Riky Rick’s ‘Boss Zonke Forever’ posthumous album finally drops – is it worth the hype?

by Nomonde Simelane

Three years after his untimely death, mzansi and the hip-hop community at large can finally get their hands and ears on the highly anticipated posthumous album of the one and only Riky Rick.

Friday, 04 April 2025 marks a bittersweet moment in South African hip-hop history as it is the day Riky Rick’s Forever Boss Zonke posthumous album is made available to the public to feast their ears on. You don’t even have to be a hip-hop fan to know and understand the role and impact that Rikhado Makhado played in the industry, not only did he influence his peers, but also preached the importance of empowering the youth.

Earlier this year, Riky’s family revealed that the project was in the works and would be made available to the public on 4 April 2025. This date was not selected by mistake, but is rather  a significant date as it marks the 10-year anniversary of his debut album Family Values, which went on to have a massive impact in South Africa’s music scene, as it showcased the artist’s uniqueness and versatility.

This latest offering by Riky’s family is more than merely an accumulation of Riky’s songs that he did not get to release while he was alive, but rather a poetic ode to his legacy as his family releases what might be his final offering, on the anniversary of his first.

 

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Although it has been three years since his death, Riky played a significant role in the final outcome of the project, as the tracklist as well as the features were selections made mostly by him. The 17-track project is a direct reflection of his versatility as it includes sombre tracks such as Raindrops, Higher Power and Ndiyabulela, while simultaneously offering head-nodding bangers such as the highly anticipated Cishe Ngaposta, which includes various artists, as well as The Chant featuring Dee Koala and Gemini Major.

Judging from those who have already had a listen to the project, Riky and everyone else involved have come up with something solid, giving power to his famous phrase “We never die, we multiply” as we can foresee the album making its way to people’s daily playlists. Furthermore, Riky has also proven himself to be an innovator when it comes to hip-hop sound and has created something that many youngsters will take inspiration from, as some notable names already have.

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