Stilo Magolide says he wasn’t shocked by Riky Rick’s tragic death

Stilo Magolide on Riky Rick’s death

Rapper Stilo Magolide has reflected on the heartbreaking passing of his close friend, Riky Rick, revealing that while the news devastated him, it didn’t come as a complete surprise.

During his appearance on The 3rd Element of Hip Hop Podcast with DJ Lemonka, Stilo opened up about the late Boss Zonke hitmaker’s death and shared why he had long sensed that Riky might one day take his own life.

“I did believe it. I wasn’t shocked,” Stilo said. “I was more like, ‘Oh snap. I didn’t expect it to come this soon, but I always expected it.’ Just the type of person he was, you know? He was always someone who wanted to live life on his own terms. Everything he did was his way.”

Riky Rick, whose real name was Rikhado Muziwendlovu Makhado, took his life on February 23, 2022.

The award-winning rapper was one of the most influential figures in South African hip hop and a founding member of the Boyz n Bucks collective, which included Stilo Magolide and several other big names in the culture.

Reflecting on the loss, Stilo explained that while Riky’s passing didn’t surprise him, it still left a deep emotional scar.

“I was just more disappointed that maybe the people around him at the time didn’t have the strength to hold him much longer or convince him that we still had more time,” he said. “There’s things to do, you know?”

A short clip from the interview quickly went viral, sparking intense conversations online.

Some social media users praised Stilo for his honesty and vulnerability, while others speculated that he might know more about Riky Rick’s final days than he revealed.