Cassidy | Interview (2004)

T M H (Josiah): What made you want to be a rapper?
Cassidy: I just love the culture, I like how much of a difference rappers can make with their words and how much of an influence they can make in the community. How much attention they get and I like dealing with the words, testing my mind playing brain games. That’s when I used to do it for fun. What made me want to do it as a job is when I found out that a large amount of people was feeling me. I started weighing the odds along with the pros and the cons and seeing that I could deal with the type of lifestyle and the type of person that you have to be in order to be a rapper. I realized that I was that type of person and I had the right type of image, the right look and the right set up. Everything was perfect. When I found that out that’s when I decided to take it seriously and try to get some money out of it.

T M H (Josiah): Who do you look up to in the music industry?
Cassidy: I look up to cats like Barry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Clive Davis and cats like that; Puffy, Jay Z, Russell Simmons. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I look up to them but I definitely respect them as businessmen. Things that they did weren’t supposed to be accomplished and I like how they went against the odds to accomplish them.

T M H (Josiah): So these are people that you can say you definitely learned something from?
Cassidy: Yeah, definitely man. They also gave the youth and the community another way of making money. They showed you other outlets of making paper. Instead of rapping or playing basketball in the NBA, they showed you the many ways of becoming successful. So I definitely respect what they did for the music business. As far as artists and their lyrics, I like different artists for different reasons. I mean I would have to start naming names from back in the day to name all of them.

T M H (Josiah): What do you want to accomplish in the music industry now that you’re in?
Cassidy: Well, basically I feel as though there is going to be a method that I’m going to have to pass off in the future. I’m just trying to become a celebrity and have control over a lot of people’s ears, and have their attention and have these people following me and listening to what I say. And when I do find out the information that I need to know, I will be able to pass on that information to people who will respect it if it’s coming from me. That’s sorta like being a leader like what Dr. King and Malcolm X did, it’s not in the same form, but it’s like being a public speaker. When you do freestyles and stuff it’s just like when they did their public speeches and rally’s in front of a whole lot of people. As a rapper you can definitely help lead the whole nation of hip-hop so you definitely have to watch what you say and the messages that you spread. First of all, it’s not all about the money; I just want to change other people’s lives. I want to see thousands of kids that look up to me and that can say what I did helped them out in life. After accomplishing something like this, many blessings will soon follow.

T M H (Josiah): What is your personal favorite track on your album?
Cassidy: Right now, my personal favorite is “Get No Better”, my second single.

T M H (Josiah): All right, that’s the song featuring Mashonda?
Cassidy: Yeah. Shout out to her.

T M H (Josiah): Yeah, that song is hot! How was it working with R.Kelly?
Cassidy: Working with R.Kelly was crazy. It was a blessing because he is a legend and I always looked up to him, so when I finally got to work with him it was a dream come true. It’s like I was dreaming and at the same time I was like “I can’t believe I’m in the studio about to get a song done with R.Kelly.” It wasn’t planned or none of that. I happened to be in Chicago and they invited us to the studio. While Swizz was playing the “Hotel” instrumental, R.Kelly started vibing to it and he was feeling it. Once we let him know the concept and where we were trying to go with it, he just took it upon himself to go in the both and lay the chorus for me. I didn’t ask him, it wasn’t scheduled or none of that. He just took it upon himself and blessed me; it was just like a dream come true to have R.Kelly doing that for me, my first single on my first time around. Most cats will never be able to afford R.Kelly their first time around. Just to do one song as a new artist with R would probably use up their whole budget. It was just crazy for me to get that accomplished; it was a very good look.

T M H (Josiah): I mean it’s obviously paid off because now you have a Top 5 hit across the country!
Cassidy: Definitely, definitely.

T M H (Josiah): Okay, and still touching on R.Kelly, how do you feel about the eight counts that he just got dropped off of his case?
Cassidy: I feel good about it. I mean, R.Kelly’s my man. I respect him as far as his music is concerned. I don’t really get involved in the personal stuff that he’s going through because that’s his personal life. I don’t really like to get involved in that stuff. Now if he brings me to the side as a friend and wanted me to get involved, then that would be something different. But I don’t get involved in his personal life. I just respect him as a businessman, I respect his music and I respect what he did for me and in the way he carried himself when I was around him. I can’t judge him by what somebody else said. All I can judge him by is from what he showed me, which was nothing but love. He showed me that he was a good, cool cat so I’m happy that he got the 8 counts knocked off his case and hopefully it will take a lot of pressure and stress off of his back.

T M H (Josiah): Yeah, definitely. On top of R.Kelly who are some other R&B acts that you listen to and would like to work with?
Cassidy: Well, right now I was just in L.A. and I bumped into Usher and he was talking about a plan that he wanted to put together. I always liked how he did his thing and he’s dropping his album a week after my album drops so if we were to link up and do a song together we would follow it up with a joint tour. That would be crazy because we attract about the same type of crowd. He’s like the biggest Pop/R&B cat out right now and me being the biggest rap cat to come out right now, the collabo would be crazy. So if I could work with the next R&B cat I think it would definitely be Usher.

T M H (Josiah): Yeah, that would be a hot collaboration. And what about any female artist?
Cassidy: I like to go with the people who are the biggest at the time. I feel if Usher and me were do a video in order to make it connect I would need somebody like Beyonce because it would sound, look and feel good. Or I would like to collaborate with Amerie. Just the look that she got, I know if we did the right type of video it would be a good look. And the type of song that we could do would be crazy. I met her before and I feel her vibe. Alicia is on my label. She do it real big all the time and I can’t wait till I work with her. We did a song before, but I don’t think it turned out the way we wanted it too. I don’t even know if the song was ever finished. But I can’t wait till we really do something foreal.

T M H (Josiah): Do you see yourself acting in your future?
Cassidy: Yeah definitely. I already got a few scripts on the table and I’ve had the opportunity to do a couple of cameos but I don’t really have the time to take a movie seriously. I want to take it as serious as I take my music. When I get some time off or more people to organize my situation better to be able to do something like that, I’ll do it. But now it’s just that my schedule is too tight and I’m not focusing on being a good actor right now. I don’t want to just be in a movie because I’m a rapper, I would want to be in a movie because I really know how to act and I’m really doing my thing.

T M H (Josiah): Would you take a traditional rapper role playing some thug cat, or would you go to the left and do something that’s out of your character?
Cassidy: I mean like on my first go around, I would like to play a role that’s not necessarily a tough guy or a thug role, but maybe one of those movies where I’m a star basketball player or a role where I’m a regular kid that’s going through troubles or problems. A role that will be easy as far as my real personality is concerned, so that I can be used to being on screen and acting but not having to go too far out of my character. Then the more that I learn and grow as an actor then I’ll try and do other things that are way to the left because I would feel more comfortable with trying to accomplish those goals. But I would never just jump up there and try to play a character way to the left because I would be playing myself.

T M H (Josiah): What’s the best part about being on Full Surface/J Records?
Cassidy: The best part of being on Full Surface is having a CEO like Swizz Beat because he let’s you have a lot of creative freedom. He also thinks of things for you that J Records can’t or even if they could they won’t. But you gotta take you career to a certain level before they pick up on it. Having a CEO like Swizz Beatz, he can get it poppin, and being that he has money and a lot of connects he really makes things happen. The best part about being signed to J Records is, if you put in enough work to get the ball moving and get it to that level where it’s already a buzz, they know how to take it to the roof.

T M H (Josiah): I don’t know if you read the latest XXL magazine where they did a tribute to Biggie (shout out to Yellow Man and XXL) and in the mag they focus on who they consider the next rapper is to take the crown for New York? What are your thoughts and comments on that?
Cassidy: Being the fact that I liked Big so much, I don’t feel like there is going to be anybody else to come and do what he did. I do feel as though there are going to be some cats that are going to come up and do incredible things that might make Biggie’s career not seem as incredible as it seems now. The same way that Dr. Jay’s career was so incredible and unbelievable, until Jordan came along. Then Jordan did some things in his career that were so incredible that not to say that Dr. Jay was less of a player, but it just made Dr. Jay’s stuff look not so incredible. It was like well now another cat came along and did a lot of incredible things too. Now that Jordan took it to the next level, there are cats like Lebron, Iverson, Koby, Tracy McGrady that are doing the same thing Jordan did in a less amount of time. They’re averaging higher scores and breaking the scoring records. I feel as though that people are going to get better at learning from the people that came before them. You’re not going to make the same mistakes that the person before you made, you’re going to do better. I feel that it’s like that with basketball, football, boxing and rapping. Eventually there is going to be somebody to come through for New York and fill that slot like 50 cent for example. He is definitely holding it down for New York and Jay has been holding it down for the longest. Ever since Big died Jay Z has been holding down New York. Me being from Philly, I would not say that I could come and fill that slot because I’m not from New York, but there will definitely be somebody to come and carry the crown. I mean, what I’m trying to do is up the game and show these cats that you can’t just come out with a couple of sing-a-long songs, you gonna have to up your game to compete.

T M H (Josiah): I know you’ve been busy getting your album ready, but have you had anytime to check out any of the reality shows on TV?
Cassidy: Umm, not really, not recently, no.

T M H (Josiah): Like are you up to date with the new shows like The Apprentice, and America’s Top Model?
Cassidy: I’m traveling around so much I’m never free at the times that those shows come on.

T M H (Josiah): Well the reason for me asking is because it seems like a lot of artists are hopping on the bandwagon and doing their own reality shows. Is that something you would be interested in?
Cassidy: Umm, yeah. I mean a lot of reality shows I feel are silly and I don’t really respect them. I feel as though if they have a good concept and the right people are backing it and it’s going to get the right exposure and be a good reality show, I don’t see why not. Reality shows get some of the most ratings, and that means you’ll have the most people watching you and then you can set yourself up for other situations. It’s like having a big commercial, so I would definitely want to do a reality show because it can definitely do nothing but benefit in.

T M H (Josiah): Any last words for your fans?
Cassidy: I just want to say if you’re a fan thank you for the support. Album in stores March 16th. Thanks for requesting the video and for the song to be played on the radio. If your not a fan, make sure you get a hold of some of my music because I’m sure if you do get a hold of the music you’ll become a fan. I just want to let ya’ll know that I’m not a fluke, the second single is coming, “Get No Better” and it’s crazy. I’m about to shoot the video this weekend and do it real big so it should be a good look. I want the fans to know that this album is crazy, consider it a classic. After ya’ll make it go platinum I’m gonna hit em with another album at the end of the year and show em that I got wild love and that I’m gonna keep it coming.