Riky Rick had an estimated net worth of R30 million ($1.95 million). He was a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur.
In a little over a decade after he began his professional career as a singer and rapper, Riky Rick amassed a net worth comparable to the best in South Africa’s entertainment industry. The KwaMashu-born rapper had a reported net worth of R30 million ($1.95 million) made from ventures in music and business.
Rick released several music projects, from albums to EPs and mixtapes, and was the founder of the popular Cotton Fest, a yearly music festival. Together, these ventures helped Rick to grow his net worth and enabled him to afford a premium car collection.
Riky Rick’s Sources of Income Were Multidimensional
Riky Rick might have been the first to admit that his name does not yet have the continental power of fellow SA rappers like AKA or Cassper Nyovest. Still, his growth as a musician and performer was significantly financially rewarding. From the time he began his career in 2008, the rapper made his money from album and singles sales, live performances, ownership of Cotton Club Records and a Legends Barber franchise, Cotton Fest, and brand endorsements.
Together, these endeavors earned Riky Rick a net worth of R30 million ($1.95 million), and it all began with following his childhood dream in 2008.
He Released Several Music Projects
Riky Rick’s journey to his millionaire status began at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA). Growing up, the songwriter/rapper enjoyed writing music, a passion he developed through his mother who was a musician.
He studied film production at the school, but rather than pursue the film aspect of his education, he opted for music. Riky started developing his music by working with Bongani Fassie. Together, they crafted his sound and style. His first published work was the single, “Barbershop” which featured SA rapper Da L.E.S.
Buoyed by the accomplishment, he continued working, releasing the mixtape, Comeback Kid, in 2011. Eventually, he found fame with the release of “Nafukwa” in 2014. The song was a national hit and sparked the first significant turn on Riky Rick’s road to his considerable net worth.
After he released the song, he published other works, including his debut album, Family Values, in April 2015. The album sold at least 80,000 copies, earning two-times platinum status from the RiSA. Other noteworthy projects in his filmography include Fear The Hunter (With Trinity), Scooby Snacks, and Stay Shining.
Beyond a successful body of work, Riky Rick’s net worth also benefited from a couple of hit singles. After “Nafukwa”, he recorded another hit track, “Amantombazane”, and “Boss Zonke“. The latter peaked at number 3 on the SA Hip Hop Top Ten List. It also dominated other South African music charts for 12 weeks, earning multiple plays on several leading radio stations. Other hit songs include “Oh Lord”, “Bandz Over Fans and Family”, “Sidlukotini”, and “Stay Shining”.
Riky Rick Was the Founder of the Cotton Club Records Label
For Riky Rick, music was not just a means to achieve a massive net worth. It was also a means for him to contribute to society, and so he founded the record label Cotton Records in February 2018. He founded the label in partnership with the fashion retailer, RHTC, to identify and develop growing artists in South Africa.
Following that he, Rick released the EP Stay Shinning and the mixtape, Fear The Hunter (With Trinity) under its banner. Releasing and owning his published records under his own banner gave Riky a larger share of the music revenue pie. He also had an international distribution partnership with Sony Music Entertainment Africa, which further improved his earning power.
He Also Founded Cotton Fest and Was the Owner of a Legends Barber Franchise
Beyond making music and its in-built revenue models, Riky Rick sought to leverage his brand for his entrepreneurship interests. The result of this was two thriving ventures; Cotton Fest and Legends Barber. The former is a music festival that combines his passions; fashion and music. It brings various parts of SA pop culture under one event and features influencers, celebrities, musicians, and other creatives. Cotton Fest began in 2019 and grew to the point of fetching Riky and his team sizeable fortunes in revenue.
His other venture was Legends Barber, the popular mobile barbershop founded by Sheldon Tatchell. The barbershop, renowned as the barber to stars, found widespread popularity among SA’s young and old. It also had a presence in Botswana.
Eager to diversify his income sources, the rapper invested in a franchise, opening a branch in Waterfall, Midrand in 2019. The exact figures remain undisclosed, but it was a substantial source of Riky Rick’s net worth, more than one year after.
Brand Endorsements
Thank you @Vaselineza for allowing me to be part of this journey!!! GOD IS BRILLIANT 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 #STARTSTRONG pic.twitter.com/1PPgBCgXaT
— MR MAKHADO (@rikyrickworld) April 12, 2017
When you are as famous and beloved as Riky Rick, brands partner with you to market their products. Because Riky became a certified music and pop culture star in South Africa, he had his share of brand endorsements. One of his leading partnerships was with the cognac brand, Remy Martin.
He also had other partnerships with Vaseline Men, becoming the face of the brand’s StartStrong campaign in 2017. He also worked with Rolex and Nike. Together, they boosted his financial status and his brand as a legitimate music star.
Recap of All His Sources of Income
- His Music Career – Album and Singles Sales; Live Performances
- Cotton Club Records
- Legends Barber
- Franchise Ownership
- Cotton Fest
- Brand Endorsements
Riky Rick Built an Enviable Car Collection Thanks To His Net Worth of R30 Million
Making a lot of money through his business and creative pursuits did not only enable Riky to expand his investment portfolio but also to indulge his desires. Over the years, the rapper built a luxury car collection worth over R5 million ($325.4 thousand).
The cars in his garage include a Mercedes Benz G Wagon and a Ferrari. The mid-size four-wheel drive luxury SUV G Wagon was painted in one of Rick’s favorite colors, white with silver accents. His Ferrari also had the same color, and so did his Mercedes AMG G-Class, which he bought for a yet to be disclosed figure.
Aside from the three, he also owned a black Porsche, which he bought for R1.5 million ($97.6 thousand). The car had the Cotton Fest logo imprint, with darkened wheels.
Despite his vast collection, Riky was not the most materialistic rapper out there. However, he still managed to show off his collection to the delight of his fans and admirers. Asides from his toys, he also made significant investments in his family.
He Owned a Fancy House With His Wife
In December 2015, Riky Rick splashed the cash on his dream house. His friend Cassper Nyovest broke the news on social media celebrating the rapper’s new acquisition. The cost of the purchase remains undisclosed. We know, however, it is in Waterfall, an upscale area that is expansive.
Riky Rick lived there with his wife, Bianca Naidoo, whom he married in 2013, and their children; Malik Daniel Makhado and Jordan included. Riky never offered a detailed house tour but based on videos and photos from inside the house, we got some clues.
We know the house has multiple rooms, a large living room, and a garage for his luxury cars. It also has wooden floor architecture and it has at least two floors, with large glass walls. Outside of a luxurious abode and wheels to move his family from place to place, Riky Rick also spent some of his net worth taking his family on exotic vacations.
