death.

He was a trailblazer, a top lyricist, and a champion of the youth. His music, his words and his unwavering spirit continue to shape and inspire, even after he left us too soon.

Riky Rick died by suicide on 23 February 2023 at the age of 34.

Last Thursday, I found myself in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, sitting in a room filled with palpable energy, listening to the sounds of Riky Rick's posthumously released album Boss Zonke Forever.

This was my first real engagement with the depth of his impact and I went into the experience with no expectations. The moment was both powerful and introspective.

The event was a silent listening party, an unconventional format where each attendee is given a pair of headphones, and instead of a loud communal experience, everyone listens to the music in silence together but alone.

At first, the whole idea struck me as odd, but as soon as the music began, the magic became clear.

You could feel the collective respect and love for Riky Rick, each person engrossed in their own interpretation of his final creation.

I tried to blend into the crowd but the room was full of hip-hop heads intense, passionate people who seem to carry the weight of their genre's culture on their shoulders.

Feeling slightly out of place, I retreated to a quiet corner. And then, in the shadows of my solitude, a man wearing oversized clothes materialised beside me, sighing deeply as if carrying a burden only those who understood the depth of Riky's influence could bear.