By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Just as Cassidy was about to blow up the streets were trying to pull him back in. In the last couple of years, Cassidy was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the murder of a 22-year old man in his neighborhood of West Oak Lane in Philly. He served about 15 months and was released in early 2006. But to make matters worse, he was in a near-fatal car accident last year where he suffered a fractured skull and broken bones. The trials and tribulations he’s gone through inspired the content of his new album, “The Barry Adrien Reese Story (B.A.R.S.)”, due out September 18. "When I was going through problems, from going to jail to the accident, even though I had money, I had power, respect and friends, no one showed up and the only thing that helped me was my faith," Cassidy told Billboard.com. "I was so worried about what lawyer I was going to hire and what judge will handle my case, but when I read the scripture, which says it’s better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man, I knew I was going to win and get through it with the Lord on my side." Cassidy assured that the album isn’t a gospel album, but a street album with production from Swizz Beatz, Neo Da Matrix, Scott Storch, Timbaland and Cool and Dre. To hold fans over until the album drops, he release a Green Lantern-helmed mixtape on July 7 that will feature tracks from the album.

By Kevin L. Clark The R&B scene has experienced a resurgence it cultivating original material as of lately. Not necessarily gone are the rap-R&B hybrid tracks, but the artist – both young and veteran – are settling for that good ole soulful sound. One in particular is singer-songwriter, Joe. The Georgia born crooner was raised under the watchful eye of two preacher parents. But as the former Gospel singer turned R&B heartthrob, Joe became a chart topping success. With songs like “The Love Scene,” “Don’t Wanna Be A Playa,” and “I Wanna Know,” Joe Louis Thomas became a household name. Even though the saying is, “What goes up, must come down,” the proverbial powerhouse grinds hard through low sales to drop the aptly titled Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me (Sony/Jive). Joe continues to make the ladies swoon and Crackspace sits down with him as he talks about his worst relationship ever, the new album and what he would if he was the true man for another woman. HHC: The response about the new album has been really good. Do you that people are still receptive to good R&B? Joe: Yeah, I hope that that’s what that means. I definitely like to look at it that way. It’s a lot of hard work. Especially when you got hip-hop doing so incredibly and you have all the young people doing the Michael Jackson thing… HHC: Michael Jackson thing? Joe: You know everyone is back to singing and dancing. But I’m not hating, I think that it’s cool to see people doing that. HHC: For a long time, it seemed that people were only going to be fed that hybrid of rap infused R&B tracks. Are the male R&B singers ushering in a renaissance of great R&B songs? Joe: Yeah, if you want to put me in that category, then yeah. I’m trying to be one of those guys that is coming out and making great songs. I’m trying to represent a whole different kind of thing. It [my music] grabs the old school, it holds the young school. It crushes all boundaries. HHC: You’ve always had a way with the ladies in your songs. Has you ever not been able to swoon a lady? Joe: [Laughs] Yeah. The one’s that’s already taken, I can’t get them. HHC: “If I Was Your Man” is a track that hits me close to home. If a woman was to already have a man, but you know in your heart of hearts that that’s the one you’re supposed to be with – what do you do? Joe: [Laughs] Ah, man, I’m going to have to talk to her. I got to try to make her see the light! She needs to leave the dude [laughs]. I’m just kidding… I don’t know what I would do. That’s crazy. I don’t know if I would pursue it, but if it was meant to be it’ll come to me. We, as men, always got to look at it like a tables turning type of thing. If I was really happy with this girl and another guy came in that’d mess up your whole life. Where’d you come up with such a crazy question like that? HHC: [Laughs] It is something personal… But if “Love Is Just A Game” – what sport would you compare love to? Joe: It would have to be something somewhat competitive. It would probably be something like basketball or tennis. HHC: What was your worst relationship that you’ve ever been in? Joe: Let’s see… I was in one for a long time where I lost everything I had. That was a long time ago. I just walked away from it. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it was just because I was young dude and I felt like I had to move on. HHC: My Name Is Joe was your highest selling project to date, right? Joe: Yeah, it was… HHC: How do you think your fans have grown while listening to your music? Joe: I think they’ve seen me go through the up and down thing as far as record sales go. The true fans never really looked at the decreasing sales. They just see me continue to move forward with my career. That would be a disappointing thing to watch the charts while your career is going up and down. I try not to focus on Billboard or any of the number charts. That could be a let down for you. One album could do well, one could do great and one could do horrible. HHC: If you could create the perfect love scene for a lady that you care about – what would it be? Joe: The perfect love scene… To me that’s really, hmm… There’s a few ways that you could do that. That love scene would start off in the Jacuzzi; you know that bubble bath type of thing. I’d light the whole room up with candles. I’d probably serve some white wine or that red wine and pour it for her. I’ve probably jump the gun and got right to romantic part. [Laughs] I didn’t do any type of set-up… HHC: The new album is high on the charts and you really felt confident about this album going in. What has changed in your life that has influenced some of the material that you’re coming out with on this album? Joe: I wouldn’t say that a whole lot has changed. I was in a relationship during a 3-4 year period and it dissolved on the part to where I was more hurt in the end than she was. I kind of wrote through all of that right there. That was a big focus in the back of my mind. That experience semi-affected my writing and the songs that was on my mind. The last song on the record was really autobiographical about my relationship. HHC: When it’s all said and done – what do you want your fans to know about Joe? Joe: That’s a good ass question, Kev. What would I want them to know that they don’t know about me? Hmm, let’s see… I don’t know if I have an answer for that. I try to stay focused; I live my life as an open book. I want people to know that the person who I am looks at the end picture. I look at myself living really well; not just in the sense of good with my own finances. I want to make a way out for a lot of people. I want to be the next Barack Obama in this joint. Ultimately, I want to change the world in some kind of way. If I can do that through music, then that’s how I can do it.

By: Hot Gossip Gal Hey there is a lil rumor circulating that these three will be forming their own super group…Child Rebel Soldier is the name they have already worked under. Can you just imagine the quality of material that will come from these three…as long as the LV Don and Skateboard P can check their egos at the studio door before entering.

By: Rizoh 50 Cent has apologized for his awful performance at the 2007 BET Awards. According to 50, the set didn’t go down as planned and that caused him to lose his concentration. Said Curtis: “When we went through the run-through [rehearsal], we went through the performance without being hit by the aerial. Later on when you see the actual show, it wasn’t planned for me to take my hat off or take my jacket off. Everything doesn’t quite happen the way you plan it. I was wavy-wobbly coming down. 25 feet in the air, man, if you fall, can’t nobody help you with that.” He returned to BET’s 106 & Park to re-do the performance. No heights involved this time.

By: Rizoh Everyone likes to mudsling on Paris Hilton, the socialite who is famous for being, well, famous. But Suge Knight has nothing but kind words for Paris, who was recently released from jail. Asked whether he thinks Paris Hilton earned her stripes by going to jail, Suge’s response was quite surprising: “She did more time than some of these tough a** rappers, so I guess she did. Snitches don’t go to jail.”

By: Hot Gossip Gal Turns out rapper the Game might have been excluded from the events at the BET awards as organizers were a little concerned that it might kick off between him and former label boss, 50 Cent, or Tony Yayo and Games manager Jimmy Henchman, or Games third cousin and Lloyd Banks brother in laws sister’s best friend (JOKE) Now not quite sure if there is any truth in this..but you gotta admit, Game probably had more right to be there than say Tony Yayo..but he wasn’t. Anyhow most def think TI dissed Yayo that night lol and Yayo looked a little upset at the subtle diss from TI.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Amy Winehouse might be a fresh talent, but she’s weirder than rap stars wearing pink. In a recent interview with Spin Magazine she said that she doesn’t care about anything, including herself. "I’m not in this to be a f****** role model," she told the magazine. "I don’t care. I don’t care about any of this and I don’t have much of an opinion of myself. I don’t think people care about me. I made an album I’m very proud of and that’s about it. I write songs because I’m f***** in the head and need to get something good out of something bad. I thought, ‘I’m going to die if I don’t write down the way I feel. I’m going to do myself in.’ It’s nothing spectacular." And she proved how crazy she was by apparently using a piece of glass to carve her husband’s name into her stomach according to NME.com. She recently married Blake Fielder-Civil, a cat she used to date a few years ago. After their marriage, she got his name tattooed on her chest.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno After 50 Cent made a cool $100 mil from investing in Glaceau’s Vitamin Water when it was gobbled by Coca-Cola, it seems as though Interscope Records has an interest in the beverage market as well. The record label announced that it has signed a joint venture with Drinks America to develop various drink products. The agreement also says that Interscope will help market those beverage products as well as help marketing the company’s current product line which includes Donald Trump’s Trump Super Premium Vodka and Willie Nelson’s Old Whiskey River Bourbon and Bourbon Cream. So it probably won’t be surprising to see Dr. Dre, Eminem, G-Unit, D12 or other Shady, Aftermath, Interscope, Geffen, A&M Records artists pitching the products or at least having their music in the background.

By: Hot Gossip Gal Well I mean she is dating Jay Z who we all know has been found guilty of it before. But anyhow…everyone is talking about how B’s performance on the BET Awards is pretty similar to that of a show Australian pop sta Kylie Minogue did last year. Check it out here and see what you think. But trust me you don’t need to sit through 7 mins of Ms Minogue the first 90 secs should be enough to see what people are talking about.

By: Rizoh Here’s one more reason to anticipate this year’s Independence Day: Andre 3000 will drop a soundtrack for his highly acclaimed animated series Class of 3000 on July 3rd, just a day before Independence Day anniversary. The soundtrack, dubbed Class of 3000: Music Volume One, features 14 of the songs ‘Dre wrote exclusively for the Cartoon Network series. The songs are flavored with voices of characters, including music teacher Sunny Bridges (voiced by Andre). Created by Thomas W. Lynch and Andre “3000” Benjamin, “Class of 3000,” chronicles the life of music star Sunny Bridges, who ditched a thriving career to teach a group of gifted musical prodigies at his alma mater, the Westley School for the Performing Arts. Catch a new episode of the series this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Class of 3000: Music Volume One Tracklist 1. Class of 3000 Theme 2. Life Without Music 3. Throwdown 4. Oh Peanut 5. We Want Your Soul 6. Banana Zoo 7. A Richer Shade Of Blue 8. Fight The Blob 9. UFO Ninja 10. Kim Kam Jam 11. Luna Love 12. The Crayon Song 13. My Mentor 14. Cool Kitty

By: Rizoh Many people have been wondering why Eve’s new album is being helmed by Swizz Beatz instead of Dr. Dre, who signed the Pitbull-in-a-skirt after she left Ruff Ryders. Wonder no more. According to Eve (born Eve Jihan Jeffers), the good Doctor is just way too busy with other production duties to make substantial contributions to her project. In the absence of Dre, Eve’s longtime friend and collaborator Swizz Beatz was forced to step in and take over as one of the executive producers of Here I Am (due out in August). “The decision was to have Dre start off the album, but Dre is kinda busy,” Eve explained in a recent MTV interview. She added: “Swizz is my brother. He knows how to work with me. What was supposed to happen, (Swizz) was just going to do a couple (of tracks), but once we get together, we can’t stop working. He knows me really well.” She’s also in high hopes that Dre will contribute more than the one song (“Fire”) to Here I Am before its August release date. We hope so too.

By: Hot Gossi Gal Even though she dragged him through family court about how much he should be paying her for their son Marquis, 50 Cent refuses to put her name on wax and you know what..I gotta give him props for that. Too many baby mommas and daddy’s running around badmouthing each other and the only people that suffer at the end of the day are the kids. If Shaniqua is entitled to more money she gonna get it but on the real, as far as I see it 50 was taking care of his bizz anyway without the need to take it through the courts. Big up to all the daddy’s out there who support their kids and their baby momma’s even if they not together.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Earlier this month, T.I. and Ciara announced that they would be headlining the 2007 edition of the Scream Tour. Now they have announced the dates and that T-Pain, Lloyd and Yung Joc. The tour will launch on August 3 in New Orleans at the New Orleans arena and will run until September 1, ending in Universal City, Ca. at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk. There is a possibility that more dates and more artists could be added to the tour. Last year’s tour featured Pretty Ricky, Yung Joc, Mario, Sammie, Jibbs and One Chance. Here’s the current tour itinerary: 08/03/07 New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena 08/04/07 Houston, TX, Toyota Center 08/09/07 Cleveland, OH, Wolstein Ctr. / Cleveland St. Univ. 08/10/07 Rosemont, IL, Allstate Arena 08/11/07 Saint Louis, MO, Scottrade Center 08/12/07 Kansas City, MO, Kemper Arena 08/16/07 Detroit, MI, Joe Louis Arena 08/17/07 Indianapolis, IN, Indiana State Fair 08/18/07 Washington, DC, Verizon Center 08/19/07 Norfolk, VA, Norfolk Scope Arena 08/22/07 New York, NY, Madison Square Garden Arena 08/23/07 Philadelphia, PA, The Wachovia Spectrum 08/24/07 Baltimore, MD, 1st Mariner Arena 08/25/07 Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum 08/26/07 Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena 08/29/07 Englewood, CO, Coors Amphitheatre 08/31/07 San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion At San Jose 09/01/07 Universal City, CA, Gibson Amph. At Univ. CityWalk 09/02/07 Universal City, CA, Gibson Amph. At Univ. CityWalk

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Usher’s album isn’t the only thing the singer is expecting to drop this fall. Apparently, the R&B star is also going to be a daddy. Yesterday Usher announced that he and their fiancé Tameka Foster is expecting a baby. "We are extremely excited at this point in our lives planning our wedding and the joy that comes with expecting our first child together," the couple said in a statement released to The Associated Press. "We hope people will be happy for us and respect our privacy during this happy period in our lives." This will be Usher’s first child and Tameka’s fourth! Yes, Tameka is about 10 years older than Ush and has three children from a previous relationship. They have yet to announce a wedding date. In other Usher news, he recently dropped $600,000 into his charity, Camp New Look. The camp teaches children about the business side of sports and entertainment. "The coolest part about the camp is that they get to have water balloon fights,” Usher said about the camp.

By: Rizoh Remember Fat Joe’s 2006 album Me, Myself, & I? Well, me neither. Despite that album’s overall poor performance on the chart, its lead single, “Make It Rain,” definitely left an indelible impression on the minds of many cell phone users. Thanks to a stellar Scott Storch beat and a catchy hook from Lil Wayne, Fat Joe has now sold over 1 million ringtones of “Make It Rain,” as certified by RIAA’s Platinum Ringtone Program. “Fat Joe and Terror Squad Entertainment have been great to work with and are a prime example of what we can bring to a project,” commented Neil Levine, Imperial Records Senior VP/GM in a statement. Fat Joe’s Me, Myself, & I was released last September via Terror Squad Entertainment/Imperial Records. It debuted at #14 on the Billboard 200 Chart. Relaunched in 2006, Imperial Records is EMI Music’s independent urban label division. “Make It Rain,” which reached No.6 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, is Imperial’s first Top 10 song in more than 40 years.