Dj Cassidy Describes How Diddy’s “Greatest Compliment” Affected His Life.

Dj Cassidy Describes How Diddy's "Greatest Compliment" Affected His Life.

DJ Cassidy may be a well-known DJ now, but he was previously a relative unknown before a chance encounter with Diddy altered the course of his professional life.

On May 17, the DJ visited The Breakfast Club for a chat. Co-host DJ Envy inquired about how the Bad Boy tycoon found the DJ. In addition to describing how they met, DJ Cassidy shared the words Diddy spoke to him that evening, which turned out to be some of the best accolades he has ever gotten.

He began, “Puffy had a huge impact on my life. “I was 19 years old and working as a DJ at Lotus, a club on 14th Street and 9th Avenue in New York City. I had just gotten a night there, and it was the hottest club in New York. But it was kind of like the wacky basement night. And it was a wet night and I was playing in the crazy room. I was playing ’70s and ’80s soul songs at like three in the morning. Therefore, for those who are unaware of what it means: Chaka, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Prince.

Puffy then emerges from a room corner and begins dancing alone. And that was like God showing up on the dance floor for a 19-year-old at that time in the year 2000. The ruler of New York, of all gatherings, and of hip-hop. And I recall him dancing till well after 4 in the morning, at which point the club manager approached me and asked, “I assume you wanna keep going?” I respond, “Yes.”

“He walks out around five in the morning, walks by the DJ booth, and asks, ‘Who’s the DJ?'” the speaker said. ‘I’m the DJ,’ I declared. And he asked, “Who’s been playing all these old records here all night?” I uttered “Me.” He then gave me a weird “What?” expression. He also noted his name and phone number. Call me tomorrow, Puffy wrote on a napkin, along with a 917 number. At NYU, I was a freshmen. I was really anxious when I called. I found every reason not to call. When I finally phoned, a voicemail stating that God is the best was left for me. BEEP!’

“I introduced myself as DJ Cassidy. They then requested that you hold on. And he immediately picked up the phone, asking, “Yo, what’s up playboy?” I then ask, “What’s up, Puff?” You see, I was at a loss for words. ‘How old are you?’ he asks. I was thinking, “19.” How do you know how to play those recordings in that manner, he questioned. I responded, “Like what?” Like you lived them, he adds. It was one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received, yet at the time I had no idea what it meant.

He concluded: “I believe what he was trying to say was that recordings are played differently by DJs after you have lived through them. When you experienced a record’s release and its climactic moment, and you can contextually recall the music you played before or after that record. It was one of the finest compliments, even though I had no understanding what he meant. But in any case, I performed at his 32nd birthday a few months later. I performed at his 50th a few years ago. He has since played an important role in my life. He recognized a quality in me before anyone else did.

For one night only, DJ Cassidy will revive his well-liked pandemic series Pass The Mic Live to honor 25 titans of Hip Hop. The event takes place on July 21 in New York’s Radio City Music Hall and will feature an all-star lineup of classic Hip-Hop icons, including some of the genre’s most important pioneers.

Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim, and Slick Rick are among the anticipated performers. The event’s goal is to return hip-hop to its origins in honor of its 50th birthday.

The Black Promoters Collective (BPC) and Martell Cognac are hosting the event, which will also include rap pioneers like Roxanne Shante, the Sugarhill Gang, Monie Love, Kurtis Blow, Kid ‘N Play, and other surprise guests.

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