Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1982, Cassidy, whose real name is Barry Adrian Reese, began singing and rapping before he was even in high school. His first break came after winning a local radio-hosted freestyle battle against Freeway, a well-known Roc-A-Fella Records rapper. Although Cassidy had built a substantial underground following in and around Philadelphia because of his success in rap competitions and collaborations on small-market mixtapes, it was clear that Cassidy could also create music with more mainstream appeal. Cassidy continued to spread his name around the hip hop community in Philly by working with the producer Swizz Beatz on his album Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, which was released in 2002.J-Records signed Cassidy to do a solo album, Split Personality, which featured songs like “Hotel” and “Get No Better,” both of which were singles charts hits. While some critics wanted to see in Split Personality more of the raw, pavement-hard lyrical raps for which Cassidy had become legendary, the album took off with a base of hip hop fans who were already swooning over the similar-sounding Chingy single “Holidae In.”Cassidy’s 2005 album, I’m a Hustla, remembered mostly for the title track, makes regular appearances on hip hop stations today, a testament to the longevity and continuing popularity of the artist. More recently Cassidy dropped B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story, an album which included “My Drink N My 2 Step” and “Innocent (Misunderstood).” With 2008’s B.A.R.S. Cassidy touched bases with one of his early associates, Swizz Beats. His fans can’t wait to see who he’s going to work with next, and the hip hop world’s feet are itching to dance to another hit Cassidy single, which is never too far away from release.“Hotel” will probably be the single that most hip-hop fans remember as Cassidy’s breakout hit, and it’s still amazingly popular with the spinning rims-and-Cristal crowd. In the same line as Mario and Fabolous, Cassidy provides a steady string of rhymes to compliment the smooth harmonies and hooks of his collaborators, which more than likely will continue to include Swizz Beatz, but sometimes even artists like R. Kelly.Cassidy has no problem making headlines, be it for his run-ins with the law or the chart success he has earned at such a young age. If you like his more club-oriented tracks, consider “Hotel” or “I’m A Hustla,” but if you like to picture yourself cruising in a lowered, deep blue 1962 Impala, then you might want to give “A.M. to P.M.” a listen.
