| B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Cassidy |
| Cover: | B.a.r.s.jpg |
| Released: | November 6, 2007 |
| Recorded: | 2006–2007 |
| Studio: | The Saltmine Studios |
| Genre: | East Coast hip hop |
| Length: | 61:12 |
| Prev Title: | I'm a Hustla |
| Prev Year: | 2005 |
| Next Title: | C.A.S.H. |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story [1] is the third studio album by American rapper Cassidy. It was released under Full Surface Records/J Records. Before its release, XXL Magazine ranked the album the 10th most anticipated album of 2007. The album debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200 with 63,000 copies sold in the first week released.[2]
The album was originally titled This Time Around, then it was changed to It Is What It Is and finally to B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story.[3] Cassidy named the album B.A.R.S. after spending 8 months behind bars (in prison). B.A.R.S are also his initials, Barry Adrian Reese [Story]. The album features songs about his accident and his time in jail as well as his relationship with God. He also created a B.A.R.S. Competition Freestyle Battle with finalists, G.O.D. Jewels, 21, of Chicago, IL, Rocky, 17, of Detroit, MI, and Lil' Chugga, 23, of, Columbia, TN on October 10, 2007 live on MTV's Sucker Free.
Producer Swizz Beatz handled some of the production on the album. The album was released on Swizz Beatz's Full Surface Records imprint, a subsidiary of J Records. Other producers involved with the project were Neo Da Matrix, Don Cannon, Kanye West, Bink, Hi-Tek, and others.
Swizz Beatz confirmed before the album's release that Sean Garrett would have production credits on this album:[4]
Cassidy himself produced the track "All By Myself" which sampled "Me, Myself & I" by The Dramatics.
Three promotional mixtapes called "The Hustlas Home", "The Hustlas Home Pt.2", and "07-07-07" were released before the CD.[5] [6]
Guest appearances include Swizz Beatz, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Eve, Angie Stone, Larsiny, Mashonda, Mark Morrison, Rell and John Legend.
"Celebrate" featuring John Legend samples jazz singer Nina Simone's version of the song "Strange Fruit."
| Title | Producer(s) | Featured guest(s) | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Intro (B.A.R.S. vs. da Hustla)" | Avenue & Joe Bravo of The Individuals | 6:19 | ||
| 2 | "My Drink n My 2 Step" | Swizz Beatz & Anthem Frost | Swizz Beatz | 3:12 | |
| 3 | "Where My Niggaz At" | Neo Da Matrix | 4:51 | ||
| 4 | "I Will Never Tell (Uh Uh)" | Lamont "Logic" Coleman & Devon "Gold" Golder | 4:38 | ||
| 5 | "I Pray" | Lamont "Logic" Coleman & Devon "Gold" Golder | Shizlansky from Larsiny | 4:56 | |
| 6 | "Innocent" | Swizz Beatz | Mark Morrison | 4:11 | |
| 7 | "Cash Rulez" | Hi-Tek | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony & Eve | 3:53 | |
| 8 | "Leanin' on the Lord" | Swizz Beatz | Angie Stone | 5:07 | |
| 9 | "Damn I Miss the Game" | Bink | Rell | 3:24 | |
| 10 | "Done 4 Me" | Dready | 3:29 | ||
| 11 | "I Get My Paper" | Nottz | Swizz Beatz | 4:40 | |
| 12 | "Take a Trip" | Swizz Beatz | Mashonda | 3:33 | |
| 13 | "Celebrate" | Devo Springsteen | John Legend | 3:57 | |
| 14 | "All By Myself" | Cassidy | 5:02 |