The use of mixtapes in hip-hop is not new by any means.  Since the 80's, when only New Yorkers (and a select other few) had any what hip-hop was, mixtapes have been a way of sharing new music, from blends to DJ cuts to exclusive songs.  Yet it wasn't until 2002 that the pop media had caught on to the phenomena, mainly due to the explosion of Jamaica, Queens rapper/ current R&B star 50 Cent and his use of those same mixtapes as a tool in becoming a star.  While 50 was the first to accomplish such a feat, he was soon followed by a million others.  While many new mixtape rappers got media exposure, one of the most notable is Philly-bred MC Cassidy.  He got famous not only on mixtapes, but because of his infamous taped battle with State Property member and Beanie Sigel protege Freeway.  While no one was crowned, Cassidy seemed to have been named winner by the populus of hip-hop.  Cass was now signed to Ruff Ryders producer Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface and prepared to release his debut album.  The album is titled Split Personality, alluding to the album's claim of representing all of the idenities of Cassidy and the different types of music he can make.  Yet the album has one distinct sound: bad.

While the album tries to begin on an intelligent note, "My Interpretation" comes off like Cassidy may have never heard some of the words he just read.  It so unds like a kid reading the dictionary.  After this, Cassidy seperates the album into three parts: Cassidy, Tha Problem, and B. Reese (his birth name is Barry Reese).  He begins the first section with the rather good single "Hotel".  While Swizz laces the song with a sexy, latin-tinged beat, Cass fights to make it as unlistenable as possible with asinine lines like "I got a double bed/ One's to sleep on/ the other one's to get my freak on".  Yet brilliantly-talented, alleged pervert R. Kelly makes up for this the rest of the song, as he effectively steals the show from Cass, ad for good reason.  While this is followed by a number of bad "ladies" songs, one is rather notable.  Of course, the reason it is notable is for it's remarkable awfulness.  "Get No Better" cannot get any worse.  It's almost like Cassidy tried to find the most annoying chorus ever, and may have just achieved that goal.  With the use of the word "ma" over 30 (!) times in the song, he crafts a song so bad that "Weird" Al Yankovic would ave nothing left to parody.  He soon ends the Cassidy part of the album, as he begins Tha Problem.

Tha Problem is an apt title, since this part of Split Personality showcases Cassidy's lack of songwriting skills.  Swizz attempts to help Cass start the party again on "Tha Problem", but Cassidy's lyrics can't keep up with the flute-sampling track.  Next is the formualic "Pop That  Cannon", which features the lox member Styles P., who's also from Philadelphia.  Yet even  Styles underwhelms over a beat which sounds unfinished and a hook which seems like M.O.P. leftovers.  Cassidy finally makes another good song with "Blood Pressure", which features more than a couple decent punchlines, including "(My Guns)'ll leave you like skinny women/ you got no bodies".  Of course, he soon reverts back to his awful -lyricism ways, with the not only bad, but downright grating "Can I Talk To You", which featurs another lox member, Jadakiss.  While "...Talk to You" is the end of the problem, there is no solution in sight.

Cassidy seems to have a dilemma: he has convinced himself that meaningful lyrics are the same thing as soul sampling.  He samples very often in the B. Reese section, and who can blame him?  After an album full of Swizz Beatz keyboard jabs and whistles, why would he want anymore?  On "Real Talk", Cass pretty much tries his hardest to make a poignant song, but falls very short.  He  tries to touch on important issues, yet the lyrics are so simple, you'd be hard pressed to find a child who learned anything from this song.  On "Husslin'", he spits some of the most incoherently stupid lyrics ever, again sayin another word over 30 times, this time being his own name.  "I'm Hungry" could be the worst song of the year, and he finishes the album with another ladies song, "Around Tha World", but by this point, the listener is probably watching the Lifetime channel.  He also adds a bonus track, a remix to "Hotel", but since most of the album already sounds like a remix to "Hotel", the Trina featured song is rendered irrelevant.

While most modern hip-hop albums aren't as ambitious as the concept for Split Personality, it may also go down in the history books as one of the worst concept albums ever.  It's utter lack of lyrical content and subpar production make it a candidate for worst album of 2004.  Well, since he was never declared the winner in the Freeway battle, should't he get a prize for this one?

Download: "Hotel", "Blood Pressure"

STAY AWAY FROM: "I'm Hungry", "Get No Better", the remainder of the album

Overall: 1 out of 6 Shots