C.A.S.H.

iTunes Review

Excepting Game and Mya there are no famous names on C.A.S.H., the fourth album from Philadelphia rapper Cassidy. It’s the first time the 28-year-old has made an album without the help of Swizz Beats, the producer and impresario who launched Cassidy’s career. By refusing his usual support system, Cassidy wants to prove he can go it alone, and that C.A.S.H. is not a mainstream gambit, but rather a lean, mean album for the neighborhood boys. The program is chock full of heavy street anthems — the best among them are “Face 2 Face,” “Monsta Muzik” and “All Day All Night.” Traces of Swizzy’s influence can be heard on the skittering club beats of “One Shot,” “Drumma Bass” and “High Off Life,” the last of which is a superb fusion of club rap and dancehall styles. Even though they bear the imprint of his mentor, the songs on C.A.S.H. are not hollow knockoffs of outdated styles. On the contrary, “Drumma Bass” is wild and minimal all at once, one of the year’s outstanding beats. Ultimately, Cassidy’s greatest talent is buffing his street raps with mainstream polish, a skill that is felt to maximum effect on “Peace,” “Hate Me Or Love Me” and “Paper Up.”