'Riky was everything I wanted to be' — Cassper speaks at Riky Rick memorial

Rapper Cassper Nyovest admitted — as he spoke at Riky Rick's memorial service — how Riky's persistence led to them burying the hatchet. Cassper said Riky — perhaps knowing his plans — forced him to talk to him about reconciliation.

The Tito Mboweni hitmaker opened up about how he and Riky met on Facebook and hit it off because of their love for music. On Tuesday, at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, where “cotton eaters” came together to celebrate Riky Rick's life.

“Riky and I met on Facebook. The same way Riky Rick reached out to all the kids. At one point I was also just another kid from Maftown and it wasn't really easy to move in Johannesburg, but he still had the time for me and he did that for hundreds of people after me.

“I then ended up forming a relationship with him, a friendship where we would not only talk about music but we would talk about life. One of the things that I loved about Riky was how honest he was. Riky would tell you the truth,” he said.

Cassper smiled as he told the story of how, after buying his first Bentley and trying to show off, Riky Rick politely shut him down, telling him that model was not “the one”. He said even though his feelings were hurt at the time, he was simultaneously inspired to work harder so he get the right one — by Riky's standards.

The rapper admitted that he regretted not telling Riky how much he loved one of his latest videos, where he sings, Sondela.

“I loved hearing Riky sing. I loved hearing him sing, more than him rapping. I always encouraged him to sing.”

“Me and him were not on the greatest of terms, even though we were speaking. One of the things I regret was that I wasn't able to tell him how much I loved that video and how much I loved hearing him sing again.”

Cassper laughed as he reflected on how handsome Riky was.

“Riky was one of my idols. Riky was everything I wanted to be. One of the things I never told him — I don't know if it's because of toxic masculinity or what — was the fact that I really said he was such a beautiful man ... Riky was so handsome that, even as a guy, you'd have that said that 'Hayi man! The broer is too much!'

“Not only was his appearance beautiful but he was a beautiful soul.”

In wrapping up, Cassper said he felt Riky was misunderstood and was criticised too much.

“It's so crazy that now, everyone is cheering Riky on for the things that he did, but while he was alive he didn't get that love.”

Cassper thanked Riky's wife Bianca for her love for Riky and his family for sharing Riky with the world.

Watch the memorial here: