How DJ Cassidy Is Bridging Musical Eras With ‘Pass The Mic!’

During the pandemic, DJ Cassidy radiated happiness into homes worldwide when he launched his “Pass the Mic!” series, unearthing and celebrating legendary artists across multiple genres.

Hip-hop culture became the star genre of the series. This culture, once underestimated as a fad, who has surpassed its 50th year and is now being celebrated for its iconic artists and timeless influence in Las Vegas, an usually place for hip-hop acts. By creating these harmonious ensembles, Cassidy showcased the enduring legacy and impact of hip-hop, highlighting its evolution and significance in the music world.

The series began with a heartfelt inspiration drawn from a conversation Cassidy had with musical luminary Earth, Wind and Fire’s Verdine White, who was a core guide towards his fervor for the soul music of the 1970s and 80s.

Cassidy instinctively gravitated towards this era for the first part of the series, what the DJ coins as “Volume One,” realizing he had to rely on personal connections due to the absence of a prototype. “I knew I had to call people with whom I had relationships because there was no prototype,” he explained in our exclusive interview last week. These relationships, rooted in trust, formed the backbone of the inaugural episode, featuring artists like Patrice Rushen and Ray Parker Jr., who had previously collaborated with Cassidy. As he recounted, “One artist led to the next, and that’s how Volume One was created.”

“I thought to myself, how fortunate am I to have relationships with so many of my musical heroes, nearly all of my musical heroes! And how fortunate am I to be able to experience their music in such an intimate and personal way? I asked myself right at that moment if there was a way that I could possibly give this feeling to others around the world, especially during this crazy time. A light bulb immediately went off in my mind, and I envisioned what would become “Pass the Mic.” I envisioned myself sitting in my living room in front of the fireplace, palm trees and flamingo wallpaper behind me, with the lights dim and low, dropping iconic hip-hop and R&B records, and essentially passing the mic legend to legend, from home to home, to sing along to their most iconic songs,” Cassidy recounts.

The overwhelming response to volume one surprised him, leading to the realization that the series had the potential to extend beyond a single installment. This prompted Cassidy to explore his hip hop roots in volume two, celebrating the golden era from the early 80s to early 90s, featuring legends like Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J. “To go from Run-D.M.C. to LL Cool J to Public Enemy to Rakim in one episode was unheard of,” he said, highlighting the monumental nature of his achievement.

Each episode was meticulously themed, often starting with Cassidy compiling a playlist of his favorite songs, and then reaching out to artists, fostering introductions that allowed the project to grow organically. This method ensured that “the stars always aligned,” creating a series that not only honored its musical heroes but also became a historical archive of timeless performances.

The series evolved rapidly, transforming from a self-produced web series to a television special in just four months. The pandemic influenced its unique format. Initially, the show was filmed remotely, with artists recording from locations that held personal significance to them, such as their homes, studios, or favorite spots. Cassidy emphasized that the format’s virtual nature wasn’t solely due to COVID-19 but was an integral part of the show’s concept: “The format was based on the idea of passing the mic from home to home.”

These viral medleys proved to be undeniably therapeutic during the pandemic. Faced with lockdowns, job losses, and the demands of remote work and schooling, the world was in a state of depression. These medleys provided a much-needed surge of joy and positivity, offering an emotional lift to many.

It was comforting to see how some of the world’s most cherished R&B, Funk, Soul, Reggae, and Hip-Hop acts—including Chaka Khan, MC Lyte, Kool & the Gang’s Robert Bell, El DeBarge, Gladys Knight, RUN DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, TLC, En Vogue, SWV, Bell Biv Devoe, Big Daddy Kane, Shalamar’s Howard Hewett, and more—were maintaining their artistry in the most harmonious way.

“I did expect people to have an emotional reaction, as that was the entire goal,” DJ Cassidy admits. “When I conceived the idea on that FaceTime call with Verdine, it was an answer to a question: Could I give people the feeling that I had at that moment? Hearing Verdine sing along to ‘That’s the Way of the World’ gave me comfort. Experiencing his music with him in that intimate way was comforting and put a smile on my face. That was the goal, to bring people comfort, joy, and some form of celebration during an otherwise uncelebratory time.”

Even after the pandemic restrictions eased and the world began to reopen, the essence of the show remained the same. The first five episodes included COVID-19 safety measures, while the latter half were filmed without such constraints, yet still adhered to the original format. This consistency was crucial for Cassidy, who wanted the show to maintain its core idea of intimate, personal performances: “At its core, that’s what the show was: my home to your home, from my place to your place, from me to you.”

The only significant changes from the initial web series to the television special were improvements in camera and lighting quality. The heart of “Pass the Mic”—its personal, artist-driven performances—remained unchanged, reflecting Cassidy’s vision and the series’ enduring appeal.

The “Pass the Mic” series has evolved through four distinct chapters, so far. It began with the homegrown series, comprising three online viral, self-produced episodes. This was followed by the BET series, which featured seven television specials. Chapter three took the form of a live tour, with one-off concerts across the country, each selling out arenas of over 10,000 people. The current chapter is the Las Vegas residency, which is set to commence on July 5th at the Theater at Planet Hollywood.

Cassidy describes the experience as surreal, overwhelming, and emotional, expressing gratitude for his role as the “bridge, messenger, and maestro.” He shared that the series has always been about the artists, stating, “All I did was have a little idea, and it became something bigger than I could have ever imagined.” Remarkably, volume one premiered in July 2020, volume two in August, volume three in October, and by November, it had already become a TV show.

Now, Cassidy is bringing the grand medley to Las Vegas, an opportunity facilitated by Steve Rifkin, the legendary music mogul and founder of Loud Records and SRC Records, who bonded him with Live Nation for the three-weekend extravaganza. As Cassidy recalls, “When Live Nation brought me this opportunity via Steve Rifkin, he had no idea I had made Volume One over the month or two before. I sent it to him before I premiered it and said, ‘Watch this and call me back.’ He called me in May 2020 and said, ‘This is going to change your life.’ He was right. He has been my partner in this journey, helping to bring it to BET and the Black Promoters Collective and now to Live Nation.”

A one-of-a-kind performance, the Las Vegas residency will take place over three weekends (July 5, 12-13, 19-20), featuring hip-hop legends Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Ja Rule, and Fat Joe. They will be joined by Public Enemy, Akon, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, Too $hort, and Warren G for an extraordinary boom bap medley in Vegas.

The lineup is DJ Cassidy’s version of The Rat Pack, as he sought out some of the most exemplary stars to lead the Las Vegas residency next month. Featuring the pioneering 1980s hip-hop duo Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, whose era-defining single “La-Di-Da-Di” was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in April, alongside Fat Joe and Ja Rule, frequent collaborators in the early 2000s with hits like “New York” and the Ashanti-blessed track “What’s Luv?,” the show embraces some of hip-hop’s most prime eras.

“I was very inspired by the idea of The Rat Pack. Many people think of Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and then stop there. But really, The Rat Pack was five superstar artists who came together to form a new ensemble that you could only witness in Vegas. That unity and camaraderie made it unique and special. You could only experience it in Vegas.”

Ja Rule recognizes DJ Cassidy’s fervor and is not only looking forward to making hip-hop history next month. Last week ,the “Livin’ It Up” told me about how the performance is a full circle moment as he graces the Las Vegas stage with his own superheroes.

“I get to share the stage with good friends like Fat Joe, one of my peers. We came up in this game together and perform a lot together, but not in this capacity. And then there’s Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh. I grew up watching them; they were my superheroes. Sharing the stage with this ensemble group is very special to me. Cassidy is great. What he’s done with his ‘Pass the Mic’ series, building it from COVID to now, is amazing and a testament to his hustle and dedication to the culture,” said Ja Rule.

Cassidy clearly wants to create a similar ensemble with hip hop artists. “I wanted to put together five artists who were all stars in their own right. Although I don’t like calling myself that, for the sake of this description, I will. I wanted to put together five hip hop artists. That’s an important factor. It could have been anything, so why hip hop?” By uniting these legendary hip-hop figures, this is an opportunity to redefine what Vegas entertainment means.

Hip-hop culture has been gradually making its mark in the world of Las Vegas residencies. Salt-N-Pepa made history in 2018 with the first hip-hop residency in Vegas as part of their “I Love the 90s” tour, featuring Vanilla Ice, Naughty By Nature, Montell Jordan, and Sir Mix-A-Lot. Earlier this year, Wu-Tang Clan continued this cultural accolade as the second hip-hop group in history to have a residency in Las Vegas. Their victorious stint led to additional dates scheduled for September.

“It is surreal that a little idea I had at the start of the global pandemic has now become a Las Vegas residency. It is surreal that the little idea I had even became a television show. It is surreal to see this idea on billboards all over the Las Vegas Strip. It is surreal to think that I, over the course of ten episodes of the series, passed the mic to 220 legendary hip-hop and R&B artists. It is surreal to think that those 220 legends even know my name, let alone picked up the phone to take part,” said Cassidy.

“It is surreal every time I see Chuck D post the ads for the residency, which he does often. It is surreal that I get to share this stage in Las Vegas with hip-hop artists that I’ve idolized long before they ever knew I existed. It is surreal that I get to not only share the stage with those whom I’ve idolized but to collaborate with them and interact with them in the performance of their songs.”

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