Words By: Hallway Jay
OVERALL RATING:
Either way you look at Cassidy has always dealt with B.A.R.S.. The man known as Barry Adrian Reese arises through the ever so controversial Philadelphia streets to release his third major release. Cassidy’s release “B.A.R.S. (The Barry Adrian Reese Story)” brings him full circle and has to be the most introspective and better collections that the Full Surface emcee has brought forth. Reviving his career through this album was a must, the last two albums are far cry’’s from this one. We see this in the beginning with the first song where he battles his old self , an almost exact replica of the introduction of the last album. From this there is the obvious club single “Drink N My 2 Step” feat his executive Swizz Beatz. I have to abmit between the first and second songs I was worried that this was going to be a repeat performance of the last two.Yet the late 90’s is reminiscent through the next song where the machine guns thumping bass, and synths of “Where My Niggas At” brings days of the Ruff Ryder dynasty seamlessly back into my head quicker than a revisit to “Its Dark and Hell is Hot”. Going on ,the no snitching song of, “Will Never Tell (Uh Uh)” is a blatant note to all cops that snitching is out of the question. The very next attempt is a song called ““I Pray feat. Shizlansky” where we see an open conversation with god. The falsetto voice on the chorus is a decent attempt yet I still find Shiz’’s verse is lacking thus bringing this song down a notch. A favorite of mine has to be the soulful ballad “Innocent” where beautiful piano keys bring a reflective Cass spitting some very personal lyrics of thoughts during his trial.
With Swizz Beatz having obvious ties with Eve and Bone Thugs and Harmony the anthem ““Cash Rules” is a great song, period. Besides the fact that Bone brings there classic harmonies on the hook there is finally the Eve that we all remember, the Pit Bull in a skirt where her early swagger finally shines through again.
Angie Stone assists in a story of a hustler turned rich man that looks back on the hood before his death and his pray is given in the form of the first verse of ““Leanin on The Lord”. While “Damn I Miss the Game” releases the frustrations of a hip-hop fan that can’t stand this new rap. This is one of the more refreshing songs with
““Yo what to the game/ all these niggas rapping the same and that’s lame/ cats hustlin’ bustin they gat/ Well Kurtis Blow wasn’t talking bout Hustlin crack(NOOOOO)/ now everybody on the grind/ but Run-Dmc never killed nobody in a rhyme/ they wasn’t on that beef shit/ and Melly Mel was the first one to talk that street shit/ now ever since N.W.A. came out/ cats turned gangsta and took that same route/ to hear that I could listen to Pac/ you bullshittin’ and I wish it would stop
Over the next song, “Done 4 Me”, examples of how the deaths in hip-hop and his family, there becomes a very reflective Cass, although “I Get My Paper” is a complete contradiction and somehow we can’t say too much about that. Many of the greats did amazing contradictions of themselves. The song again features Swizzy and sports a braggadocios Barry Adrian showing his ability to change his context almost flawlessly. What kind of Full Surface album would it be without an appearance by the leading lady Mashonda, “Take A Trip” seams like an obvious choice for a second single if I was a corporate head, yet I’m not and probably wouldn’t choose this. Although at first listen this sounds reminiscent of a Ja feat Ashanti song.
The John Legend supported “Celebrate” is a basic Never-give-up concept and despite the nice sample and decent guitar the drums are completely horrible, a timbaland face-lift on the drums could have meant the difference between a hit or a filler song. Finally a fitting conclusion “ All By Myself” is somewhat of a fitting ending to this entire album due to the entire content of the album. After several listens I have to admit that this is a gratifying album. Thanks Cass. Stay IN the struggle and look out for more.
