Cassper Nyovest talks to us about filling The Dome, his beef with AKA and his relationship with Boity Thulo.
By: Boitumelo Mmakou
Cassper Nyovest’s #FillUpTheDome concert is officially sold out. This makes him the first South African hip-hop artist to have accomplished this. He has promised a jam-packed show with Anatii, Major League, Ricky Rick and Black Motion.
We had a chance to chat to him and this what he revealed….
1. There aren’t too many artists that will be featured at the concert. Is there a reason you chose these acts and stuck to the small number?
Yes, I wanted to produce quality and not quantity. Having too many acts on stage can be overwhelming and appear tacky. These aren’t just ordinary artists sharing the stage with me. They are my friends; these are the people who have had my back. We come a long way together and they are family. If Chris Brown can come to South Africa and fill up The Dome as a single act, I too can do the same.
2. Due to your conflict with AKA, industry peers have felt they had to pick sides. Because of this, there are musicians who have not supported your work. What is your take on this?
There are people who will genuinely support me and those make it clear that they won’t. I appreciate all the support I’ve seen on social media. I have come to terms with the fact that nobody owes me anything. People make investments on what they understand. So if they don’t show love, I’m okay with that.
3. You have officially become the brand ambassador for MTN. We understand that for #FillUpTheDome you have a few brands on board. Please tell us a bit about this.
BP and AG Mobile have come on board. You can expect a lot of their branding at the concert and perhaps some giveaways.
4. You said you won’t talk about any beef or pay attention to the hate after the concert. But why did you respond to AKA’s Composure in the first place?
It had become extremely personal, and I guess I could no longer keep my composure. That diss track really got to me. Normally, I walk away from fights, but for the sake of my sanity, I had to respond. I knew after Ashes to Ashes – the diss track teaser – and Dust to Dust, I would no longer pay attention to him.
5. Some of your friends are also friends with AKA. What was their take when you told them you were going to respond to the diss track?
My friends are peaceful. I had to ask permission from them to release Dust to Dust. They were all against it, but I made them understand that I had to do this so I could be at peace.
6. Has the beef brought any positivity for your brand?
I want people to know that I am not famous because of the beef; this is about rap music and the culture of hip hop. The beef has made me more money and I reckon it’s the same for AKA. More than anything, I felt like he was a good opponent to beef with because he releases the best music. We both took hip-hop music to the world. I would have never responded to him if he was not a famous rapper making hits. For me, it’s just healthy competition. To be honest, he makes me want to do better. He is the best artist to go up against.
7. Speaking about money; do you think your relationship with Boity has also made you money?
We did not plan to have our love life out in the open. If it were up to us we would have kept it on the low. People and the media came into our business, which left us with no choice but to be open about it. We have taken advantage of the attention we are given. There are probably girls that bought a ticket to my concert because they love Boity and they will therefore support her boyfriend.
8. What can fans of the sold-out concert expect from you?
There is a lot to expect, but I really cannot say much. Fans will get their money’s worth. I have been going to the gym to train so I have the energy to give the show one hundred percent.
