South African artist Riky Rick (34) commits suicide.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African hip-hop artist Rikhado Muziwendlovu Makhado, known as Riky Rick, committed suicide after suffering from depression and hanging himself in his home in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning. He was 34.

Sunday World reported that the singer committed suicide at his estate home in the north of Johannesburg and was found hanging with a rope at 08:30 this morning. He was still alive but died on the way to hospital.

Riky Rick, who was born and raised in KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal, was the founder and owner of the Cotton Club Records record label and was one of the coaches during the third season of The Voice South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) in 2019.

Riky Rick was married to Bianca Naidoo and they had 2 children. His debut studio album Family Values in 2015 went platinum after he released his single "Nafukwa" in 2014. 

Riky Rik appeared as himself with several guest appearances across various TV shows over the past couple of years, including Zazizwa, and as a guest judge in The Hustle. 

The singer-songwriter played the character of Mandelic in Isibaya on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and was Smash in e.tv's Rhythm City.  

After years of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction in his youth, Riky said that he was practising sobriety.

■ If you or someone you know needs help with suicide, anxiety or depression, call the South African Depression and Anxiety Group's 24-hour helpline at 0800 456 789 or 011 234 4837 or the Whatsapp chat number 076 882 2775, the Suicide Crisis helpline at 0800 12 13 14, or Lifeline SA at 0861 322 322. 

REVIEW. Third season of The Voice South Africa on M-Net less jack-in-the-box, more tempered; just as much fun as before.

The third season of The Voice South Africa starting on M-Net (DStv 101) on Sunday, 3 February at 17:30 with a rebroadcast Mondays at 20:00 on VUZU (DStv 116) has somewhat less in-show exuberance, the new collection of coaches are less jack-in-the-box, but it doesn’t mean that the reality singing competition isn’t still as much fun and enjoyable to watch.

With both the well-liked swivel-chair music matriarch Karen Zoid, the bouncy and easily excitable puppy-dog like Bobby van Jaarveld, as well as Kahn Morbee gone, and replaced by Riana Nel, Riky Rick and Francois van Coke, with Anele Mdoda replacing the previous presenters, the third season of The Voice SA is more tempered in tone yet still a fun and joy-tension will-they-or-won’t-they viewing experience.

The more mature poise of songstress Lira – the sole returning coach – seems to rub off on her fellow red chaired coaches who are less jumpy, less showy, taking more time to actually listen during the blind auditions.

Unconsciously it’s now very clear that the coaches – although all competing against each other – are now taking their cues from Lira as the queen bee in the new pecking order.

Counter-intuitively but a positive format change, is that the coaches no longer turn at the end if none of them turned. It spares and cuts out the obligatory schmaltz when coaches have to give a pandering “soft-landing” goodbye to people who didn’t make it.

Anele Mdoda is a great addition as new presenter, wonderfully emoting without coming across as insincere, behind-the-scenes with parents and family members of singers. 

Often too stressed to visibly react, Anele Mdoda picks up the slack on their behalf as a well-fused version of the British Ant and Dec and how they visually and cleverly emote backstage at Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

Problematic are the multiple scrapes, marks, and dull surface bits on the supposed high-gloss black stage that are constantly visible in panning shots and detract visually from what is supposed to be a premium, high-definition show. Was the amended stage chunks simply taken out of storage and plonked down with no meticulous producer look-over and touch-ups?

Some other slight format changes are coming, for instance where and how the battle round fit in, but The Voice SA in its third season remain sparkling as a Sunday night TV outing.

While it probably won’t worry or be noticed by ordinary viewers, it’s off-putting that the producers and editors ae deliberately slo-mo’ing the studio audience reaction during performances. While singers sing and perform at normal speed, their backstage walk-in and audience shots are slowed down. 

It’s slightly jarring since a purported reality competition show at least has to present the appearance of unaltered “reality".

As before the performers’ emotional video backstories are well crafted, “wow”-moments are done to great effect, and the on-stage band and musical instruments actually functional in showing how much of a difference a live on-stage band can make to a show like this (“Do you want to use one of their guitars?”).

Third season of The Voice: SA on M-Net sees a change in the line-up of coaches with Riana Nel, Riky Rick and Francois van Coke joining Lira in the red swivel chairs.

M-Net (DStv 101) has announced that singers Riana Nel, Rikhado Makhado (stage name: Riky Rick), Lira and Francois Badenhorst (stage name: Francois van Coke) will be the 4 new coaches for the upcoming 3rd season of The Voice South Africa that will broadcast from Sunday, 3 February 2019 at 17:30.

The pre-recorded Blind Auditions episodes will be filmed from 21 November at the new Urban Brew Studios in front of a live audience, with The Voice SA that has switched production to BlackSwanMedia who are using the expertise of several independent service providers.

Lira is the only remaining coach from the previous seasons of The Voice SA, with the Afrikaans gospel and country singer Riana Nel, the flamboyant male rapper Riky Rick and the Afrikaans rock singer Francois van Coke replacing Karen Zoid, Bobby van Jaarsveld and Kahn Morbee in the red swivel chairs.

"Our new coaches are all movers and shakers in their own spheres, and the mix of unique personalities will bring a whole new chemistry to the show," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

"At the same time, they're building on the legacy of the superb season 1 and 2 coaches."