Cassidy - Split Personality
(Audio CD)

Description

Mix-tape battlecat Cassidy's first full-length album (the inaugural release on producer Swizz Beatz's Full Surface imprint) is a solid effort from a young Philly kid who built his rep on freestyle fanaticism, putting to rest doubts of his ability to cut it as a studio MC. Although it does come off as a singles-oriented album, most everything found on Split Personality is worth a listen or two. The fact that Swizz Beats handles the bulk of production duties may initially scare away some potential buyers, but his played out "bells and whistles" sound has been successfully revamped with heavier bottom-bass and some nice vintage samples. And Cassidy responds well to the sonic landscape he's been provided with, skillfully expounding upon a surprisingly diverse range of topics. Even the inevitable fumbles have their charm; Cassidy's aggressive flow and tart interpretation of threadbare subject matter rescue weak tracks like the Nelly-esque "I'm Hungry" from instant "fast forward" status. --Rebecca Levine