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A TATTOO on her arm is her way of feeling close to the husband who was ripped suddenly from her life nearly a year ago.
The inkwork is of one of her favourite pictures of him: his fingers are covering one eye, his hands are adorned with rings and he’s wearing chains around his neck.
She thinks of him every time she sees the image, remembering the loving father he was, the caring husband, the driven musician, the caring soul who worked hard to cultivate and support new talent.
Her two children are also constant reminders of him, Bianca Naidoo says, and of the family unit they once cherished.
Yet, while Riky Rick’s death has left a gaping hole in their lives, the 40-year-old mom of two is working hard to preserve his legacy and it’s helping to fill the void.
She’s involved with organising Cotton Fest, the festival the rapper founded in 2019 to celebrate up-and-coming artists, which will be held in Johannesburg on 4 February.
Bianca has also helped to revamp Legends Barbershop, Riky’s salon franchise.
“We’ve been able to celebrate his 35 years of life,” she says.
“I’m grateful to my family and for being able to do the first Cotton Fest in Cape Town [in December last year]. I ’m grateful for an amazing team that understand his vision, and who respect and understand me.”
Despite her heartache and workload, Bianca greets us with a warm hug and a big smile when she welcomes us to her home in Waterfall, Midrand.
She’s just collected kids Jordan (14) and Maik (8) from school and her phone won’t stop ringing with calls about Cotton Fest.
“Things have been hectic,” she tells us, “but we’re going to have a nice chat now.”
Denne historien er fra 9 February 2023-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra 9 February 2023-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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ONE OF A KIND
She survived a violent stepfather and being raped by a bandmate as well as rampant showbiz sexism. Now as singer Cyndi Lauper heads off on her farewell tour aged 71, she just wants to have fun
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TRUE TO HIS ROOTS
Rap icon Kendrick Lamar's recent Grammy haul has cemented his status as the king of hip-hop
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RYAN'S ON A ROLLI
Ryan Rickelton has taken the cricket scene by storm, announcing himself as a force to be reckoned with
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PARALYMPICS, HERE I COME!
He lost his left leg as a baby, but these days Nicklaas is a star on the athletics field and he's got big dreams
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KEKE'S KICKING IT!
From child star to Hollywood powerhouse - Keke Palmer shines as an actress, podcast host and film producer
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NEXT CHAPTER LOADING
Werner Wessels, the creative force behind many Miss SA winners, is stepping away from pageants to embrace new opportunities
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BABY SHAME GAME
Lily Collins got a lot more than she bargained for when she announced she'd become a mom via a surrogate
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BRIDGET'S BACK!
Renée Zellweger returns for the fourth and possibly final outing of Helen Fielding's ditsy cult heroine, a role she has relished from day one
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I CAN BREATHE AGAIN'
After months of legal hell, two aneurysms and brain surgery, Alison Botha is relieved that her attackers are back behind bars and she can focus on getting better
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SA IN TRUMP'S SIGHTS
With Elon Musk whispering in his ear the US president has unleashed his wrath on South Africa. But how worried should we be?