IS THAT SIZWE: Mzansi Enraged By Rasta’s Riky Rick Painting

Rasta the Artist got famous for doing paintings of celebrities, but now it seems that fans have finally had it with him and his poor renditions. His latest painting of Riky Rick did not go well on Mzansi social media.

The artist recently took to social media to share his painting of the rapper, who was laid to rest yesterday, following a heartbreaking service attended by his friends and family only. It seems like Rasta intended for his painting to be received well, but that has not been the case at all.

Legends never die we multiply. Rest Brada you made us proud👊🏾. A Fashion Guru, a Producer, a Musician and a Motivational Speaker, stay shining👋🏾.#RIPRikyRick, #RIPRickyRick, #AfricanBank, #legendsbarbershop,#CottonFest2022,#BigZuluNkabiRecords pic.twitter.com/eRLdlzHDgC

— Rasta The Artist (@RastaArtist) March 1, 2022

Fans of Riky Rick feel like Rasta has overdone the whole “bad paintings” gimmick. They feel like he should actually try to improve his skills or stop painting people altogether, because now he is getting annoying.

But some fans have gone as far as to insinuate that Rasta has some self-hate, racial issues coming out in the way he paints different people. According to one, his paintings are only bad when they are of black people. But when he paints white people, they are actually decent, if not straight up good.

The sad part is Rasta is not serious when drawing abantu abamnyama and we take it as a joke, its no longer funny.💔

— Rumani® (@RealMrumaDrive) March 1, 2022

The best example was the painting that he did of the late former deputy president, F. W. de Klerk. For the first time, fans were pleasantly surprised by something Rasta had done, as they applauded his skills. In fact, some even thought that he finally decided to take his art seriously and took some real classes.

I mean what’s this??? pic.twitter.com/qIsAJOgBuR

— Rumani® (@RealMrumaDrive) March 1, 2022

Only for him to turn around and paint Riky poorly. They are convinced that he just doesn’t take black people seriously enough to put any real effort into painting them, but his respect for white people makes him do better art pieces of them.

Kakade he’s doing it deliberately. RASTA IS a good artist jus tht he ads self by drawing https://t.co/mcwboYbbSw sure it started as a genuine mistake then he carried over.hes very good

— 🔥🔥Stixx mangena.🔥🔥 (@Stixx_jm) March 2, 2022

True De Klerk’s portrait was perfectly done. But now this? Makavalwe. pic.twitter.com/n7c8m0gIu6

— Sibusiso_mtetwa🇿🇦 (@Sibusisomtetwa1) March 1, 2022

Rasta seems to be setting some type of record, as this is the second time he is getting in trouble in one week. Only a few days back, he got social media confused when a painting he had done of Muvhango’s Dingaan Khumalo surfaced, only for fans to think it was one of Riky.

Dingaan was quite emotional as he explained that he had commissioned Rasta to paint him some time back, as he had intended to use the picture in a promo for his new album. He was angry that people would take the image and turn it into a mockery, when the wound of Riky’s death is still fresh, and his friends, family and loved ones would be seeing the jokes on social media.

But perhaps this illustrates the point that Rasta’s critics are making. If fans could not differentiate between Dingaan and Riky in the painting, perhaps they are right that Rasta needs to be serious. Surely, the two men don’t even look alike, and other than their similar beards, there should be no confusion. – ZAlebs