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Cassidy - B.A.R.S.Album Review by:
John Burnett
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
 Barry Adrian Reese, infamously known as Cassidy, narrowly escaped death; not once, but twice. After being arraigned for first degree murder, the short career of the Philadelphia rapper would come to an abrupt halt. When the primary witness folded and more details surfaced, Cassidy was charged with involuntary manslaughter and a much lighter prison bid (11.5 months). It seemed the worst had passed, yet it had not. While Cassidy was traveling to a recording session his SUV was struck by a commercial truck leaving the rapper critically injured. Suffering a fractured skull and injuries on the left side of his face, he was left in the intensive care unit. But, he survived and on B.A.R.S., like the late great B.I.G., he has a story to tell.
B.A.R.S. marks Cassidy’s departure from the hood and reveals a more spiritual side of the rapper. Although the album begins with boasts of cocking pistols on “Where My Niggas At” and the cliché, “stop snitching” street ethos on “Will Never Tell,” as the album progresses it takes a more faith-based tone. On the track, “I Pray” Cassidy and Larsiny Family crew member, Shiz Lansky, rhyme about stacking chips to escape the rough Philadelphia streets. “I Pray” describes how both rappers rely on God to cope with perilous conditions in Philly. This is not the only time Cassidy alludes to his faith during B.A.R.S. Skillfully narrating the listener through his fateful circumstances, he discusses the details of the shootout that led to his incarceration on “Innocent.” Midway through the song, he introspectively rhymes “being booked was a blessing in disguise man/I needed time to get my life organized man/so everything that happened was apart of my God’s plan.” The majority of this album has Cassidy deviating from his signature punchline flow and replacing it with story-telling. Swizzy helms the boards on another narrative-driven effort where Cass rattles off three cautionary tales about the young flashy hustler who gets caught up in the game, a prostitute who’s raped and reforms and concludes with his own life story. Just when you assume the rapper has abandoned his past persona of the Hustla, Cassidy reminds you “Cash Rulez” on the sped up get money anthem featuring Bone Thugz N Harmony and Eve. The song sounds awkwardly placed and a bit forced on album that displays Cassidy’s growth. “All By Myself” brings all of Cassidy’s lessons full circle. Cass works the boards, provides his insight and closes the album on a soulful note stating he needs no one besides himself and God.
B.A.R.S. is a major growth album for Cassidy. He puts to rest his reputation for being a punchline rapper and displays maturity exploring his increased spirituality, the recent drop in quality in Hip Hop (“Damn I Miss the Game”) and growing old with his son (“Done 4 Me”). It’s a major shift from his usual content, but a positive change. The only fault on this album is that there is a distinct separation between the street tracks and the spiritual tracks. Cassidy only finds a working balance on a few tracks yet the album proves to be a really good showing. If he continues to grow and learns how to combine his flow, mainstream appeal and spirituality he’ll be a mainstay in rap music for a long time.
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