Download Cassie Official Girl Mp3
Marilu Lukaszewski
On February 11, 2008, Cassie made an appearance on MTV's Total Request Live to promote Step Up 2 and announced the first single from her upcoming album would be "Official Girl," produced by Danja and written by The Clutch.[9] Diddy discussed the single with Billboard, revealing the album was tentatively scheduled for a September release and it would "really, really catch people off guard," mentioning Spears and Janet Jackson as influences.[10] A solo version of "Official Girl" was made available for streaming on Cassie's MySpace page on April 10, 2008.[11] A demo version of the track had been originally recorded by singer Karina Pasian and was also leaked.[12] Diddy and Cassie shared another video introducing the song, with Cassie saying: "I think a lot of girls are gonna be able to relate to it."[13] In June 2008, footage from a promotional photoshoot for the single was posted online.[14] It was then announced Lil Wayne would be featured on the final version of the single and he had filmed his guest spot in the video.[15][16] It premiered online in late July 2008.[17] "Official Girl" was finally made available for digital download on August 5, 2008, via the iTunes Store.[18][19]
Lil Wayne called it "wonderful" to work with Cassie, "she's a beautiful person, her voice is crazy," continuing that the reason he got on the track was due to Danja's "tricky" and creative production which he considered difficult and challenging to lay his rap verse over. Cassie was surprised by Diddy with the rapper's inclusion and complimented it noting, "It was great energy. I couldn't have asked for anything more."[20][21] She remembered first hearing "Official Girl" in a mix that was playing in the studio and it "just really stood out to me. It's so relatable to me as well to other young girls. I think the song has a good message and musically it's so different."[22] Cassie addressed claims regarding the song being a marketing ploy to cash in on rumors about her relationship with Diddy stating, "It wasn't planned. It was just a song I really loved that I heard. Nobody will ever know who [the song] is about. [...] Anything that happens in my personal life is personal. [...] I don't want it to be about who I'm dating. I want people to take my career more seriously."[23] However, she later confirmed she was indeed someone's "un-official" girl at the time.[24] Meanwhile, her second album was then set for an early 2009 release.[25] Ryan Leslie noted Cassie had "played a huge role in the selection of songs and a huge role in the execution" of the album.[26] Despite the single also being released under his NextSelection imprint, it marked her first music release not to be written nor produced by Leslie.[27]
"Official Girl" is an R&B song, with a length of four minutes and seventeen seconds.[18][28] It was written by members of The Clutch collective: Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson, Ezekiel "Zeke" Lewis, along with Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica, Lil Wayne and Nathaniel "Danja" Hills. The Clutch were responsible for the musical arrangement and Danja produced it, while Araica handled mixing at the Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, with additional collaborator Chad Jolley. Cassie recorded the song at Legacy Studios, New York City, with engineering by Dave Hyman.[29] Cassie said that "Official Girl" was a great first single for her because "it said something." Lyrically, she explained, "from the beginning of the record you kind of feel like, you know, 'I'm leaving it up to you. I left it to you,'" and by the second verse until the end, "it just feels like I'm saying, 'I don't want to put up with it anymore. It's not fair.'" Cassie hoped that the song could spread the message of girl power and empower girls to stand up and take control of their romantic relationships. She said that she "fell in love with records like Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable," where you could emotionally attach yourself to the record as soon as you heard it. I didn't want something so vague and so clubby, because I wanted people to see me as a woman with something to say."[30]
Cassie defined an official girl as somebody who is in a relationship or seeing someone, and they're "attentive, honest, forthright and not seeing anybody else."[32] She declared, "[...] but at the same time you can let go a little bit. To be an official girl, you just have to ride for your significant other and support them 100 percent."[30] The opposite would be someone who does not want "a full blown relationship and doesn't wanna take it that far." She confessed knowing a lot of women who have been through a situation where "the guy just doesn't take them seriously because they just want to have fun and be a dude," and recalled being in a similar position herself, "I've been in a relationship before and I was ready to make it official but they weren't, we were on two different pages and it didn't work out." Deciding that an official girl gets more respect as a woman, she believes that title symbolizes "standing up for what you want, saying this is what I need out of this relationship and if I'm not gonna get it then, I'm sorry, we're through." According to Cassie, the song is for "anybody that believes that they deserve something great."[21][32]
CFCF remixed the track, with The Fader detailing, "where he takes the robotic detachment of the original and transforms it into a song full of warm sci-fi synth ripples that conveniently emphasize the ultra-creepiness of Wayne's verse."[39] Deadboy released his reworked "Unofficial Girl," included on his 2010 EP Cash Antics Volume 1. Fact gave the remix a score of three and a half, remarking that Deadboy "doesn't do much on this edit bar speed up the vocal, add a drum loop and a sea-sick, loping synth melody, but it works brilliantly."[37] Matthew Schnipper of The Fader wrote that "he's reassigned the upper hand to Cassie, an ultimatum song, not a dear diary rant about side chick status. That repowering is Deadboy's MO, a partnership between sadness and triumph."[40] The Blessings also remixed it for Skydiver, a 2010 remix compilation album by independent British label Local Action tributing Cassie.[41]
Cassie described the video's plot as "a series of things," where she is in the "crazy-girl stage." She said that it was "about the fly chick, she's going into the hotel, feeling out her situation, talking to the guy who she thinks is there, but it's really not. You have to see it. It's hard to explain."[21] At the end of the video, dissatisfied and tired of the uncertainty, Cassie decides to call off the relationship by going to her love interest's offices and "show him what he'll be missing." She proceeds to throw some portraits on his desk she had been taking of herself as previously shown, before storming off.[33][47] Along with several background settings and wardrobe changes, it also includes a series of dance shots, with Cassie considering her choreography to be at a "whole new level," and that she had "never seen myself dance like this before."[21] Cassie can be seen in a Bugatti Veyron in the video. She visited BET's 106 & Park on September 23, 2008, to introduce the music video.[48]
While talking about the definition of the track's title, Cassie specified: "[An "official girl" is] strong, she knows what she wants, and she won't let a man dictate what she wants to do in her life. If he doesn't want to be with her, then she doesn't need him," explaining how that was translated visually, "I don't know if it's necessarily a title [...] but it's about being the only one. I think that's more or less where I was going with the video, and the song, saying that I won't play side-girl, I won't play second girl."[49] Marni Senofonte styled the video with "elements of unattainable, yet attainable," as Cassie disclosed to People: "I wanted this to be a very stylish video. I wanted for a guy to see it and say 'Oh, I want to be with her,' and for the girls to say 'Oh, I would definitely wear what she wore.'"[47] The music video drew comparisons to Aaliyah.[50] Seventeen admired the styling, highlighting the Givenchy boots she wears in the beginning of the video and observing, "I mean seriously can this girl get anymore fly? Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous, but her style is off-the-radar cool too!"[51]
The song "Official Girl" by Cassie featuring Lil Wayne explores the desire for a committed and official relationship. Cassie expresses her frustration with being in a limbo situation, not knowing where she stands with her partner. She wants clarity and honesty from her partner, urging them to make their relationship official and to openly declare their feelings.
Cassie discusses the challenges of being in an unofficial relationship and the toll it takes on her emotions. She has turned down other potential suitors under the assumption that she is already taken, but she realizes that she cannot continue in this ambiguous state. She wants to be recognized as her partner's official girl and demands that they step up and make a commitment.
Lil Wayne's verse complements Cassie's sentiments. He acknowledges the special connection he shares with the girl and vows to treat her well. He promises never to disrespect her and values their relationship, but also expresses the need for her to reciprocate his feelings.
Overall, "Official Girl" is a plea for clarity, commitment, and the desire for an authentic and official romantic partnership. It emphasizes the importance of open communication and honesty within a relationship.
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FICTION Cassie Faye__________________________ Garry Barker The summer of Vernon Watts' fifteenth year, he met Cassie Faye McCormick. Cassie was a very grown-up fourteen, the only daughter of Mudsock bootlegger Minnie McCormick, a high-spirited country girl impatient to get on with life and living. High schooler Vernon Watts caught Cassie's eye. Vernon's slim body, long sideburns, slicked-back ducktail hairdo, shiny black eyes, and scholar's reputation intrigued Cassie Faye, whose exposure to men was more to Minnie's unwashed, beer-breathed and beer-bellied regular customers. Cassie Faye had been an elementary school classmate of Reba, Vernon's sister, before quitting after six grades. Cassie quit with her mother's full approval; Minnie saw no need for a girl to graduate even eighth grade, and Cassie Faye had grown weary of the persistent snide comments about her mother's profession. But the Watts children, including Vernon, treated Cassie with friendly open respect, and Vernon always offered a shy smile whenever he passed by Minnie's old mobile home. Dark, budding Cassie Faye now methodically tracked Vernon's movements, found out that he and Buford Farley swam often in the big mossy pond in the apple orchard, finally found the two boys splashing naked there after a day in the hayfields. Vernon saw Cassie Faye coming, thin cotton dress short over slender brown legs. He blushed and backed out into deeper waters. Buford grinned, puffed out his stocky chest, stood as tall as he could on short bowed legs. "Come on in, Cassie Faye," he yelled. Vernon sank lower into the murky water. "Shut up, Buford," he whispered urgently. "She's a girl." "I know that much, you fool," grinned Buford. "Why do you think I want to get her all wet?" Garry Barker is director of the Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center at Morehead State University (Kentucky). He is afreelance writer ofbothfiction and nonfiction. 46 Cassie Faye walked slowly to the pond's edge. "Did you bring us some beer?" asked Buford. Cassie scowled, toed Buford's dusty shirt and pants where they lay in the clay, then smiled. "How would you like some wet pants?" she asked. "And socks and underwear?" "How do you know them are mine and not Vernon's?" asked Buford. Cassie sniffed. "They stink," she drawled, "and the legs of these britches are little bitty." Vernon giggled. Feisty Buford, a full foot shorter than Vernon's sixfeet -one, glared. Cassie stood with a hand on one hip, an imitation of Minnie's business stance, and stared boldly at Vernon, who sank lower and lower. "You'll drown yourself," Cassie finally said, smiling. "You coming in?" Buford asked eagerly. Cassie stared, shrugged, dipped a bare toe in muddy water. "Come on," urged Buford. "It's warm." Cassie waded in, up to her knees. Vernon's eyes widened. Cassie laughed, came further, dress swirling up in the water, floating. Buford suddenly hit the surface with both palms, and sent a spray of tepid water toward Cassie. She shrieked, caught the water in her face and down her chest, then stood with her arms wrapped around her breasts, brown hard nipples thrust against wet cotton. Vernon lost his footing and went under. He came up gagging, shook the water out of his eyes, tried not to stare. "God-a-mighty," gasped Buford. "Dumb boys," Cassie said scornfully. She turned, waded to the shore, and climbed out. The thin wet dress clung to every curve, and water streamed down both brown legs. Cassie shook herself, and swung her hips as she walked away. Vernon and Buford watched, frozen, until Cassie Faye was gone. Then there was a sudden frenzy of splashing, yelling, punching, and rowdy sheer exuberance, a celebration of Cassie's sexual presence. After they dressed, Buford punched Vernon's shoulder. "Cassie Faye's got the hots for you, Highpockets," he said. "She wants your body." "Naw," blushed Vernon. "Maybe she thought I was Roy." He grinned. "Only Roy, he would have drug her right off to the bushes." "I sure would like to," Buford said wistfully. "Did you ever see the like, Vernon?" "Nope," Vernon admitted. "I never did." "Not even from Beulah...
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