Cas One [Artist]

A couple of months ago we announced that the Trainwreck’d Society Person of 2013 was going to be awarded to a brilliant indie hip hop artist, Alexander Hallet, also known as Bodi.  In the manner we are accustomed to, we went looking for his friends to ask a couple of questions.  One of those said friends was the very Jacob Snider, also known as Cas One.  I had listened to Cas One before, and really dug it.  But, I don’t believe I ever really LISTENED to Cas One.  I’m sure you all understand what I am getting.  But, now I think I have heard him enough to realize that I had really been missing out on a man with a message all this time.  But, hey, we all make mistakes, at least I know better now.

Not so long ago, I discovered a beautiful track released by Sadistik as a free download on a digital album simply titled “Other Songs”.  That track was called “Savior Self”.  After one listen, I realized I just heard what could be considered the super group of some sort of gathering of revolutionaries who are out on the streets doing all they can to keep hip hop relevant.  I mean, sweet shit of christ.  Along with Sadistik we had Bodi, Kristoff Kane, Eyedea (R.I.P.), and…… Cas One.  The last one being the man who stole the show in just a few bars, with some of the finest poetry I have ever heard in lyrical form.  Just look at this:

“This one’s for the vices, the advice I never took
Those stairways I mistook for pages in my notebook
Those old cold looks that grab ahold of soul and shook
Hold my head up while I hold your hand and write my book
Oh look, that crooked little window got some blinds
I never pull em down though, they see straight inside
It’s like we changed minds, still stand in the middle
Don’t know how I keep it, I used to keep it always
Touch hands with ghosts and still walk through these hallways
Keep myself sane with the music on the long days
Seasons still change, I keep a piece of em always
Faces rearrange, they just memories in a crawlspace
They wanna walk the shoes but never learned to tie the lace”

This little bit of genius was absolutely intriguing to me.  But even this pales in comparison to the rest of his work I would soon discover.  His latest album, The Monster and The Wishing Well, is one of the greatest works of hip hop I have heard since, well, Bodi’s The Fall of Atlas.  I guess the main focal loin to get across here is that great company certainly keeps great company.  And whether they are joining forces, or guiding their own path, it is imperative to note that they are absolutely brilliant at what they do.

One of Cas One’s greatest attributes as a songwriter and rapper is his ability to write truly personal and somewhat detailed songs, yet leaves them just a bit open ended enough for the listener to gently place their own personal feelings into the words between the man and his beat.  One needs to look no further than “The X”, a song I stumbled upon on YouTube, that is a perfect example of a life event that too many of us had to deal with with so much haste, all the while doing all we can to remain righteous and continue moving on.  You really need to listen to the song to understand what I am getting here.  This is the type of wonderful song somebody would throw up on their Facebook Timeline with some sort of vague statement aimed at a certain someone.  If you wanted to look even further, which I suggest you do, “The Get Down” from The Monster and The Wishing Well is an even more serious statement on a very serious matter.  In fact, listen to it now:

If you are a fan of truly great hip hop music, Cas One is an artist you should definitely give a listen to.

Pick up some great Cas One tunes at his WEBSITE.