Cassidy Has A New Album And He’s In Control

Cassidy discussed how, after he left J Records, he formed a unique business relationship, with his friend Carmelo, which gives him access to the Basketball star’s powerful connections and his financial resources. "Me and Carmelo got a good relationship," he told me.


[Byrd’s Eye View]

Cassidy has a new approach to his music–this time around he’s in total control.

I spoke with the young CEO/Lyricist in Tribeca here in New York City yesterday on the eve of the release of his new album today. He seems to be very in tune with his career and knows exactly what he wants. He’s been working the plan to get it.

Cassidy discovered his talent at the very young age of six but he says he didn’t become serious until he was fifteen. He got his first record deal at seventeen. He was given the chance to show and prove on a radio show in Philly called “The Cypher ( rap battle)” on 100.9 The Beat, and he delivered everytime. Cass was retired off the show but would call in and give his analysis of the battles. Being on The Cypher conditioned the talented lyricist to write his music better and more consistently. The buzz about his talent had began to spark interest and eventually lead him to NYC in a meeting with Swizz Beats and signing of a record deal.

I was really impressed with how Cassidy’s many years of experience in the music industry has given him a wealth of knowledge that he is now using towards building his own company E One. He has collaborated with Denver Nuggets’ basketball star Carmelo Anthony, who owns the record label Krossover Music, to help put the wheels in motion. “I want independence, I want to be in control and be able to give people the real Cass,” he told me. “If I’m going to call it my album, my single, I want it to really be my record. I want to be responsible for putting it together completely. That’s the reason why I wanted my own production company.”

The young CEO elaborated on the importance of being in control. “I wanted to be able to executive produce my own project,” he said. “Plus I have alot of dope artist, dope producers, engineers, musicians– I have a whole team full of people that really get it in and I wanted to create a situation for myself and them too.”

Cassidy offered many examples about the benefits of Independence. In the old days, he explained, record labels invested alot of money in their artists’ career. Today the labels prefer one hit wonders. “Because the song is already recorded and it got a little buzz from where you from, it would’nt require the record label to spend any money,” he told me. “All they would do is get the song, put the song out, and if the song pop then they instantly making money without spending money. But if you working with an artist that’s all ready established, you got to give them advance money, a huge recording budget, pay for features, pay for clearances. It’s just a lot of money that gotta  be spent before you can make money so its like you takin’ a chance–you might not even make money.”

He added: “There are artist who they spend all this money an and might not even sell the records to make that money back. So that’s why they’re not willing to take them risk anymore. They rather just sign a artist a single deal. There might be dudes who got the biggest single out but you never know when they album gon’ drop. Just because they relying on that one record because they don’t have to spend money but still make money. So I think alot of artists will be forced to be independent. they gonna have to unite and go in they own direction as opposed to relying on record companies and people to do things for them. So the people that’s really talented and can consistently make good music, things will be good.”

Cassidy discussed how, after he left J Records, he formed a unique business relationship, with his friend Carmelo, which gives him access to the Basketball star’s powerful connections and his financial resources. “Me and Carmelo got a good relationship,” he told me. “He believed in it, I started executing short term goals and that’s how we was able to get the partnership to where he put in certain types of budgets. He bring money to the table; I bring the music, the artists, production. And that’s how we both benefit from the project. Once I got the partnership formed I went and got distribution from my production company  E One.”

Cassidy’s “Split Personality” hit Billboard at number two and went Gold. “I’m a hustler,” was his sophomore album–released through Full Surface Swizz Beats label. “Bars”–Barry Adrian Reese Story– being his third album, left us with hits like “My drink and my two step”. He introduces his fourth album C.A.S.H. (Cass is a Strait Hustler), in stores November 16, 2010, which has singles like “Drumma Bass,” and includes collaborations with Mya, The Game, Red Cafe and more.

Cass tells me this album is one of the best he’s done. We can expect a classic project; an album you can listen to from beginning to end. “Alot of lyrics, punch lines, metaphors,” he said. “Alot of originality. I’m going in my own direction not trying to follow what other people are doing; real Hip Hop”, he explained. And I must agree. He has songs that you can rock to; and songs that make you think. I was really happy with the collection of songs on this album at a recent listening party in Manhattan. So make sure you go pick up your copy of C.A.S.H today!

Follow Cassidy on twitter @Cassidy_slarsiny. He tells me he’s actually on there everyday answering any questions that anyone has letting us know what he’s getting into. For any Promoters or anyone with business propositions you can contact him at lanskeymanagementnt@gmail.

Fashion & Entertainment Editor Shavaughn Byrd can be reached at [email protected]  Please also see www.shavaughn.com  


“Speaking Truth To Empower.”

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