Kee Riche$ was only 23 years old when his life was taken away by gun violence. Think about that. Although his life ended like so many young people enamored by hip hop — it hasn’t even been a month since PnB Rock, 30, was gunned down in South Central L.A. — the way Kee Riche$ lived is the reason why his legacy will resume. Just like Nipsey Hussle, the fellow L.A. music artist he looked up to, he was more than just a rapper.
Born Kian Nellum on Feb. 3, 1999, his two decades on this earth was not spent in vain. He was driven by his enriched experiences growing up on Rosecrans Ave in Compton, and as he grew from a young jit into a knowledge-seeking man, Kee Riche$’ mission became clear. Kee wanted to get rich and bring the hood with him.
By the time The MouthSoap crossed paths with Kee Riche$, he had already built an impressive discography that included back-to-back, full-length albums, such as the 2016 indie release, Road to Riche$, and 2017’s Get Rich, the album that ignited his groundbreaking movement.
In 2018, he significantly ramped up his work ethic, dropping two projects in the same year, Get Rich 2, led by the singles “Wasted” and “All Night Long,” and Raised Off Rosecrans, which contained the next-level hood classic, “Westside Lady.”
Kee Riche$ had established a brand that was inspired by the streets and aspired to positively impact the very neighborhood that molded him. He started a streetwear clothing line, Get Rich, named after the theme in his music and paralleling the mindset and culture previously curated by Nipsey through his Marathon Continues movement. By the way, Kee Riche$ did all of this before the age of 21.
On the 2017 song, “The Get Rich Afterparty,” Kee Riche$ rapped that he just wanted to put his name on the map. While his name had yet to reach mainstream, Kee’s music and movement was certainly landing on the map that really matters in hip hop circles, where underground artists are appreciated for the real attributes that should be celebrated in this genre.
Amid the many hip hop losses that Southern Cali has endured as of late, Kee Riche$’ rise seemed destined. It was only a matter of time. His brand proceeded him, moving into territories like Atlanta and Houston.
He dropped the 2020 experimental hip hop album, Autotune from Atlanta, followed by 1342, known for the successful single, “Slide,” featuring Wallie The Sensei and “Westside Lady, Pt. 2.” He made time to churn out some collaborative albums as well, including Bossriche$ with Mackk&Co’s Bossman (2020), and the Walt Mansa produced Easy Money (2021) and Easy Money 2, his last full album.
“A message to anybody playing my songs / Keep your dreams first and remember, stay strong / Gettin’ rich is a mindset, not what your bank hold / Richness in the mind got affects on your bank roll / Don’t chase dreams, go catch that sh!t / And if she wanna leave, don’t sweat that b!tch / If you think nobody hearing you, then hear yourself / ‘Cause everybody hear you when they see your wealth”
-Kee Riche$, “The Get Rich Afterparty”
Kee Riche$ was one of the ones. He was actively listening to the blueprint that the OGs were giving, so much so that when he graciously made his way to The MouthSoap platform in 2019, he was juggling a variety of productive projects. He had successfully launched a $100-per-album campaign for his album, From Broke to Rich, something that he was inspired to do because of Nipsey, who successfully sold 100 copies of his mixtape, Mailbox Money, at $1,000 each.
He was also promoting his 1st Annual Finish Strong Back 2 School community event, an initiative created to motivate inner-city youth to stay in school. Over the years, community activism became a passion for the young rapper. Kee Riche$ was always seen around his neighborhood and beyond helping people out, shining his light. In fact, one of his last published videos on social media showed him talking about a community event he was sponsoring where he would be giving free haircuts and car washes at the California Dream Makers Youth Academy.
Weeks after the event, Kee Riche$ and Robert Leflore Jr., 29, were found with apparent gunshot wounds at an unrelated scene, located on the 1500 block of S. Chester Avenue in Compton, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. They were pronounced deceased at 10 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 24). A woman, who was also a victim, was transported to a local hospital and is currently in stable condition.
The news of Kee Riche$’ death has slowly dispersed throughout hoods nationwide — there’s young people mourning from The Bay to Houston, no cap. For The MouthSoap, he will always be remembered as a young visionary that put his hood on. Kee Riche$’ impact is his elevated mindset, unbreakable work ethic, and most of all, awareness of community. Just as he was inspired by Nipsey Hussle, Kee Riche$ can rest knowing that he was an active runner passing the baton in the marathon.
