Philadelphia lyricist Cassidy was one of a handful of acts who took part in Jay Z and R. Kelly’s short-lived Best Of Both Worlds Tour nearly 10 years ago, and according to the rapper, while on the tour he gave R. Kelly and his crew some pistols following an incident that happened backstage.
According to Cassidy, he was unaware of any issues between Jay Z and R. Kelly prior to loaning out the guns and was looking forward to his performance with the Chicago crooner who would ultimately end up in the hospital later that night.
“I was going to Madison Square Garden,” Cassidy said, during an interview with Vlad TV. “We was about to go over there and perform. It was when he was on tour with Jay Z. This was my first time—This was going to be my first time performing a song actually with R. Kelly…We never did it together. This was gonna be the first time. So, I was excited. And then it was in a big arena. That was a big situation, so I was happy. I go in Madison Square Garden. I’m backstage…I’m in there busting it up with my homies and all that. Next thing I know I see all this commotion. I hear all this noise. I see people running and all that. I don’t know what’s going on though. I wasn’t over there. Then, you know what I’m saying, one of R Kelly’s people that I knew came in the bathroom and let me know that it was a problem out there. They was going through something. I ain’t know it was with Jay Z. I ain’t know who it was with.”
Cassidy later added that he and his crew were already “strapped up,” so they had no problem lending R. Kelly and his crew guns so they could be “more protected.”
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“And at the time I was running around reckless anyway,” he said. “So, niggas was strapped up. So, when I heard they was going through problems—So, they could be more protected. I don’t know if they had guns already. I don’t know. I ain’t get into all that. Just to hold them down and make sure they was Gucci I gave them some pistols. But at the end of the day it’s like I had to get my pistols back. So, I went to the hospital and got them back.”
Jay Z and R. Kelly’s Best Of Both Worlds Tour came to an abrupt end in October 2004 after the duo performed at only a handful of shows. The Madison Square Garden show, which Cassidy appeared at would be the tour’s last show.
