South African rapper Emtee has recently opened up about his performance at Cotton Fest in Durban. In a series of tweets, he revealed that he was emotional on stage and not drunk as some people on Twitter had suggested.
The Durban edition of Cotton Fest took place on July 2nd on the Kings Park Stadium outer fields, just after the Durban July festivities. Emtee wrote on Twitter, “Shit was overwhelming. Riky, Kiernan, so much on my mind. Wanted to cry for real. I wasn’t drunk. I don’t drink alcohol. Seeing the people of Durban for the first time in a long time. I was just emotionally f*cked bout a lot. Still am.”
The Loss of Riky Rick and AKA
Emtee’s emotional state may have been influenced by the recent loss of two fellow South African rappers, Rikhado “Riky Rick” Makhado and Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. Riky Rick passed away at the age of 34 on February 23rd, 2022 after taking his own life, while AKA was gunned down outside a popular Durban restaurant on February 10th of the same year.
The deaths of these two rappers sent shock waves through the country and had a significant impact on the South African music industry.
AKA’s Relationship with Emtee
In 2021, AKA hosted a Q&A session on Twitter where fans got the chance to ask him questions and learn more about his music and personal life. One fan asked why he hadn’t worked with Emtee, to which AKA responded with a laughing emoji and said, “I love Emtee. But he’s such a deep and complex character. For us to do a project we would have to live in the same house or something for a month to really grasp the concept.”
The Impact of Losing Four Rappers
Lerato Sengadi, a public figure in the South African entertainment industry, expressed her grief over the loss of four prominent rappers – HHP, ProKid, Riky Rick, and AKA – on Instagram. She wrote, “Do you guys understand how much the game, the entertainment industry and the country as a whole has lost?! These men (who are all fathers) are: Icons. Legends. Innovators. Blueprints. GOATS. Pillars. Superstars … the list is endless!!! This is devastating! They are Irreplaceable! Wow! It’s so un-f**ken-real.”
The loss of these four talented artists has undoubtedly left a void in the South African music industry and has affected many people, including Emtee who was emotional during his performance at Cotton Fest in Durban.