Cassie just dropped her new mixtape #RockaByeBaby and she sat down with GlobalGrind to talk about what it’s been like recording for the past 5 years, her naysayers, getting love from Beyonce, and knowing her place in Diddy’s heart.
Check it out and download #RockaByeBaby here.
GlobalGrind: It’s been so long since we’ve heard anything. Your first song was such a classic–it’s still dope. What was that process like, that long wait period?
Cassie: I think it was a time of me just trying to find myself and my rhythm in the music industry at all. I put out records – I put out “Must Be Love,” I put out “Official Girl,” “King Of Hearts.” Although they were records I really loved and I was really committed to them, I felt like there still wasn’t a message I was getting across as an artist. You know, really showing people who I am–my sound and what I really want people to hear from me. It was a waiting process, but I’m glad I was patient with it because it came out even better.
What went through your mind when Beyonce gave “King Of Hearts” a shout out?
She’s shown me so much love over the past years, just telling me she loves my voice on records, she loves my tone – you can’t really beat that. You can’t beat Beyonce loving one of your records.
It’s so dope. She’s a sweetheart, she really is. I’ve been around her a few times and hung out with her in different situations and she’s so down to earth so, it really feels good that she feels that way about my records.
There’s two videos that are out right now: “Numb” and “Paradise.” Why did you go with those two records?
I have this whole concept behind the mixtape that I want the visuals to be directly related to the songs. I didn’t want to put out an MP3 of a record and people listen and not get the full story. I wanted to be able to come up with what inspired me to make it and put it out all in one shot.
“Paradise” is really one of my favorite records on the mixtape and I’m so happy that Wiz got on it, so that was just a given. And Ross as well. We’ve been trying to work together for a minute and it just worked out.
“Rockabye baby” is one of the classic lines of one of the best movies – one of the hardest scenes ever. Why did you pick that up?
I wanted to be more about Keisha and women than about New Jack City. Actually the beginning – it’s the scene where she shoots the guy in the head and it’s the bumbaclot. Like, that’s the whole theme of the mixtape.
Do you feel hardened by what you had to go through? People talked about you, they said all these things about you. But you just let it play out. How did that effect you and how did you put that into your music?
I really have felt, over the past 4 or 5 years, as an underdog. I think that it’s better to be in a position of people counting you out than counting you in, because you can hit them with the craziest thing and they don’t expect it and I think that’s what this project has kind of done.
People see me on my Instagram, on my Twitter, I’m at the studio, they’re like, “How long has this girl been at the studio?”
For 5 years now.
People are constantly saying stuff. But I think I’m a very chill person. I’m a Virgo, I’m very relaxed. I compete with myself. I’m not about trying to get attention. So I kind of just let it play out and let people deal their cards and now it’s my turn. I’ve accepted what people have said about me and accept what they’re going to say about me after they hear my body of work.
What’s your truth? People say a bunch of things about you, because I know we shouldn’t talk about this, but there was shit in the media today. [Rumors that boyfriend Diddy was making out with Kate Upton.]
I’m about balance and being happy. There’s always some things people are saying, people are doing, and it’s always extra. But that’s what feeds the fire; they’re still talking about something and I think that’s why it’s the perfect time for me to come with music, because that’s not what they’re expecting me to come with.
You’re always in the media. Does that frustrate you? Because you seem like a private person.
I’m a super private person. When it comes time to step out and talk about what I want to talk about, I do it. I think I’m very – I’m not strategic, but I think I’ve definitely established myself as an enigma. People don’t really know who I am and you know, I think that’s what’s exciting about it, that they’ve known me for so long, but they still have no idea who I am.
There’s a record there with Pusha T called “Take Care Of Me Baby” and it’s a sample from 2 Chainz’s mixtape and the first line is, “It’s not about me, I do this for you, but you still wanna talk shit about everything that I do.”
How does it feel after all these years of your relationship being on the low for it to be public now?
I’m just happy and I think that’s the most important thing. Balancing your life and knowing where you fit in and where you stand. I’m just happy.
