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While the project could have been six tracks shorter, Cassper Nyovest excelled when he really excelled. It’s noteworthy that throughout 21 tracks, this album has zero dull moments.

Cassper Nyovest is one of Africa’s best rappers. Until now, the conversation about his best album has primarily been between ‘Refiloe’ and ‘Thuto.’ But in 2020, he might have ended that conversation with his most balanced, topically resonant/relevant, most cohesive and most brilliant album yet in, ‘Any Minute Now.’

It’s pretty interesting that the album comes at a time Nyovest himself admits is not his peak. As he raps on ‘1 of 1,’ he used to be scared of making content-driven music like this, but not anymore. The impending birth of his son has brought him earnest peace and introspect. With it, he birthed something phenomenal.

While he details the nuances of his journey to the top on ‘Isinkwa’ and celebrates the late greats, Pro Kid and HHP, on ‘1 of 1,’ he has realizes that money doesn’t fix all problems and that realization helps him to stop considering suicide.

Nonetheless, he still can’t outrun uncertainty. ‘Nobody Knows’ featuring YoungstaCPT, Bas and the brilliant Apu Sebekedi adequately lace the dramatic drums and suspense-themed vocal chops with socio-political tales of uncertainty, as aided by mind-numbing introspect.

Cassper, the new dad

More than anything, Any Minute Now is cathartic at an important point in Nyovest’s life. It feels like he’d been holding on to some of these things for too long because whenever he expressed deep things, he couldn’t stop. It also feels like Nyovest felt like purging so he could nurture and raise his son in a healthy mental state.

After the eclectic intro by Zola 7 aboard major organ-aided ‘Hlengiwe,’ Nyovest tore into his haters, rivals, detractors and naysayers on ‘To Whom It May Concern.’ He saliently stated, “Thrashing my name is very lucrative…”

As he rapped on ‘Egyptian Cotton,’ he seems to just be living life in total contentment and done with chasing vanity. However, he does understand and appreciate his own success as a blueprint for his son while also willing to make sacrifices.

He raps, “My son is already blessed, he's got a starter. I feel secure, I think I picked the perfect mother… I'm forced to grow and certain things are kinda harder, I think I might let go of the Bentley ‘cause I don't wanna see his little stomach go empty. I'd rather keep the crib, that's more important, so him and my baby-mama always got a place to live.”

He was then vulnerable enough to admit his own Ls and pain on, ‘To Whom It My Concern.’ He raps, “They making threads about how hard I fell… I witnessed some of my best friends highlight my L's… See I could act like I don't give a f*ck because I'm rich, we hide the pain with money living all we used to wish is Bleu…”

The perpetual attraction of vanity

Nonetheless, all that introspect and clarity is marred by the vanity on ‘Ngwanesu.’ While coasting on an amazing Trap beat with a singular guitar chord, Nyovest fell back into the rap stereotype of vain lines and braggadocio as he extols himself with eclectic emptiness.

While lines about being a tooth fairy resonate, the song is at loggerheads with the entire spirit of this album. However, it’s still sonically pleasing.

That moment on the album also heralds the switch from heavy introspect into well-produced attempts at commercially viable records. The Drill of ‘Nokuthula’ sees Busiswa star on another artist’s song… yet again. While ‘Nokuthula’ celebrates the powerful state of womanhood/motherhood, it will be remembered more for the Drill beat than the substance.

The same thing fate besets ‘Amademoni.’ Again, Tweezy excels as a featured act as he helps Caspper to battle the demons. One of ‘Nokuthula’ and ‘Amademoni’ should have been cut though.

Thobeka Majozi

Throughout the album, he also extols his baby mama, Thobeka Majozi in a beautiful show of affection. He discussed how they met on the Synth Pop song, ‘Friday Night’ and likened her good looks to that of an Indian on ‘Loco.’ He raps, “F*ck a Brazilian, my baby mama hair look Indian. She smart plus she worth a couple millions…”

To get here, he had to give up potentially loving someone else. On ‘Indoda’ he delivers an open letter to the other woman, “Really wanna marry and live happy with my baby moms, but one thing I seem to be consistent with is breaking hearts… Really gotta explore if there's more with this girl. My niggas say I'm happier when I am with her...”

With the aid of Langa Mavuso’s R&B mastery, he delivered a tale of longing for this other woman on ‘How Does It Feel.’ Even though he admits to having a new girl, he raps, “I’m not over you…” - this is an amazing song.

If he mentioned that his new girl was thick on ‘How Does It Feel,’ he details more of that thickness on the Drill song, ‘Hypnotize.’ However, this album could have done without ‘Hypnotize.’

But through the mixed emotions, he rightly finds a reason to celebrate. He raps about his mom’s deteriorating health and also says, “Ayo my life full of hardships, I know I act like I got this but it ain't easy. Everything is a process, I'm living out my pockets. Too many problems I don't know how to solve them. Borrow money too often, I'm running out of options…”

The placement of a song like ‘Celebrate’ highlights the problem with the track sequencing on Any Minute Now. The song should have been the final track on this album.

Final Thoughts

While the project could have been six tracks shorter, Cassper Nyovest excelled when he really excelled. It’s noteworthy that throughout 21 tracks, this album has zero dull moments. Cassper produces resonant substance, as aided by impeccable pieces of music production. It’s also amazing how the album doesn’t feel saturated by features - each feature has a purpose.

But in the context of things, Any Minute Now could have also done without ‘Ses’Fikile’ and ‘Bonginkosi.’ Though amazing, ‘Nyuku [Remix]’ also feels like it came three years too late. The original version of the song came off Thuto in 2017. As noted with ‘Celebrate,’ Any Minute Now could have done with better track listing/track sequencing.

A song like ‘Isinkwa’ should have come in the opening seven minutes of this album. ‘Friday Night’ is where he met his baby mama. It should have also come before chatter about the other woman and about his unborn son. That way, the story is more sequential and wholesome.

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

Tracklisting/Track Sequencing: 1.2/2

Substance and Delivery: 1.6/2

Production: 1.8/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.6/2

Execution: 1.4/2

Total:

7.8 - Victory