ABU DHABI // Violence, sex and foul language may be the staples of hip hop, but the US rapper Cassidy knew he would have to tone down his show when he performed in Abu Dhabi on Friday. "This is a drug-free country so there's no point me rapping about drugs here, because my audience can't relate like they could in the US," he said.
"There are certain rules that I respect here as it's a Muslim country and as an artist, you just go with it. I often change my performances according to the audiences anyway, because some are into a certain style of my music more than another. "But here, I wouldn't take off my shirt or get girls up on stage with me. I've been doing it for so long now that it isn't hard for me to adapt what I do."
Fans who saw his performance at a nightclub at the Emirates Palace hotel said he did not censor himself too severely. "He did use a lot of foul language. I guess it's part of the rap culture," said Linda Salem, 33. The rapper has a chequered past. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault for supplying the guns used to kill one man and wound another in 2005. He spent more than eight months in US prison for the crimes.
Cassidy, who was born Barry Reese in Philadelphia and signed his first record deal at the age of 16, spent two days in Dubai and three days in Abu Dhabi during his first trip to the region last week. mswan@thenational.ae
