The late Riky Rick's fans heaped high praises on Durban-based sculptor Lungelo Gumede, for honouring the rapper with a wax statue, but his family was not impressed with his move.
Read More Riky Rick's Family Angered By His Statue
Read More Riky Rick's Family Angered By His Statue
According to Daily Sun the statue has since been vandalized by the sculpture after he being ordered by the family to take it down. The statue caught the attention of many people across the country after the musician's passing. Riky died on Wednesday, 23 February at age 34 after reportedly committing suicide.
Many people flocked to the Bat Centre in Durban to catch a glimpse of it and the family was seething. They felt it was too soon for Lungelo to make it while they are still mourning the death of the rapper. Following their order, Lungelo decided to wrap it in brown paper and hindered Riky's fans from viewing it.
Taking to his Facebook account he said he had stored it safely and hoped that soon he would unveil it but, this did happen, "I received a call from Ricky's family to take the Statue out of display and also from my social media platforms, as they feel its too soon to have his Wax Statue displayed for public. They asked me to give them some time to mourn they will let me know when the time is right to unveil the Statue... I'm writing this post just to caution those that have shared my previous post of Ricky's Statue that his family is not happy with the Wax Statue for now. Not that the Satue as the piece of Art is bad...but its the whole concept of having the Wax Statue displayed in Public... I have wrapped it and stored it safely till further notice."
Instead, According to the paper Riky Rick's brother threatened him to take it down, accusing him of even benefitting from it. Lungelo has denied the claims saying people viewed it free and it cost him R60 000 to make it.
"It cost me about R60 000 to make the statue. I made it out of love for Riky Rick and art. I felt threatened ad I couldn't take it anymore. So stop the threats, I decided to destroy the statue. It took me about a week to make it and only a few minutes to destroy it," he told the paper.
Lungelo on the other hand told the publication that he does not understand why the family is denying him the honour to pay respect to the late rapper while Big Zulu recorded a tribute song for him.
"They allowed Big Zulu to record a tribute song for him. They also allowed Rasta to draw him at his funeral. Why shouldn't I be allowed to do my work on him as an artist? I fail to understand. But maybe they felt the wax statue was real when they saw it on social media. When one looks at the wax statue, it's like they are looking at the real him. It feels like he is still alive."
Meanwhile the family says he should not compare himself to Big Zulu because the native rapper had worked with Riky before and they had a relationship outside of work.
Image Cred: Twitter
Meanwhile the family says he should not compare himself to Big Zulu because the native rapper had worked with Riky before and they had a relationship outside of work.
Image Cred: Twitter