Cassie Talks About #RockaByeBaby, Working With Trinidad James & What Diddy Means To Her

Cassie is on some new new stuff right about now. With the mixtape, “RockaByeBaby” dropping April 11th I knew that it would be a side of her we’d never seen before. Cassie explains the “side” of her that she portrays on the mixtape, and a few other things. Things like the “All Gold, All Girls (Remix)” with Trina & Lola Monroe, as well as throwing Lola a baby shower, and the one most people would like to know…what influences Diddy has on her. Drop down bottom and check out the Q&A that Cassie did with Rap-Up.

JaaiR (JR)

Why did you title the mixtape RockaByeBaby?
At first when we came up with the concept of RockaByeBaby it was loosely based on New Jack City and Keisha in New Jack City, who was sent to do the dirty work for the guys in the film. RockaByeBaby is really based on Keisha and her just no-bullshit attitude and I wanted it to be a reflection of a different side of my personality that people haven’t really gotten to experience yet. It’s just a tougher side of my personality.

How did “All Gold, All Girls (Remix)” featuring LoLa Monroe and Trina come together?
I had been working Trinidad James lately and I told him that I was in love with the record as everybody else was and a bunch of people did remixes, and when I played him my version of it, it didn’t have LoLa or Trina on it. He said, “What if you made it ‘All Gold, All Girls (Remix)’ and just got two bad rappers and just kill it?” For me it was a teaser to the project. We just kinda shot it out and I don’t think anybody’s ever heard me like that, but that’s what I sound like on the mixtape, so it’s kinda different and vibey. I don’t think we ever had intentions of putting it on [RockaByeBaby]. I love Trina and LoLa to death, they’re like sisters to me and I really love that they did that with me.

You threw a baby shower for LoLa. How did you become friends?
We met through Los actually ’cause Los is at Bad Boy and I’ve known Los for years. I had never met her and they’ve been together for so long, but we instantly clicked. LoLa is one of the coolest—like I can’t even explain how cool she is. She’s the most laid-back girl ever, but just so dope. She doesn’t even try at all. She’s been pregnant most of the time we’ve been hanging out, so we end up just watching TV and eating. She just had the baby, who I need to go see. I’m so happy for them.

How much of a hand did Diddy have in the mixtape?
Puff helped me come up with the concept of it being RockaByeBaby being based on New Jack City, like how do we want to make this an idea and a concept without forcing it on people and making it something cheesy. He’s definitely been super involved in the process. Helping me find my place in the music world, like where do I want to exist, like who do I want to make music with, like what kind of music do I want to make. I think I never really asked myself those questions and I was just making records for so long. He’s been super involved and so helpful with everything, from the videos to helping me edit. And this is for the first time that I can honestly say to you because you’ve known me for so long, that this is my project. Anything that is coming out has my hands on it and has my touch on it. That’s what makes it so much more personal and I love the fact that he really just let me do me, because not making any money off of music like that, how am I just gonna give away such a crazy body of work unless it means something to me. It means giving my supporters something that they deserve.

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