Introducing: Riiicobandz
By Malcolm Bowman
Riiico mixes his “Dirty South'' swag with a slower West Coast vibe, offering the perfect blend of sound for any occasion. Whether you're cruising down the freeway with the windows down or having a routine Saturday cleaning day, Riiico is sure to put you in the right mood. UNDRGRND’s Malcom Bowman got a chance to chop it up with Riiico himself just days after the release of a brand new track, “Catch Up”.
Riiicobandz chills out before his Jan. 17, 2021 performance at the UNDRGRND Issue 2 release event. Photo by @luizzy_g.
Born into a military family, Riiicobandz, 26, (government name Richie Mangum) spent the first three years of his life in Japan before moving to Virginia, and finally to Ventura in middle school. It was in the Ventura area where the “4U” artist would eventually meet his now best friend and music manager, Kado Khalil.
Riiico notes Khalil as a major inspiration, and explains the work Khalil puts in aside from typical outside managerial tasks — shooting videos, helping with marketing, and even holding Riiico accountable in the booth if he's got a bar that needs work.
"Kado gives off a big P. Diddy, Jay-Z vibe,” Riiico says.
The two officially began their collaboration in December 2020. They set goals, a budget, and immediately went to work. Riiico is striving to be known worldwide instead of just locally here in “The 805”, and thanks his manager for teaching him the right things to get there.
Riiicobandz lights up the UNDRGRND stage. Photo by @luizzy_g.
Riiico also mentioned that because of the duo’s close relationship, they can talk about more than just music. They regularly speak on ways of achieving success, generational wealth, and just being better men.
The “Catch Up” rapper performed at UNDRGRND’s Issue 2 release event in January 2021. But with newly released singles just dropped, and an EP in the near future, Riiico is eager to perform live again.
“I’m ready to show the people I was born for this,” he says.
Most importantly, Riiico wants to be able to "show face" and "be able to connect with fans on a more personable level," after the pandemic regulations loosen up. He says this is important because the listeners are the ones who have helped him accomplish his goals, and he feels it’s the least he owes it to them.
A busy rest of 2021 awaits Riiico and Khalil, as they continue to pump out music videos and grow their social media platforms during what seems like the final months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Follow Malcolm Bowman on Instagram at @malcolm_milito.
Follow Kado Khalil on Instagram at @1kadokhalil
Follow Riiicobandz on Instagram at @riiicobandz
Official cover art for Riiicobandz's single "Catch Up", which hit all streaming platforms on March 19th. Photo taken from @riiicobandz on Instagram.
Stream Riiicobandz new single “Catch Up”
https://unitedmasters.com/m/riiicocatchup
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