Riky Rick, One of South Africa’s most famous rappers  took his own life at the age of 34

Real name Rikhado Makhado, Riky Rick, grew up in KwaMashu – a township created for black people in the coastal city of Durban by the white-minority regime that ruled until Nelson Mandela’s ascent to power in 1994.

Rest in Eternal Peace Young Soldier💔🤴🏿, and Thank You for Your Art, Life, Love and Passion, you were one of the Real Ones…#TilliDie #RickyRick RIP 🕊 pic.twitter.com/EOptg1X7dE

— Yaaqov Yisrael (@Jamaleric) February 23, 2022

Few knew then that he had been struggling for years with depression. Fellow musician Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, shared an emotional post on Instagram about the mental health of South African men.

“I hope that very soon we can address the issue of how damaged and broken the men in this country are.”We have no-one to talk to, we just pat each other on the back and say ‘get on with it, be strong my boi’ … but in reality, we are traumatised. Generational trauma passed down to us,” he said.

At 03.20 on 23 February Riky Rick sent out his last tweet:

I’ll return a stronger man. This land is still my home.

— MR MAKHADO (@rikyrickworld) February 23, 2022

He leaves behind a wife and two children, a successful music career, a legion of fans and artists whom he was mentoring.