Talented South African rapper Cassper Nyovest in 2017 dropped his wildly popular first single, “Tito Mboweni" from the album “Thuto”.
The song was a fun, club banger about flexing money in honour of the former Governor of RSA Reserve Bank Tito Mboweni, who signed South Africa’s money. Mboweni’s name is used in the song to emphasise money.
Following the former finance minister's passing at the age of 65, IOL takes a look at how Mboweni became a pop culture icon. Thanks to Cassper Nyovest's 2017 hit song “Tito Mboweni,” he is the only finance minister to have a song named after him.
The catchy chorus “Tito Mboweni!!! (Tito Mboweni!!!) Tito Mboweni!!! (sha!!! Sha!!!)” became part of Mzansi pop culture.
At the time, Mboweni gave Cassper Nyovest his blessing to release the song after he took to Twitter, a platform he used to engage with the public, to call for royalty negotiations.
"Hey wena Cassper, how do you produce a song about someone with without negotiating first? I am a banker, expect an invoice tomorrow," Mboweni tweeted at the time.
Juju has fulfilled the task. @CassperNyovest has made contact with me.Khotso! Pula! Nala! Let the Youth dance and rejoice!Yours is the time!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) March 9, 2017
With Economic Freedom Fighter leader Julius Malema in negotiations, the song was released and Cassper Nyovest was grateful for the blessing.
Mboweni updated fans and said “Juju has fulfilled the task. @CassperNyovest has made contact with me. Khotso! Pula! Nala! Let the Youth dance and rejoice!Yours is the time!”
Juju has fulfilled the task. @CassperNyovest has made contact with me.Khotso! Pula! Nala! Let the Youth dance and rejoice!Yours is the time!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) March 9, 2017
The video within 24 hours of being released raked in more than 200000 views and was trending in the top spot on YouTube.
The music video features Nadia Nakai and Faith Nketsi, also known as Queen Twerk and was a full on flex showing with loads of cash, cars and Ciroc bottles - Cassper Nyovest was the vodka brand ambassador at the time. Seven years later the music video has 6.8 million views on YouTube.
IOL Entertainment