It's not a very well-known part of the genre, but battling is a big part of the hip-hop and rap scene. Just ask Cassidy, who made his name - and much of his artistic career - on his skills at battling other MC's. A hip-hop boy wonder of his time, this rapper has not only a name in the music industry, but a string of victories that set the bar for hip-hop battling.

Cassidy: Champion of Battle

"That's how you sharpen skills. Battling is a part of the culture for MC's."

It's not a very well-known part of the genre, but battling is a big part of the hip-hop and rap scene. Just ask Cassidy, who made his name - and much of his artistic career - on his skills at battling other MC's. A hip-hop boy wonder of his time, this rapper has not only a name in the music industry, but a string of victories that set the bar for hip-hop battling.

Cassidy Cometh

Born Barry Adrian Reese in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 7, 1982, he had an early start with rap. At 13, he joined a rap competition The Cypher on the radio station The Beat. It wasn't long before Zulu, host of The Cypher, handed the victory over to Reese. He says that the challenge of the competition and the support of the listeners on the show was a big part of what pushed him to take rapping seriously after the contest.

A year after Cypher, he happened to run into Swizz Beatz's father Terrance Dean, who listened to young Reese rap. A call came two days later, and Reese was soon on the road to New York with Shiz Lansky and Cal Akbar, with whom he would form a new group, Larsiny, under Ruff Ryders. The trio, however, was put on the sidelines.

Cassidy's Solo Break

When Swizz Beatz set up the Full Surface label in 2002, he asked for Reese to join his team. It was with Full Surface that he released a debut album, Split Personality, as a solo Cassidy in 2004. The three-part album - one part each for pop, mixtape and early works - did very well commercially, eventually going on to earn gold status. Additional fame came from his battle victory over fellow Philadelphia native Freeway while recording.

The follow-up album, I'm a Hustla, came just a year later and did similarly well, earning award nominations on top of the ones for Split Personality. His third album, 2007's B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story, was said to be one of the most anticipated albums for that year and made #10 on the Billboard 200. A fourth, C.A.S.H. Cass a Straight Hustla, is slated for release sometime in 2010.

Did You Know That...

• ...rap was his livelihood even before entering the music business? He used to rap on the side in junior high before appearing on the Cypher, and rapped for change when he performed for Swizz's dad.
• ...even his ring tones are popular? A modified ring tone version of I'm a Hustla was one of the first of its kind to earn certified platinum status.
• ...his big break really did come by chance? The meeting with Swizz's father which led to his recording deal happened in a barber shop.

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