Riky Rick’s Close Friend Stilo Magolide Speaks Out on His Tragic Death: “I Always Expected It”
- Stilo Magolide opened up about Riky Rick's passing on the 3rd Element of Hip Hop Podcast
- In the interview, Stilo Magolide explained why he expected Riky Rick to take his own life
- A clip of Stilo Magolide's comments sparked a heated discussion online, with some social media users suggesting he knew more than he was revealing
Source: Instagram
Rapper Stilo Magolide has opened up about the death of his close friend Riky Rick, saying he wasn’t surprised by the tragic way the rapper passed away. His comments sparked a heated online debate.
Rikhado Muziwendlovu Makhado, better known as Riky Rick, took his own life on 23 February 2022. The Boss Zonke hitmaker was one of the most influential figures in South African hip hop, and a member of his Boyz n Bucks creative collective, alongside Stilo Magolide and many others.
Stilo Magolide opens up about Riky Rick's death
During an episode of the 3rd Element of Hip Hop Podcast that premiered on YouTube on Friday, 24 October 2025, Stilo Magolide told the host, DJ Lemonka, why he was not surprised that Riky Rick took his own life.
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Stilo Magolide said he always expected Riky Rick to pass away in the manner he did because he was someone who wanted to live life on his own terms.
“I did believe it. I wasn't shocked. I was more like, ‘Oh snap. I didn't expect it to come this soon, but I always expected it.’ No, no, no. Like just the type of person he was, you know. The type of person he was always, I've always known, like this is the type of person he is. Like, he's the type of person who was always gonna go out on his own terms. Everything was gonna be in his own terms, like everything in his life was always gonna be in his own terms. That's why the way he went out wasn't like a shock to me. It wasn't like, oh, what was going on, or, you know?” Stilo Magolide shared.
He emphasised that while he wasn’t surprised, Riky Rick’s death still hurt him deeply. Stilo said he was disappointed that those close to Riky didn’t see the signs or convince him to keep going.
“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, like, we have a little bit more time. There’s things to do, you know? Because at the time, like we were always close, we would always speak, but we wouldn't hang out all the time like before, you know?” Stilo Magolide added.
Watch the video below:
SA reacts as Stilo Magolide speaks on Riky Rick's passing
His comments about Riky Rick’s death sparked speculation on Facebook after blogger Mzansi Pod Clips shared a snippet of his interview on Sunday, 9 November 2025.
Here are some of the comments:
Sanele speculated:
“Stilo wanted to say something, but chose not to. There's some critical information about Ricky's death that Stilo knows about. He was about to spill it, but chose not to.”
Willow B Willow claimed:
“I mean, Riky talked a lot in that ‘Family Values’ album.”
Risenga Baloyi shared:
“I've quietly questioned if perhaps pressure from the amount of flexing he used to do didn't contribute to him making that decision. He shone really bright, but it also came across as him constantly trying to prove himself/gcwalisela abantu, and that can take its toll on a person. RIP to him!”
Sphosihle Leon Gomba alleged:
“Peeps, Ricky once said in an interview, he expected to die at 25. The years he lived past 25 were just for the people around him.”
Abongile Pops Tshila said:
“He is holding back information. He knows the depths of Riky.”
Source: Instagram
Riky Rick hits milestone with Boss Zonke Forever
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Riky Rick's posthumous album, Boss Zonke Forever, became a massive streaming success following its release on 4 April 2025.
Apart from raking in millions of streams in its first week, Boss Zonke Forever also became a chart-topping success. Fans and hip-hop musicians showed their love for the late Riky Rick, who continues to influence the culture posthumously.
Source: Briefly News
