In the suburban towns and townships of South Africa, the name Cassper Nyovest is a household name that rekindles the good old days in the early 90s when hip hop beats drove millions mad.
In fact, most people in Mzansi consider Nyovest a brand that doesn’t need an introduction to flow with, he is a self-made rapper who inspires millions of people and has touched thousands of lives with his rhythmical flow.
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But impassively speaking, the name Cassper Nyovest doesn’t ring a bell to most people outside South Africa. Those who know him outside SA, do so because of his well-published feud with another South African rapper known as AKA.
So who is Cassper Nyovest and why is he becoming more famous in his SA backyard but is nowhere to be seen in the rest of the world?
Early Life
Cassper Nyovest was born on and raised in the humble purlieus of Mahikeng in the North-West Province of South Africa. His date of birth is given as 16th December 1990, although critics continue to dispute this. Many controversial accounts of his date of birth are available online with some claiming that he was born as early as 1980.
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Cassper is believed to have developed a strong like for music in his early life. He claims that he started rapping in the streets of Mahikeng as early as he was able to speak before making his breakthrough in 2014. His early life was full of challenges and is quoted as saying that he sometimes when for days without food as he hustled the dirty streets of Mahikeng, looking for ways to make the end meet.
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He dropped out of school, sold crack to locals and even joined a local crime syndicate as a way of fending for himself. This was after a bitter fallout with his parents earlier on in his life. He has a sister who is quickly becoming a local celebrity in Mahikeng.
Her name is Tsholofelo Phoolo. Nyovest also had a brother, Khotso Phoolo, who controversially died in 2003. In 2008, Nyovest moved to Johannesburg to chase his childhood dream of becoming a successful rapper.
Career Breakthrough
In 2014, Nyovest released his debut studio album, Tsholofelo, which had successful singles “Doc Shebeleza” and “Gusheshe”. These two songs were an instant hit that won him the heart of millions of South Africans, who at this time were looking for some inspirational songs to quench the thirst in their souls.
He had earlier own established his own record label, Family Tree Records.
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The release of Tsholofelo was a major career and financial breakthrough for the controversial rapper. Indeed, in 2015 Nyovest sold out tickets for his Fill Up The Dome concert at an event held at the famed Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg.
He went on to do more successful concerts that earned him more fame and elevated his financial stature from that of a child of mere peasants to one of the best-paid celebrities in South Africa.
International Acclaim
In 2015, Cassper Nyovest released the infamous Eponymous album, which saw him make it into the international scene with collaborations coming from artists such as The Game, Stonebwoy and the equally controversial singer, Casey Veggies.
In 2018, Nyovest released his fourth successful album titled, Sweet and Short.
He also won several endorsement deals that include one with the notable vodka brand, Ciroc. He has also been endorsed by MTN, Coca-Cola, KFC, his recent endorsement being Samsung brand ambassador for South Africa and other brands throughout his career.
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Lastly, it is important to note that Cassper Nyovest has been nominated for several international awards that continue to make his name popular.
Whether this will make him a household name in the rest of the world as he is in South Africa depends on the next decisions he will be making in his career.
If he continues to make wise decisions the way he has been doing thus far, then rest assured he will become more famous than Tupac in this murky rap industry in Africa.