Released in the summer of 2005, Cassidy’s sophomore album, I'm a Hustla , arrived at a pivotal moment in hip-hop. The Philly rapper had already proven he had commercial appeal with his debut, Split Personality , but he was still fighting to prove he wasn't just another "R&B rapper" due to his breakout hit "Hotel." With this album, Cassidy shed the pop-rap skin and delivered a project that was aggressive, lyrically dense, and sonically defining for the mid-2000s era.