Cassidy (rapper)

Barry Adrian Reese (born July 7, 1982), better known by his stage name Cassidy, is an American rapper. He first garnered attention for his freestyles and competitions as a battle rapper in the late 1990s, and formed the Philadelphia-based hip hop collective Larsiny by the end of the decade. American record producer Swizz Beatz discovered the group in 2000 and signed Cassidy to his newly-established Full Surface Records, in a joint venture with J Records. He adopted a commercially-oriented approach with his 2003 debut single "Hotel" (featuring R. Kelly) and its follow-up, "Get No Better" (featuring Mashonda); the former peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 while both preceded the release of his debut studio album, Split Personality (2004). The album peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, while his second album, I'm a Hustla (2005), peaked at number five and was supported by the lead single of the same name—which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Following an eight-month incarceration and preceding legal battle, his third album, B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story (2007), was met with critical acclaim and peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200, also spawning the Billboard Hot 100 top-40 single "My Drink n My 2 Step" (featuring Swizz Beatz). It served as his final release on a major label, and he signed with Carmelo Anthony's Kross Over Entertainment to release his fourth album, C.A.S.H. (2010), which narrowly entered the Billboard 200. He has since self-released three albums under his own label, Mayhem Music.