Riky Rick
{{short description|South African rapper (1987–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Riky Rick
| image = Riky Rick (2020) (cropped).png
| caption = Makhado in 2020
| birth_name = Rikhado Makhado
| birth_date = {{birth date|1987|7|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|2|23|1987|7|20|df=y}}
| death_place = Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| alias = {{hlist|King Kotini|Boss Zonke}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- actor
- record producer
- entrepreneur
- television personality
- media personality
}}
| education = Hilton College
| spouse = {{marriage|Bianca Naidoo|2013|2022}}
| children = 2
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| instrument = Vocals
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| label =
{{Plainlist|
- Cotton Club Records
- Makhado Makhado Agency
- Sony Music
}}
}}
| website = {{URL|rikyrickworld.com}}
}}
Rikhado Makhado (20 July 1987 {{endash}} 23 February 2022), known professionally as Riky Rick, was a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. He was also the founder and owner of record label Cotton Club Records{{cite web|url=https://sahiphopmag.co.za/2018/02/riky-rick-launches-cotton-club-records/|title=Riky Rick Launches Cotton Club Record|website=SA Hip Hop Mag|date=26 February 2018}} and a member of Boyz N Bucks and he's well known for his hit song Boss Zonke from his album Family Values.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysun.co.za/News/Entertainment/boyz-n-bucks-are-back-with-a-new-song-20180710|title=BOYZ N BUCKS ARE BACK WITH A NEW SONG|website=Daily Sun}}
He came into the limelight between 2009 and 2010, when he dropped mixtapes such as The Comeback Kid and Last Summer with Da L.E.S.
Life and career
= 1987{{endash}}2014: Early life and early career =
Rikhado Chifaro Makhado was born on 20 July 1987. He was raised in KwaMashu township near Durban, Natal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afda.co.za/article/1259/ALUMNI-OF-THE-WEEK-131-Riky-Rick/|title=ALUMNI OF THE WEEK # 131 Riky Rick | AFDA Film School|website=www.afda.co.za|access-date=4 July 2020|archive-date=4 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704182649/https://www.afda.co.za/article/1259/ALUMNI-OF-THE-WEEK-131-Riky-Rick/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/riky-rick-one-most-esteemed-south-african-hip-hop-artists-born|title=Riky Rick, one of the most esteemed South African hip hop artists is born | South African History Online|website=www.sahistory.org.za}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ecr.co.za/east-coast-breakfast-darren-maule/listen-rapper-riky-ricks-rise-to-stardom/|title=Listen: Rapper Riky Rick's rise to stardom|website=ECR}} His childhood friends described him as a creative individual who was entrepreneurial, kind and artistically gifted, even at a young age.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Makhado's music career actually began at a recording studio session with Bongani Fassie, son of the "African queen of Afropop" Brenda Fassie.{{Cite news |last=Naidoo |first=Latashia |author-link=East Coast Radio (South Africa) |date=3 November 2016 |title=Happy birthday, Ma Brrr! |url=https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/happy-birthday-ma-brrr/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106181220/https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/happy-birthday-ma-brrr/ |archive-date=6 January 2024 |access-date=6 January 2024 |work=East Coast Radio}} It was by Fassie's side that Makhado was inspired to make his own music.{{Cite web|title = Introducing Ricky Rick|url = http://drum.co.za/celebs/getting-to-know-ricky-rick/|website = DRUM|access-date = 10 February 2016}} That is when he released his first single "Barbershop" featuring Da L.E.S.{{Cite web|title = Barbershop|url = http://channelo.dstv.com/2011/05/riky-rick-ft-da-l-e-s-barbershop/|website = channel O|access-date = 10 February 2016}}
= 2015{{endash}}2022: ''Family Values'', ''Scooby Snacks'' EP =
His single Fok Julle Naaiers (Nafukwa) which was released in 2014, won an MTV Africa Music Award for Video of the Year.
On 3 April 2015, his debut studio album Family Values was released and received positive reviews from music critics.{{cite web|title=Riky Rick Drops Family Values Debut Album – Online Youth Magazine {{!}} Zkhiphani |date=3 April 2015|url=https://www.zkhiphani.co.za/riky-rick-drops-family-values-debut-album/|publisher=Zkhiphani|access-date=3 April 2015}} It featured guest appearances from Cassper Nyovest, Okmalumkoolkat, Zano and Black Motion. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) with sales of over 50 000 units.{{cite web|title=Riky Rick's Family Values goes platinum! |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2016-06-14-riky-ricks-family-values-goes-platinum/|publisher=Times LIVE| access-date=14 June 2016}} Its success saw him nominated for eight South African Hip-Hop Awards (SAHHAs) that year, more than any other artist.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Family Values remains his only studio album to date. It was released and made available for purchase on iTunes by Makhado Makhado Agency on 3 April 2015.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
On 24 April 2014, his single "Sondela", featuring Zano, was released, which was dedicated to his beloved wife Bianca.{{Cite web|title = Sondela|url = http://blacknation.co.za/music-video-riky-rick-sondela-ft-zano/|website = Blacknation|access-date = 10 February 2016}} On 28 October 2014, the smash hit Boss Zonke was released, which peaked at number 3 on the SA Hip Hop Top Ten List.{{cite web|title=Boss Zonke goes viral!|date=28 October 2014|url=https://www.zkhiphani.co.za/boss-zonke-goes-viral/| publisher=Zkhiphani}}
One of the most popular tracks on the tracklist "Amantombazane" led to the "Amantombazane Remix" which featured fellow South African recording artists OkMalumKoolKat, Maggz, Kwesta, Ginger Breadman, Kid X, Nadia Nakai and DJ Dimplez.{{Cite web |date=6 June 2014 |title=Amantombazane |url=http://www.okayafrica.com/video/riky-rick-okmalumkoolkat-amantombazane-remix-video/ |access-date=10 February 2016 |website=Okayafrica}} The track was nominated for Remix of the Year at the 2015 South African Music Awards (SAMAs).
In June 2016, his single "Sidlukotini" was released.{{Cite web |title=Riky Rick – Sidlukotini Music Video |url=https://360musicnghq.co/video-riky-rick-sidlukotini/ |access-date=26 June 2016 |website=360musicnghq.co |language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} "Sidlukotini" directly translates to "We are eating cotton" in Zulu. This song spoke to Makhado's love for fashion. For Sidlukotini, he won Best Hit Single at the 2016 Metro FM Music Awards, an award ceremony that infamously saw him take to the stage and criticise the awards for being rigged before encouraging upcoming musicians to forget the radio and make their songs "pop on the internet".{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
He left independent record label Mabala Noise shortly after the awards.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} He then released the Scooby Snacks EP that features only one artist, Frank Casino. It includes the tracks "Oh Lord", "Bandz Over Fans" and "Family" (featuring Frank Casino).{{Cite web |date=25 May 2017 |title=Riky Rick Releases Three New Songs Called Scooby Snacks |url=http://hiphopza.com/riky-rick-releases-three-new-songs-called-scooby-snacks/ |access-date=15 June 2017 |website=Hiphopza.com |language=en-US |archive-date=26 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226210733/https://hiphopza.com/riky-rick-releases-three-new-songs-called-scooby-snacks/ |url-status=dead }} He followed up his growing body of work when he released "Buy It Out" on 15 September 2017.{{Cite web |title=Riky Rick – Buy It Out |url=https://360musicnghq.co/riky-rick-buy/ |access-date=16 September 2017 |website=360musicnghq.co |language=en-US}} Just a year later, he released a new EP, Stay Shining, through a licensing deal between his new label Cotton Club Records and Sony Music Entertainment Africa.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
In November 2018, he announced his first concert called "Cotton Fest", which he personally headlined on 2 February 2019.{{cite web |date=11 September 2019 |title=Riky Rick Presents Cotton Fest 2019 |url=https://www.joburg.co.za/riky-rick-cotton-fest-2019/ |website=Joburg }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In an interview in 2019, Riky described the festival as being "... for us, by us, for the people, for everybody. It's not about me. It's not a one-man show."{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
Personal life
In early 2010, Makhado met his wife Bianca Naidoo in Sandton. She had a daughter from a previous relationship.{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/drum/celebs/news/from-the-archives-riky-ricks-family-values-20220225|title=From the archives: Riky Rick's family values|last=Kumona|first=Molife|website=News24|date=25 February 2022|access-date=1 March 2022}} After close to three years of dating, the couple got married in 2013. About a year later, they welcomed their first child together, a son.{{Cite web |last=Ngcobo |first=Nokuthula |date=2022-03-22 |title=Late rapper Riky Rick's son Maik celebrates first birthday without father |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/breaking-riky-rick-son-maik-makhado-birthday-bianca-naidoo-suicide-depression-sondela-photos/ |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}}
In 2020, in an interview with rapper Yanga Chief on his Lab Live YouTube series, Makhado opened up about his suicidal past.{{Citation |title=LAB LIVE #6 - YANGA CHIEF on God, uTatakho, Growing Up and SAMA 26. | date=8 September 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UMIxKoasko |access-date=2023-11-16 |language=en}} After battling alcohol and drug addiction in his youth, he practiced sobriety after going through a difficult time.{{Cite web|title = Riky Rick gets personal|url = http://www.channel24.co.za/The-Juice/WATCH-Riky-Rick-opens-up-about-his-struggles-20150510|website = channel24|access-date = 10 February 2016}}
Death
Makhado died on 23 February 2022 in Johannesburg, aged 34. The cause of death was reported as suicide by hanging after a lengthy battle with depression.{{Cite news |date=4 March 2022 |title=Riky Rick: South African rap star who died aged 34 |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60575866 |access-date=4 March 2022}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected information ! scope="col" style="width:11em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:18em;" | Album details !Certification |
| scope="row" |Family Values{{Cite web|title = ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Riky Rick – Family Values {{!}} YoMzansi™ BLOG {{!}}|url = http://www.yomzansi.com/2015/04/07/album-of-the-week-riky-rick-family-values/|website = YoMzansi™ BLOG {{!}} HIGHEST GRADE SOURCE of SA Entertainment News|date = 6 April 2015|access-date = 25 October 2015}}
|
|RISA: Platinum{{cite certification|region=South Africa|access-date=29 July 2021}} |
|---|
| Boss Zonke
Forever |
|TBA |
= EPs =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of extended plays, with selected information ! scope="col" style="width:11em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:18em;" | Album details !Certification |
| scope="row" |Scooby Snacks EP
|
| |
|---|
| scope="row" |Stay Shining EP
|
|
| scope="row" |Ungazincishi
|
| |
= Mixtapes =
- Comeback Kid (2011)
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Awards !Category !Results !{{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
| 2020
|KZN Entertainment Awards |Best Male Award |{{nom}} | |
| rowspan="3"|2021
|rowspan="3"|South African Hip Hop Awards | Best Collaboration | {{won}} |
| Artist of the Decade
| {{nom}} |
| MVP/Hustler of the Year
| {{won}} |