Cass (Connor Cassidy) is an American rapper, guitarist, & producer born & based in Massachusetts. He takes a lyrical, genre-bending approach to his music, which is best showcased on his debut album, PHOENIX released in Dec. of 2020. Combined with his clean-cut style & high-energy stage presence, Cass has gained a substantial fan base in one year - his music videos earning over 2.5 million views and 10,000+ shares across social media. He gained his initial following by performing extensively in the New England area and freestyling at local events and is most known for his charismatic stage presence: somewhere between a rap star and a rock star. Beyond music, he competes as a martial artist, serves as a real estate agent, & works for Tesla. Artists that most inspire him include Breaking Benjamin, John Mayer, Drake, Slipknot, Rick Ross & Nas.

HISTORY

Connor Thomas Khalil Cassidy was born on Nov. 12th, 1995 to Tom and Joan Cassidy in Massachusetts. 

From an early age, he was surrounded by nature and taught to value it. He was primarily raised in the small town of Norfolk, Massachusetts where his parents converted a run-down hunting lodge into a home. His father worked as a professor of education at Harvard University and consultant for The World Bank, and his mother as a court reporter for the Boston court system.

Growing up in Massachusetts, he was steeped in the region’s unique and spirited culture, known more for its sports than its music. Though he didn’t write his first song until the age of 15, he sensed early on that he was different. “Growing up I was a floater: someone that didn’t belong at just one table. I’d get bored with being around the same types of people and energy, so I’d switch it up & explore. That’s probably why my fans are so diverse - I have an ability to resonate with many different types of people.”

This sense of freedom from a concrete personality archetype led to a wide mix of experiences & influences, which culminated in a mixtape he put together during his sophomore year of high school. The first-ever recording he produced was a homemade cover version of Slipknot’s .execute. from their album, All Hope Is Gone. 

Every weekend, he’d travel to Boston to record in the home studio of sound engineer Tarik McFarland - his first real exposure to recording & collaboration. After releasing a freestyle remix to Lil Wayne’s 6 foot 7 foot, he gained the attention of his area and started performing extensively in & around Massachusetts opening up for more established artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, Cory Gunz, Shwayze, & more. The success of these shows made him see the possibility of music as a real career, not just a passion.

Upon graduating high school, this vision was abruptly disrupted. A small polyp had formed on his vocal cords that limited the use of his voice & barred him from recording and performing at a high-quality level. To bide his time for healing & vocal training, he accepted an academic scholarship to The University of Miami (FL) to study business. Being vocally limited, he learned to listen more and speak less, diving deeply into his newfound habits of mixed martial arts, transcendental meditation, and financial analysis. While at school, he became the personal assistant for a local Miami entrepreneur who began funding his studio sessions to record demos and write for other artists in Miami as he patiently struggled to regain his voice. 

Feeling disconnected from the lives of his large family in the northeast, he transferred to Northeastern University: an academic upgrade and a better fit for his mindset. Still unable to record due to the altered quality of his voice, he became the personal manager of a close friend, Kyle Bent, who’d had a song go viral and had just signed an indie record deal. He also began selling real estate, working for Universal Music Group as a college rep, & taking various odd jobs to remain in the city & help fund Kyle's career. It was taxing, but for a while, it paid off: affording him a good lifestyle in the heart of the city and building him a reputation in the scene as a young, ambitious manager for a thriving talent.

Upon graduating college, he had a falling out with Kyle and refocused on his own material. He started booking weekly sessions at Boston recording studios (namely The Record Co., The Bridge Sound & Stage, and The Mix Loft) & dove deeply into learning music production, sound engineering, and advanced guitar techniques. This lead to the release of his debut album PHOENIX in 2020, and although the COVID-19 pandemic cut off his rising momentum in playing live shows, he released several music videos that collectively surpassed 10,000+ shares across social media in one years time.

Cass is currently at work on his second album, Of The East, anticipated for release in the Summer of 2022. It will consist of a mix of Hip-Hop, rock, metal, and blues - his primary influences. After the independent success of his first album, he’s excited to level up his production and get back to touring & learning the ropes of the road. 

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