's second studio album, , was released on June 28, 2005 , by Full Surface Records and J Records. While intended to be a major mainstream breakthrough, the album's release was famously overshadowed by a murder charge that saw Cassidy incarcerated at the time it hit shelves. The Path to Release
Released on June 28, 2005 ’s sophomore album, I'm a Hustla cassidy i 39-m a hustla album
Despite being a “mixtape,” I’m a Hustla charted on the Billboard 200 (peaking at No. 34) and topped the Independent Albums chart. It sold over 200,000 copies independently, a staggering number for a project distributed outside the traditional major-label machinery of the time. 's second studio album, , was released on
The album’s title track, "I'm a Hustla," became an instant hip-hop classic.Produced by Swizz Beatz, the song sampled Jay-Z’s vocals from "Dirt Off Your Shoulder."The booming production and infectious hook turned it into a street anthem.The song eventually earned a remix featuring Jay-Z himself, validating Cassidy's status in the rap elite.The track proved that ringtone-era rap could still carry immense lyrical weight. Production and Sound Architecture 34) and topped the Independent Albums chart
You cannot discuss I’m a Hustla without examining its earth-shattering title track. Built around a brilliant, chopped-up vocal sample of Jay-Z from "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" ("I'm a hustler, homey..."), the song "I'm a Hustla" became an instant street classic.