Barry Adrian Reese, better known by his stage name Cassidy, is legend and staple in the hip hop culture from the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cassidy first gained attention for his freestyles and began competing as a battle rapper in the late 1990s. In the early 2000s, he began making the switch from battle rap to traditional hip hop and in 2002 signed a major deal with Ruff Ryders and Full Surface Records, under the aegis of J Records. His debut studio album Split Personality arrived in March 2004, and debuted at the number two spot on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Honoring a the late great Bill Withers with the lean on me sample filled with the well needed message to the culture. Its not often we can celebrate good vibes in hiphop these days and this record sets the bar for any follow up lean on me refrences. Every bar placed perfectly and every word calculated the science of Cassidy remains one of a kind. “Lean On Me” was such a major record and movement not only did the original song win a Grammy, rank 208 on rolling stones top 500 songs, it was the foundation of the movie starring Morgan Freeman.
Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) singer-songwriter and musician. He recorded several major hits, including “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Grandma’s Hands”, “Use Me” “Lean on Me” “Lovely Day”, and “Just the Two of Us”. Withers won three Grammy Awards and was nominated for six more. His life was the subject of the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Two of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Withers worked as a professional musician for just 15 years, from 1970 to 1985, after which he moved on to other occupations.
(Wilde Tuna & Cassidy)
In a recent interview with myself Wilde Tuna, Cassidy revealed his true love and appreciation for music not only with the full knowlege and history of hiphop, but in other genres that helped land the creative sample and collab with Devon Culture. I usually like to pick a few bars to highlight in each song I cover but we all know Cass, I would just have ro post the whole written record. Meeting and hearing first hand the sound Cassidy is about to release for the world is proof that Hip Hop will continue to elevate. Look out for the exclusive interview next week on HipHopSince1987.com
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