by Jayar JacksonThe Philadelphia bred rapper Cassidy, born Barry Reese, is getting ready for the release of his new album, The Barry Adrien Reese Story (B.A.R.S.). With so much negativity coming out of hip hop recently, its commonplace to expect transparent lyrics of shooting, expensive cars, and drug dealing, along with a few bitches and hos thrown into the mix.
Contrary to this assumptive belief, Cassidy says his latest work will be introspective and will reveal his faith in God. This is coming from an artist whose lyrics once said,
“When cops got tha block hot like jamaican clubsA change to introspection and showing his faith in God must mean that the last two years of Reese’s life have made him take a closer look at himself and his life. From June of 2005 until October of 2006, he has endured serving a year in jail, followed by a serious car accident.
Cop weight, wait for a drought and then make it flood
Try and take my cake you gone take a slug
But you can take my information if you takin' drugs.”
In 2005, police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the murder of a 22 year-old man after an argument broke out in his Philadelphia neighborhood. Seven months after being released from jail, Cassidy was critically injured when a commercial truck, the size of a U-Haul truck, collided with his SUV while he was a passenger. He suffered a fractured skull and several broken bones on the left side of his face.
"So many serious things happened in my life," Cassidy told Billboard. "What I'm talking about has nothing to do with me being a rapper, but with me as a person."
"When I was going through problems, from going to jail to the accident, even though I had money, I had power, respect and friends, no one showed up and the only thing that helped me was my faith," he explained. "I was so worried about what lawyer I was going to hire and what judge will handle my case, but when I read the scripture, which says it's better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man, I knew I was going to win and get through it with the Lord on my side."
This new emphasis of God in his life has inspired a song called, “Leaning on the Lord’s Side,” with Angie Stone. To make sure everyone didn’t get things twisted, Cassidy stressed that the album is not church music, just street songs. The title of his first single, "It's On (I Got My Drink and My Two Step)," illustrates this point perfectly.
This suspiciously shallow and thoughtless title for a song toward God will surely make some not believe Cassidy’s intentions to change his perspective on life. Before chastising the man for releasing a single apparently about partying and drinking, it needs to be accepted that he is still in the business of selling records, giving his audience what they will enjoy. It’s not his obligation to open the eyes of every listener to his newfound faith, especially since he experienced the lengths it sometimes takes to see life differently. This would be the same as brushing off a professional football player’s dedication and belief in God because he fails to attend church due to his job of playing on Sundays.
It’s possible he still has much growing up to do, as does everyone, so give credit to Tha Hustla/Changed man willing to incorporate some more substance in the veins of hip hop. That is what everyone is saying is missing.
This new emphasis of God in his life has inspired a song called, “Leaning on the Lord’s Side,” with Angie Stone. To make sure everyone didn’t get things twisted, Cassidy stressed that the album is not church music, just street songs. The title of his first single, "It's On (I Got My Drink and My Two Step)," illustrates this point perfectly.This suspiciously shallow and thoughtless title for a song toward God will surely make some not believe Cassidy’s intentions to change his perspective on life. Before chastising the man for releasing a single apparently about partying and drinking, it needs to be accepted that he is still in the business of selling records, giving his audience what they will enjoy. It’s not his obligation to open the eyes of every listener to his newfound faith, especially since he experienced the lengths it sometimes takes to see life differently. This would be the same as brushing off a professional football player’s dedication and belief in God because he fails to attend church due to his job of playing on Sundays.
It’s possible he still has much growing up to do, as does everyone, so give credit to Tha Hustla/Changed man willing to incorporate some more substance in the veins of hip hop. That is what everyone is saying is missing.
“Keep talking, it’s the only way they’ll ever hear you.”--JJ