South African rapper Priddy Ugly, whose real name is Ricardo Moloi, has spoken openly about a traumatic event that left both him and his wife, dancer and media personality Bontle Modiselle, shaken. The couple was hijacked at gunpoint in 2015, a night the rapper says remains one of the scariest moments of his life.
In a recent interview with DJ Fresh on his podcast WAW! What A Week, Priddy Ugly revisited the night armed robbers confronted them in Kempton Park, Gauteng. The incident occurred on Youth Day, June 16, when he and Bontle, then his girlfriend, were driving his father’s car.
According to the Ntja’ka hitmaker, the couple had stopped at a petrol station when a Volkswagen Golf 4 pulled up in front of them. At first, Priddy thought he recognized the flashy gold vehicle with chrome rims, but Bontle quickly realized something was wrong. Before he could react, four men jumped out of the car and approached them aggressively.
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“Bontle saw it first before I did. She immediately started praying, saying, ‘Oh no, oh no!’ I was still distracted, admiring the car and wondering which one of my friends drove it,” Priddy recalled.
The robbers dragged him out of the car, repeatedly hitting him with their guns when he begged them not to hurt Bontle. “I said, ‘Please don’t touch the girl.’ They kept hitting me because of that,” he revealed. His instinct to shield her only made the attackers more aggressive, but he stood his ground.
As the robbers drove off with the vehicle, one of them shockingly returned. Holding Priddy at gunpoint, the man threatened to end his life. “I remember covering Bontle and thinking, ‘Lord, this is where I’m gonna go,’” he said. Thankfully, the gunman left without pulling the trigger.
The hijackers did not get far. Later that same night, Priddy and Bontle discovered that the stolen car had been abandoned after being involved in an accident just five minutes away from their home. The rapper believes divine intervention protected them from greater harm.
For many fans, the story highlighted both Priddy’s protective instinct and Bontle’s unwavering faith. Social media responses poured in after the interview was posted online. Lloyd Lex Karabo commented, “A woman who prays, and a protective husband, is what I took from this.” Another user, Kemoratile Kimberly Ashgedom, wrote, “He was willing to die for his girl, and Bontle’s prayers protected both of them.”
Others related to the harrowing ordeal by sharing their own experiences with hijackings in South Africa. One user recalled being hijacked in the same area while her child was in the backseat, describing it as one of the most traumatic moments of her life.
Priddy Ugly tied the incident back to his personal belief that he has always been divinely protected. While recounting the horror, he emphasized that his wife’s prayerful response may have been what shielded them that night.
The chilling retelling also sparked concern about crime hotspots in South Africa. Kempton Park, especially near the R21 highway, is known for its high rate of hijackings, according to safety reports. For locals, the rapper’s story was a stark reminder of the dangers faced daily on the country’s roads.
What could have ended in tragedy instead became a testimony of love, faith, and resilience. To this day, fans continue to admire Priddy Ugly not just for his artistry, but also for the courage and devotion he displayed during a night that nearly changed his life forever.
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