It Is What It Is (album)

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Current event marker This article contains information about a scheduled or expected future album.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content could change dramatically as the album release approaches and more information becomes available.		 Album
It Is What It Is
It Is What It Is cover
Studio album by Cassidy
Released Spring/Summer 2007
Recorded 2006-07
Genre Rap
Hip Hop
R&B
Soul
Mafioso Rap
Gangsta Rap
Label J Records
Full Surface
Ruff Ryders
Larsiny
Saltmine Studios
Producer(s) Swizz Beatz (executive)
Don Cannon
Neo Da Matrix
Individuals
The Frontline Boyz
Sean Garrett
Bink
Hi-Tek
Nottz
Rockwilder
Just Blaze
Kanye West
Scott Storch
Cassidy chronology
I'm a Hustla
(2005)		 It Is What It Is
(2007)		 _


It Is What It Is is the third album from Philadelphia rapper Cassidy. Swizz Beatz will handle the majority of production on the new album. Set for release on Swizz Beatz’ Full Surface Records imprint, a subsidiary of J Records, the hit-making producer is expected to handle most of Cassidy’s beats. Although there is no release date as-of-yet, the album is expected to hit stores by the year’s end. It features the song "Cassidy (Anthem)", which sold 1,000 of ringtones and was only released on iTunes. His next single, "It Is What It Is", will be released sometime later on this year. Cassidy took Kanye West & Nas as inspiration for this album (which was recorded in the Saltmine Studios) [1]. He confirmed the album's name in a video-interview[2].

Contents

[edit] Tracklist

[edit] Confirmed Tracks

Leaked track¹

[edit] Rumored Tracks

[edit] Production and features

[edit] Production

"It Is What It Is" will mainly be produced by Swizz Beatz, Grady Spivey and Cassidy, but also by Neo Da Matrix, Don Cannon, Individuals, The Frontline Boyz, Sean Garrett, Bink, Hi-Tek, Nottz, Rockwilder & other. Eminem is rumored to be on the album after Cassidy stated that he would like to work with him.

[edit] Confirmed features

Confirmed guest appearances include Swizz Beatz, Tyrese a.k.a. Black-Ty, Krayzie Bone, Eve, John Legend, Marsha, Beanie Sigel & Fabolous.

[edit] Rumored features

Rumored featured appearances are The Game, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Remy Ma, Fantasia, Chris Brown, T.I., The LOX, Beyoncé, Young Re & Lyfe.

[edit] Album information

Cassidy during an interview with AHH:

“ I’m in the best shape of my life, man. I feel as though when I drop this next album, my third album, This Time Around, I’m gonna reach the most success I ever had. I’m gonna reach the level that I always dreamed about bein’ at – then continue to rise. ”

During an interview on BET's "106 and Park" on Wednesday (April 12), Cassidy informed that he was heading to the studio the following week to begin recording the new album, which he expects to drop in the fourth quarter of the year. [3]

The A&R of Full Surface Records, Grady Spivey, said in an interview:

“ It's gonna be an album that people would love to hear," he continued, looking ahead to the future. "He's not on his punch lines as much, but he's still witty and clever. He's developing into that next artist. He has collaborations, everything is real clever from John Legend to Krayzie Bone to Eve. There's a couple of other surprises on there. He dug real deep and gave more of himself. ”

Swizz Beatz also confirmed that he did 2 Tracks ("Cassidy (Anthem)" & "All In Da Game") with Cass while he was in jail, but these two songs may not be released on the album.

The album will feature 2 Songs in which he talks about God. One with R&B Singer Tyrese called "Talk To God (Now)" which is rumored to appear on It Is What It Is. The other one is called "Look What He Done for Me" in which he thanks God for all the blessings. Cassidy has said in several interviews that he is much closer to God since his accident & jail time.

This album will be more "Cassidy" & it will feature more Soul & Gangsta.

Before his car accident, 3 songs had been posted onto his MySpace page (www.myspace.com/fscassidy), but the page has since been deleted.

R&B-Singer-Tyrese told MTV that Cassidy told him, on the phone, that he will make a song about his accident.

A track titled "Make Noise" featuring Swizz Beatz & The Notorious B.I.G. was originally meant for the late rapper's final posthumous album, Biggie Duets, but did not make the final cut. It is now rumored that the song will be featured on this album. Another song, "Get Hype (Psycho, Psycho)", featuring Busta Rhymes & Papoose, was meant to be on Rhymes' latest effort, The Big Bang, but may be released on It Is What It Is, as well. Cassidy should have been on a track with Keith Murray on Tyrese' new album Alter Ego but didn't made the final cut. It'll maybe be featured on this album, too.

John Legend confirmed to be on the album on his UK-Website[4]:

“ I also recorded with Kanye West, Common, Consequence and Cassidy for future releases. ”

It's rumored that the UN Peace Track "One Day" produced by Swizz Beatz featuring Marc Anthony, Eve, Wyclef Jean, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Jennifer Lopez, Sean Paul, Cassidy, Chris Brown, Floetry, Sean Garrett, John Legend, Bono, Lyfe Jennings, 2Pac and Mario will be on the album. Sean Garrett helped to write the track. The single will also feature a never-before-heard intro by Tupac Shakur[5].

Swizzy confirmed that Sean "The Pen" Garrett will have production credits on this album[6]:

“ Swizz and Sean aren't only collaborating on music for world peace — they are also teaming up for some big upcoming albums. "Sean is an incredible talent," Swizz said, "and yes, he and I have formed a partnership to change the game. We have projects we are currently working on from J. Lo to Eve, Beyoncé to Cassidy." ”

Cassidy said in an interview with BET:

“ I'm not gonna be a conscious rapper now due to [what] I went through, but at the same time, I am gonna be aware that my lyrics can influence people, so I'll try to use my power in a positive way also ”

And Swizz Beatz also stated that Cassidy won't rap about his Jail Experience in an interview with Billboard.com:

“ We're actually going to do what people don't expect because he's not going to rap about jail ”

This was posted on a Cassidy Fan Site [7] 'bout the New Album [8]:

“ Two thousand miles from home, in the mountainous Arizona terrain, Cassidy finds solitude while recording his third album, It Is What It Is, at The Saltmine Studios. "Damn there's a coyote running around the golf course." he says, surveying the landscape with a laugh. After spending eight months in Pennsylvania's Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility for involuntary manslaughter, 24-year-old Barry Adrian Reese has learned to cherish these moments. "Coming out here gives me an opportunity to relax, think about what happened in my life and everything I just went through." he says.

Cassidy has emerged from prison willing to share this growth. "On my previous albums, you got to see two sides of me - Cassidy and Tha Problem." he explains, "but this time you are going to see Barry Reese as a mature man. Even though I did songs like 'A.M, 2 the P.M.' and 'I'm a Hustla,' it didn't make me feel good bringing that message to the people."

Cassidy's new outlook is typified by "Leanin' on the Law" which chronicles three individuals (one being himself) and their travels down the wrong path. Cassidy even shares his spiritual side on "Look What He Done for Me" thanking God for all his blessings.

Citing Kanye West and Nas as inspiration, Cassidy has no plans to glorify his incarceration. "Hip-Hop used to be so much fun." he says. "We were the ghetto CNN. Now everybody is talking about the same topics, and people are tired of it. That's why I want to keep reinventing myself."

 ”

It's rumored that the Track "Bird Flipper" will feature Tyrese aka Black-Ty [9] and/or Dipset (Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Hell Rell, Max B & J.R. Writer) [10].

[edit] Songwriter Credits

Cassidy will handle the majority of the lyrics of his songs but Swizz Beatz will also have Song Writer Credits as well as Timbaland, Sean Garrett & Ne-Yo.

[edit] Trivia

  • Almost the whole album got recorded in the Saltmine Studios
  • The Executive Producer of the album is Swizz Beatz.
  • The title of the name was speculated all over the internet before Cassidy confirmed that the name was "It Is What It Is". Rumored titles were "All In Da Game", "This Time Around", "The Return", "I'm Still A Hustla", "The Return Of The Hustla", "Bird Flipper" & "Philly's Phiniest".
  • The album was supposed to release December 2006.
  • "Bird Flipper" is a Promo Single.
  • XXL Magazine ranked "It Is What It Is" the 10th most anticipated album of 2007 [11]
  • Cassidy makes a lot of apperence on concerts by Dipset, The Roots and others as a Special Guest to promote this album.
  • A Mixtape called "The Hustla's Home" will soon be released to help promote "It Is What It Is".
  • Swizz Beatz released "Come & Get Me" as a promo radio sngle to "keep Cassidys name in the streets".
  • He took Kanye West & Nas as inspiration for this album.

[edit] Album singles

Single cover Single information
"Cassidy (Anthem)"
"It Is What It Is"
  • Released: TBR February 19, 2007
  • B-side:
"Bird Flipper" [feat. Tyrese a.k.a. Black-Ty & DJ S&S/Dipset]
  • Released: Promo
  • B-side: "Cake" (feat. Tyrese a.k.a. Black-Ty & Dipset)
"Come & Get Me" (Swizz Beatz feat. Cassidy)
  • Released: Promotional Radio Single released by Swizz Beatz
  • B-side:
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