Cassino: An Executive Producer With Money on His Mind and Nothing to Lose

Cassino, a driven executive producer, promoter, investor, label owner of his own brand who represents Lawrence, Massachusetts, is a man with money on his mind, a business that keeps him busy every hour of every day, and a mission that involves putting Lawrence on the map. With artists under him like Eddie Caine, X, Marv, Louiso, and Chagoman, his ultimate goals are:
A joint distribution deal, Success, and Longevity.

Cassino is a risk taker (as he states). He understands the wins and looses of this business, yet his belief in his artists, his drive, and his ability of succeeding doesn’t give him the time to think of the possibility of loosing. Why should he? He is known of never being afraid to loose. He stands like a soldier when it comes to winning in this game, and he will fight like a warrior before he looses and gives up on his ultimate dream. Orthry Torres a reporter and content producer sat down with Cassino as he discussed his life as a business man, the advice as far as the music business and the fact that this business is like playing a game of chess. What he thinks about Lawrence, MA and the reason behind why rap artists from Lawrence have yet to be recognized, and finally where he expects and wants to be in the next five years.

O.T. (reporter): How are you?

Cassino: I am good, thank you.

O.T. (reporter): I finally got a hold of you; you are a busy man, well, first and foremost thank you for your time and opportunity. I do appreciate it.

O.T. (reporter): You are a producer, an investor, a label owner, talk to me Cassino?

Cassino: Well producer, I am not really a producer, I am an executive producer. I sit in the studio and listen to what’s being recorded. I put my info. As far as what’s hot or not. As a label owner, I can talk about that as well as a promoter. I started being a promoter first. I got with some one well known, ( I call him the king of all promotions) his name is Moe. He represents "Dejavu Entertainment." He started me off in the business, I see him like a brother. I see it like, instead of looking up to Jay-z, or someone who you might not see, or won’t even say hi to you, I look up to someone who is real and I can speak to, and call anytime I want. He has been grinding for years, he is well known, he started me up in the business and I started rocking in down south, Georgia to be specific with him. My first show was Paul Wall and Mike Jones and from there I learn the business and starting rocking. While being in Georgia, I started representing my label "UpNorth Entertainment". I did not go there thinking I was going to take over the world. I went there did what I had to do, and little by little I built my name and got respected. I showed people I was about my business, and people supported me.

As an executive producer, I have an artist "Eddie Caine" (from Lawrence, Ma) as well as Mr. Meezy he is from down south, he is big down south, he talks about his pain. When I am out there, I go to the studio and listen to what’s going on out there. I see the best of both worlds. I see the UpNorth side of the business and the south grind and my goal is to put all that together and put out a message that it doesn’t matter where your from. Eddie Caine is heard and respected in the Midwest, South, North, and the East coast.

O.T. (reporter): Who gave you the name Cassino, where did it come from?

Mr. Meezy (my artist) gave me that name. I am a hustler, a risk taker. When you go gambling you take a risk. You can win money (lots of it) or you can loose all your money. So it’s like the music business, it’s a risk because you don’t know what’s going to happen. People saw I was not scared to loose money, flip money, and that’s why they gave me that name. It all started in the south.

O.T.(reporter): Did you start UPnorth Entertainment all by yourself? If not, who else do you give create too regarding UpNorth Entertainment and the hard work behind it?

Cassino: I have to say to my man Digital (lil bobby). One day we went to a club, so him and I sat down together and we came up with UPNorth Entertainment. My label, the brand I promote and I am building right now. However, music wise, Dejavu Entertainment. He introduced me to this game. Bobby, Sean Blaze, they are all from down south. I did take it to the next level on my own. It was all up to me to make it happen. But again, I give credit to Moe (Dejavu Entertainment) Dj will2k, Shawn Blaze,.......
I mean at the end of the day I took it to the next level on my own. They helped me, but I work hard. Hard work pays off. Every year I want to see myself in a different level. This game is like the game of chess. You have to move up. You can’t stay in the same place. I set goals every year. Every year I want to be in a different place. I don’t take all the credit, because as you heard there were people that really helped me with building my brand, but persistent pays off and so does hard work and I did my part and it ain’t easy.

O.T.(reporter): I know you are all over the place, you commute a lot, this business requires that, tell me where you are from originally?

Cassino: I grew up in Lawrence, Ma and then I left out of here in 2002.
It’s funny, because I started in a staffing business. I was in a company that would help people find jobs and I went down south with that type of business in mind. However since I was a child growing up in Lawrence, my dream was to work in the music business. Finally I had the chance to go to Georgia. I saw everything live and I killed it.

O.T.(reporter): My space is huge right now did you find any of your artists there?

Cassino; Nah...

O.T.(reporter): Do you believe myspace is a good networking tool?

Cassino: My space is powerful. It’s bigger than the radio. You can get your point across. You meet people. I get so many emails. I want everyone to know I am staying busy. I am not laying back. Regardless where I am and what I am doing, whether it’s a party in Kentucky, Miami, Orlando, I will send that flyer out to everyone everywhere. I am staying on my grind. I get emails from artist all over the U.S. wanting to get signed. You gotta keep you’re A game up. My space is a powerful move.

O.T. (reporter): So you believe Myspace is a great promoting tool?

Cassino; Oh yeah, it does, but it got a little bit of a side effect.

O.T.(reporter): Besides the artists you have in hand right now, recently have you discovered any other talent on myspace that you would consider adding to your label family in the near future?

Cassino: DJ’s I think. I don’t know a lot of there names.
Couple of artists, maybe. However my whole movement right now is Eddie Caine.

O.T. (reporter): What do you look for in an artist, musically?

Cassino: Dedication & hunger.
You can be a great artist, but if you don’t have that grind you won’t make it.
You thinking you are the man, you don’t want to listen. ( I can’t rock with that)

O.T.(reporter): So laziness is out of the question???

Cassino: Yes......

O.T. (reporter): How many artists do you have right now that you are working with besides Eddie Caine?

Cassino: Marvelous, Louizo, X, Chagoman, and then I got Mr. Meezy ( he is from Savannah, GA) Black Heff. He is with Dejavu entertainment I am working with him as well, he is my next project.

O.T.(reporter): Cassino, talk to be about the south? You seem to have a great connection with artists from the south, however it almost seems like the south/their style of music or certain music from the south is loosing its success, do you think like everything else, their run is coming to an end? If so who do you see taking over the music stream now?

Cassino: I say right now, south is still poppin. Why? Because the way they network. It’s not like they carry the attitude of " I am the man" they work with each other, they create a big powerful movement. Tennessee, Texas, Atlanta, they all work together. For example: DJUNK. I knew him before he was big. Seeing him as far as how he works and what he’s done made me work hard. Weezy works hard, he is powerful right now as well. He works with everyone. NO one is going to take Weezy off the spot. The dancing and clapping music is getting tiring. Many people are getting tired of it. I think they want to hear more lyrics now. The Crunk music, the 2 step, "rock wit it" is fading out little by little.

O.T.(reporter): you did however recently (couple of months ago) had a show that feature Lil boosie, how was that experience and can you describe the vibe the day of the show?

Cassino: It was crazy. Oct. 7th the best night club in Oklahoma. This club has a Jacuzzi in the V.I.P. room. The way it runs is you pay 100 dollars and its all you can drink in the V.I.P. room. It’s ridiculous. As far as the performance people came out; people were paying 300 dollars to come in to the club. They had 3,200 people outside trying to come into the club. Lil Boosie is the kind of artist that will do that. I brought him out to Savannah, GA and South Carolina and he has so much support and respect, where ever you bring him he sells out. However that party right there, was crazy, ridiculous, ridiculous. The club was over capacity. It fit 2,300 people, and you still had another 1000 outside waiting to get in.

O.T. (reporter): A lot of your shows take place in Maine; do you plan on bringing any major artists out here to Lawrence any time soon?

Cassino: Me myself, I brought DJ UNK to Lawrence. It was like the plan for Massachusetts. It was a whole movement. "Trucash, Dejavu Entertaiment and UPNorth Entertainment got all this together. Three shows in one day; From Saugus, Ma, To Lawrence, MA, to Manchester, NH. all in one night. One show is a headache, we did three. Many people doubted it. They were making fun of it. I was even interviewed in the morning show "Melissa and Pebbles" from Jamn 94.5 that morning. They were talking about the show. They couldn’t believe it. We were the first to do it in Massachusetts. Why do one show when you can do three. Create a buzz. People seeing that, they are going to want to do the same thing. The first show in Saugus, MA it was huge, over 1000 kids. Lawrence we had about 4-500 kids, Manchester, we sold it out. It was an accomplishment. I would like to bring Juelz Santana to Lawrence, J.R. Writer, Soldier Boy. It all depends though how Lawrence behaves. I know there are hip hop lovers out here, but the violence.......
I feel like you gotta study the environment before you do a show. In Lawrence Reggaton is big. If I do something I will do it for the underage. They support the movement more.

O.T.(reporter): What will it take to bring the East back, since the saying continues to float around that the East is dead, hip hop is dead? What can the East do to be visible again within the music industry? Lawrence!

Cassino: I feel like hip hop never died and will ever die. People are making music.
The east is still making music. Cassidy he is big down south ( that drink and my 2 step song) he had a show in Savannah, GA about a week ago and it sold out.
So people have to realize music is music, regardless where it comes from. I like everything from Rock & Roll (the Goo Goo dolls) they are a hard group. I am open minded. I am not stuck on the east is dead or anything to that perspective. I feel like this, if the East start working more together it will work better. I look up to Rocafella Records. (that whole empire). Look at Jay-z he is from the east, and he is still making music.

O.T. (reporter): It almost seems that there are more potential rap artists in Lawrence than the average working community. Besides the fame and fortune that comes attached to this career, why do you believe all these young kids wan to become rap artists?

Cassino: I feel like, the problem is people don’t represent well as far as where they are from. Boston is Boston, Lawrence is Lawrence. Every time I bring Eddie Caine to an interview, he says he is from Lawrence, Ma not from Boston, MA.
That is one of the downfalls of Lawrence. When I had a meeting recently with an A&R, I made sure I told him, I am from Lawrence, MA not from Boston, MA.
But there is a lot of talent here. We are that movement that people look up to. Me coming back home and dealing with Eddie Caine and the buzz now I see many out there trying to do the same thing. We are that movement. We are being looked up to. I am not saying that we are the best, but we are being looked up to. It’s about music and business. We have a publicist. Her name is "Shanel Green" she is Beyonce publicist. We have a lawyer from New York. If the paper work is not correct, people are not going to work with you. If you are going to do a project, do it 100% correct. Don’t go ½ stepping. Spend money and represent well. You gotta do it right. UPNorth Entertainment has it on smash.

O.T.(reporter): Last that I checked MA, is not lacking in talent, but its sure enough lacking in promotion, what are you doing differently from other local label companies that gives you more ability to make your artists that stars they deserve to be?

Cassino: shows. We do shows with a bunch of major artists. At the end of any day, when I have a show, Eddie Caine is on it. The one thing that we lack is the radio. They show no support. I do have to call out "Gspin, Hustle Simmons, and Roy Barboza. They do support the records I sent them. However with that, it’s only on Sundays. "The local hour" Even if you are hot or not, play the record that is how you get recognized. The Eddie Caine record "flash your wrist" I had them played that at club Rumors in Boston and I knew I had a hit because people were feeling it. I had it played in Maine the other day, and people went crazy. If you have the opportunity to open up for an artist, do it, don t be scared. You have to be heard so people can vibe with you or not vibe with you. Promote yourself. I promote what I do every where I go. Every where there is a show, I bring Eddie Caine with me. Get cool with all the DJ’s you know so they can play your records.

O.T. (reporter): What do your artists have that makes them more driven and capable of making it in this game?

Cassino: I feel (let’s talk about Eddie Caine) he is the type of artist, I like his voice, and his voice is raw. People like his voice. You put a down south beat for him and he flips it. Yout gotta be able to know how to flip it. You can’t stick to one style. You have to be able to change your style up. It’s not that you are being fake with who you are. It’s part of the game. It’s a business and you are an artist for a reason. Right now, we just finished doing a track with J.R. Writer. We took it from New Orleans style to UPNorth style. So like I said, if you play Chess you know exactly what I mean. You have to make sure you are ahead. We are about to get a beat from Mannie Fresh. You gotta try and hook yourself up and connect with major artists. They are people like you and me. They are cool. I know a lot of people in the game and from what I have seen and they are cool.

O.T.(reporter): Being in this type of industry (which can be a dream/nightmare) I look at it as a unique roller coaster ride. It may look like fun and rich in adventure, but it is far from that. It’s hard work, it’s demanding, it’s stressful, it’s a balance of being accepted and rejected at the same time (some people will love you others will hate on you) how do you know which artists are worth working with, investing on, as well as mature enough to handle this business?

Cassino: It is stressful, I don’t sleep anymore. I sleep when I am dead. Or sleep when I make it and still when I make it, I have to keep moving to stay in the game.
It’s dedication man. These artists they are dedicated and it’s hard. We all have kids. I don’t see my kids sometimes for months, but I am building it for them.
TruCash plays their part man. They are loyal. Eddie Caine is an artist but he is also business. He knows his business and that is the good thing about him. I have to call out Lou Promo from Cheddar DVD he put UPNorth Entertainment on as well.
At the end of the day you have to build an empire. Networking and helping each other out that is what works.

O.T.(reporter): Lawrence a small town rich in talent, ability, and hunger, so why are we being overlooked when it comes to talent and opportunity?

Cassino: Blame the radio. The radio is too Hollywood.

O.T.(reporter): Artists today are running their own production teams, labels, there are creating their own music, writing their own lyrics, producing their own tracks, promoting their brand, do you believe because of this, major record companies have become upset to the point that this is why they are not paying to promote music the way they use to?

Cassino: I feel that the record labels, it’s good to get signed I will not lie, but if you could do it independently is great. However, this is what happens, the record label gives people $100-200,000 investment, people use it to buy chains, cars and that is not what the money is for. I know people that are broke and signed. I am not going to say any names, but again, that money they give is for a project. They have stop giving money because the money is not being used for the purpose. If and when anyone gets that opportunity, use it to build your empire. Use it for good beats, and anything that has to do with your project, everything else will come in time.

Independent is the way to go, but a joint adventure is what I am looking for.
This business is hard. I don’t know it all. I am still learning.

O.T.(reporter): You have artists right now, I know you will be looking for more artists in the future because you are planning to build an empire. Where will casino be let’s say in the next 5 years? Where do you expect to be, where do want to be?

Cassino: Right now right next to Russell Simmons. (laughing)
At the end of the day I want to do the same thing Rocafella Records did. How they build their empire. They are still signed to DefJam yet they still have their own label. In five years I want to be that new face. I want people to know me. I look for all types of acts, even rock & roll. I have spoken to people that do rock & roll music.

O.T. (reporter): Cassino, thank you so much. I appreciate your time. It’s been a pleasure.

Now we are going to do the True/False questions and my six second questions (which you will have six seconds to answer these questions) so let’s go:

True/False

O.T. (reporter): Grew up in Lawrence, MA, but resides in Atlanta,, GA? True or False

Cassino: TRUE

O.T. (reporter): UPNorth Entertainment, home of your label with upcoming artist that are expected to blow up the music main stream, True or False.

Cassino: TRUE

O.T. (reporter): Cassino defines; a producer and label owner whose brand consists of young, talented, and driven artists that are warriors within all levels of success?

Cassino: TRUE

Six seconds questions

O.T. (reporter): Patriots/Colts (who will bring the Super bowl home)

Cassino: PATRIOTS

O.T. (reporter): Celtics/Magic/Pistons (Eastern Conference Championship)

Cassino: CELTICS

O.T. (reporter): Timberland/Scott Storch/Dr. Dre (best overall producer)

Cassino: DR.DRE

O.T. (reporter): T.I./Ludacris/Jeezy (lyrically the best coming from Atlanta)

Cassino: T.I.

O.T. (reporter): Sexy pumps/Sexy boots (what attracts you more)

Cassino: Sexy boots

O.T. (reporter): Halle Berry/ Vida Guerra/ Alicia Keys (which lady would you like to spend the night with)

Cassino: ALL THREE!

Cassino, a business man with a plan and mission of controlling and leading the next five years of the music stream with the artists he has under his belt. He understands the hard work behind all this for reasons that he has been doing this for five years now. However he has not even started to promote and explore the best of what he has to offer yet. Representing Lawrence to the fullest, he wants to be the first to put Lawrence on the map. With the artists he has, the empire he is building, the respect he has already both in the North and the South, the awaiting of the joint distribution deal, the success, and the longevity of taking over the music stream is how he plans to conquer the music world. So watch out world; Cassino, a gambler, hustler, and winner of all his plans both personally and professionally will fight the war of music until he is given the chance to show what he got.

Cassino’s message of thank you: I want to thank everyone who has helped me built this movement and those who have supported this movement; UPNorth Entertainment. I do appreciate it. For those who hit me up on Myspace and I don’t reply. Don’t ever think I am ignoring your message. I have someone who works my page and my busy schedule doesn’t allow me to read everything as much as I want too. Persistent pays off, don’t give up and continue to hit me up. I will get back to you as soon as I can.

I have to call out some names these people have helped me in many ways regarding my business, my movement.....................

Young Sav from Defjam Records- Played a big part in this movement.
Ben Chang. (Our producer)
Moe. C.e.o of Dejavu entertainment
Black Heff

Down South Movement

DJ’s; DJ Wil2k, DJ Mike Fresh, DJ Dice law, DJ Jelly, DJ Montay and DJ Jeffnice

DJ’s up North
DJ Lus, DJ Geespin, DJ Hectic, DJ Kool v, DJ Sam Smoove, DJ Erkle, DJ Venus,
DJ Roy Barboza, DJ Fatmanscoope, DJ Kslay

Artists
Eddie Caine, Marv, X, Louiso, Chagoman

Up North Movement
DJ Wil2k, Lou Promo, Dee (Chedda DVD), Digital aka Lil Bobby, Shawn Blasé, Big T
Lou, Nelson, DJ Zay, DJ Mell

TruCash Record
Cassino, Eddie Caine, Lou promo, X, Marv, Spider
And everyone from CT, NY, ATL, Boston, NJ, and Phillie

If anyone would like to contact Cassino please feel free to do so:
Here is his link: www.myspace.com/upnorthentertainment06