Cassie Ventura 2008-13: Acting and RockaByeBaby
Was rockabyebaby a movie
Was rockabyebaby a Cassie Ventura movie
In 2008 Cassie made her film debut as Sophie Donovan in the dance film Step Up 2: The Streets, Cassie also sang the lead single "Is It You" to the Step Up soundtrack. The song was released on November 13, 2007, and peaked at eighty-five on the Canadian Hot 100 and fifty-two in the United Kingdom. In July 2009, Cassie announced that her second studio album's title would be Electro Love. Cassie said that her new album will demonstrate more "independence"; there will be a "difference in vocals, a little bit more personality. And it's definitely a sensual album". Three singles have been released from the album; "Official Girl" featuring Lil Wayne in August 2008, "Must Be Love" featuring Diddy in April 2009, and "Let's Get Crazy" featuring Akon in August 2009. All three singles failed to chart in the United States.  After several delays, it was announced in December 2009 that Cassie had signed a new record deal with Interscope Records. She is featured in a spread in the August/September issue of Bust in which she said a new single will be released in the fall. She has recently told her Twitter followers that she is still in the studio recording for her album. At the time of an October 2010 interview with HitQuarters, A&R Daniel 'Skid' Mitchell said that Cassie had already recorded around fifty songs for the album. Mitchell said that she was taking her time over the album because she is keen for "it to be something that people are going to respect". She also appeared in rapper Wiz Khalifa's "Roll Up" music video as his love interest.  Cassie released the single, "King of Hearts", which was released in the United States on February 14, 2012, along with the official music video. On April 24, 2012, Cassie performed the single live for the first time at BET's 106 & Park music video show. She concluded the performance with a brief dance number set to the Kanye West remix of the song, along with four dancers. After the performance Cassie and 106 & Park were worldwide trending topics on Twitter and it received mostly mixed to positive reviews from various online media outlets. The single, "Balcony", featuring Young Jeezy, was then sent to U.S. urban radio stations on September 18, 2012. On September 13, 2012, Nicki Minaj released the debut single off her re-release album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded - The Re-Up, titled "The Boys", featuring Cassie. The song was then sent to urban radios on September 25 and a music video was released on October 18.  In July 2012, Cassie announced in a letter to her fans that she had been working simultaneously on her album and a new mixtape titled RockaByeBaby. RockaByeBaby was released on April 11, 2013, and was named the best mixtape of the year by Dazed & Confused. The mixtape saw the release of "Numb" featuring American rapper Rick Ross on April 2, along with the songs accompanying music video and "Paradise" featuring rapper Wiz Khalifa premiered on April 9, 2013 alongside the video on BET 106 & Park. In April 2013 it was announced that Cassie was the face of the Summer 2013 Forever 21 collection. CANNOTANSWER
her album and a new mixtape titled RockaByeBaby.
Casandra Elizabeth Ventura (born August 26, 1986), known professionally as Cassie, is an American singer, songwriter, model, actress and dancer. Born in New London, Connecticut, she began her career as a result of meeting record producer Ryan Leslie in late 2004, who later signed her to NextSelection Lifestyle Group. During this time, Diddy heard "Me & U" in a club, and Leslie convinced him to partner his Bad Boy Records with Leslie's NextSelection imprint for the release of her debut album.

Cassie's self titled debut studio album was released in August 2006, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and features the Billboard Hot 100 top three hit "Me & U". In 2008, Cassie released the single "Official Girl" featuring Lil Wayne. In 2009, she released the singles "Must Be Love" featuring Diddy, and "Let's Get Crazy" featuring Akon, and signed a record deal with Interscope Records. In April 2013, Cassie released her debut mixtape RockaByeBaby, which was promoted with the music videos of "Numb" featuring Rick Ross and "Paradise" featuring Wiz Khalifa.

Apart from music, Cassie is signed to modeling agency Wilhelmina Models and One Management. Cassie has modeled for Calvin Klein one and has been featured in magazines including GQ and Bust and becoming the face of ASOS 2013 spring collection, Cassie has appeared in adverts for Delia's, Adidas, Abercrombie & Fitch, Seventeen, and a commercial for Clean and Clear. Cassie has also ventured into acting; she made her film debut in Step Up 2: The Streets (2008).

Early life
Cassie Ventura was born in 1986 in New London, Connecticut; the daughter of a mother of African-American, Mexican and West Indian descent and a Filipino father. She attended the Williams School, a preparatory school, located on the Connecticut College campus. At age 14 Cassie began modeling and by 16 was modeling for local department stores, Delia's fashion catalog and Seventeen. Cassie also briefly appeared in R&B singer Mario's "Just a Friend 2002" music video. Encouraged by producer Rockwilder, Cassie took vocal lessons, modern ballet, as well as using her school's performing arts program. Cassie finished high school in 2004 and then moved to New York City, where she returned to modeling and classes at the Broadway Dance Center. She began booking print and commercial modeling gigs and being represented by Wilhelmina Models.

Career

2004–07: Cassie

Ryan Leslie spotted Cassie at clubs and parties in late 2004 frequently. The two wrote a duet called "Kiss Me", and after recording the track, Leslie played the song for music executive Tommy Mottola. Mottola offered Cassie a management deal, and Leslie signed her to NextSelection Lifestyle Group, his music-media company he founded with online marketing partner Rasheed Richmond. Leslie wrote and produced Cassie's first single, "Me & U", in 2005. The song became a club hit in Germany. During this time, Diddy heard "Me & U" in a club, and Leslie convinced him to partner his Bad Boy Records with Leslie's NextSelection imprint for the release of Cassie's debut album.

Ryan Leslie produced most of the album, which is a mix of R&B/hip hop/pop. Ventura said in an interview, "I rap, I sing, I do my R&B, I do my slow songs and stuff that the girls will love, I have a down South joint, I have a rock song that I did with my girls this band called Pretty Boys." She paid tribute to her Filipino culture by incorporating OPM sounds into some of the ballads.
The album, Cassie, was released on August 8, 2006 and sold 321,000 copies in the United States. The album's lead single "Me & U" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, selling more than 1 million digital downloads. To promote her album, Cassie performed on Total Request Live and 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live. Her performances were described as "rocky" and "less-than-stellar", but Diddy said that it was due to her inexperience. He said that he would be "with her through her development", and that he has no "question on her ability [to sing]". Cassie addressed the events on her MySpace page, saying that she is aware that her performances were "pretty bad", and that she was "still getting over stage fright".

MTV News reported in June 2007 that contrary to rumors, Cassie had not been dropped from Bad Boy Records after releasing two singles from her self-titled debut album. Diddy said that she was in the studio working with producers Kanye West and Pharrell Williams on her second album. It was also reported that Cassie was no longer collaborating with Ryan Leslie, who had produced the majority of her debut album. However, the singer later stated that she was open to collaborating with Leslie again. According to Bad Boy A&R Daniel 'Skid' Mitchell, rather than largely relying on the one songwriter-producer, the new album's mix of writers and producers, as well as her own co-write input, makes it a more personal record for her.
Additional production on the album came from Seven and LV, as well as Diddy himself. Cassie said that she had also collaborated with Akon, The Neptunes, Danja, Eric Hudson, The Surf Club and Rob Holiday, although she was not sure which tracks were going to be included on the album. Commenting on the number of producers on the album, Cassie said that she "collaborated with a lot of different producers and a lot of different writers, which was an amazing opportunity for me, because on my first album, one producer [Ryan Leslie] straight through...which was fun, but it was nice to experience other people."

2008–13: Acting debut and RockaByeBaby

In 2008, Cassie made her film debut as Sophie Donovan in the dance film Step Up 2: The Streets, Cassie also sang the lead single "Is It You" to the Step Up soundtrack. The song was released on November 13, 2007, and peaked at eighty-five on the Canadian Hot 100 and fifty-two in the United Kingdom.
In July 2009, Cassie announced that her second studio album's title would be Electro Love. Cassie said that her new album will demonstrate more "independence"; there will be a "difference in vocals, a little bit more personality. And it's definitely a sensual album".
Three singles have been released from the album; "Official Girl" featuring Lil Wayne in August 2008, "Must Be Love" featuring Diddy in April 2009, and "Let's Get Crazy" featuring Akon in August 2009. All three singles failed to chart in the United States.

After several delays, it was announced in December 2009 that Cassie had signed a new record deal with Interscope Records. She is featured in a spread in the August/September issue of Bust in which she said a new single will be released in the fall. She has recently told her Twitter followers that she is still in the studio recording for her album. At the time of an October 2010 interview with HitQuarters, A&R Daniel 'Skid' Mitchell said that Cassie had already recorded around fifty songs for the album. Mitchell said that she was taking her time over the album because she is keen for "it to be something that people are going to respect". She also appeared in rapper Wiz Khalifa's "Roll Up" music video as his love interest.

Cassie released the single, "King of Hearts", which was released in the United States on February 14, 2012, along with the official music video. On April 24, 2012, Cassie performed the single live for the first time at BET's 106 & Park music video show. She concluded the performance with a brief dance number set to the Kanye West remix of the song, along with four dancers. After the performance Cassie and 106 & Park were worldwide trending topics on Twitter and it received mostly mixed to positive reviews from various online media outlets. The single, "Balcony", featuring Young Jeezy, was then sent to U.S. urban radio stations on September 18, 2012.
On September 13, 2012, Nicki Minaj released the debut single off her re-release album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up, titled "The Boys", featuring Cassie. The song was then sent to urban radios on September 25 and a music video was released on October 18.

In July 2012, Cassie announced in a letter to her fans that she had been working simultaneously on her album and a new mixtape titled RockaByeBaby.
RockaByeBaby was released on April 11, 2013, and was named the best mixtape of the year by Dazed & Confused.
The mixtape saw the release of "Numb" featuring American rapper Rick Ross on April 2, along with the song's accompanying music video and "Paradise" featuring rapper Wiz Khalifa premiered on April 9, 2013 alongside the video on BET 106 & Park.
In April 2013 it was announced that Cassie was the face of the Summer 2013 Forever 21 collection.

2016–present: Second studio album and other endeavors
In March 2015, Cassie's boyfriend, rapper Diddy announced he would return to producing and revealed he would be producing songs for Cassie's second studio album. In 2016 it was announced Cassie would return to acting, playing the lead role in the romantic comedy The Perfect Match. Released on March 11, 2016, the Billie Woodruff directed film, stars Cassie alongside Terrence J who plays Charlie, a successful playboy who doesn't believe in love until he crosses paths with the sexy Eva (Cassie). In late 2017, she released the singles "Love a Loser" featuring American rapper G-Eazy and "Don't Play It Safe."

In January 2019, after ending her relationship with Diddy and leaving Bad Boy Records, Cassie entered the studio with the likes of producers Chris n Teeb and singer-songwriter Ro James. Throughout Summer 2019, Cassie released several singles -- "Moments" with The Code, "Excuses," "Hungover," "Don't Let Go," "Speaking Of," "Rollercoaster" featuring Ro James, "Teach Me" and "Simple Things"—via her own Ventura Music label. The series of releases was dubbed "Free Fridays" by Cassie and serve as a teaser ahead of the release of her long-awaited second album.

Artistry and public image

Cassie's musical sound is R&B, pop, and hip hop soul. Her voice has "character and ability". Cassie cites Aaliyah, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Nine Inch Nails, Britney Spears, La Lupe, Mariah Carey, Faith Evans and Usher as musical influences. Cassie also refers to herself as a "die-hard Janet Jackson fan", continuing to say "I'd love to emulate Janet Jackson's career—totally, Janet Jackson is an incredible and fantastic, from her moves to her voice". Cassie debut album was R&B and pop rock with urban and contemporary R&B styles, the album contained "looming synthesizer patterns" and "ice-cream-truck melody to give it a slightly twisted and threatening edge", as well as containing "flippant playfulness".
RockaByeBaby is an R&B and hip hop mixtape that featured "dark" and a "raw, laid back vibe".

Cassie is known for being a style icon due to her "edgy style" and "feminine" and "sophisticated" fashion. Cassie is also known for setting the trend among women of shaving their hair, after Cassie shaved hers in 2009 influenced by punk. She has cited Kate Moss as her style influence.

Personal life
Cassie was in a long-term relationship with Diddy from 2007 to 2018.

Cassie entered into a relationship with fitness trainer Alex Fine in late 2018. In June 2019, she and Fine announced that they were expecting their first child together. In August 2019, they announced their engagement. The following month it was reported the couple had married. Their wedding video, posted by Fine on his verified Instagram account, revealed their wedding date as August 28, 2019. In October 2019, their wedding photos were published on Vogues official website. On December 6, 2019, the couple's first daughter was born. In December 2020, she and Fine announced that they were expecting their second child. The couple's second daughter was born on March 22, 2021.

Discography

 Cassie (2006)

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

Further reading

External links

 
 

1986 births
Living people
Actresses from Connecticut
20th-century African-American women singers
American dance musicians
Female models from Connecticut
American women pop singers
American contemporary R&B singers
Bad Boy Records artists
American musicians of Filipino descent
American musicians of Mexican descent
American female hip hop singers
American female hip hop musicians
American female models
Hispanic and Latino American actresses
Singers from Connecticut
Musicians from New London, Connecticut

Filipino people of African-American descent
American models of Filipino descent
American people of West Indian descent
American film actresses
African-American actresses
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American singers
21st-century African-American women singers
American actresses of Mexican descent
RockaByeBaby is the first mixtape by American singer Cassie, released on April 11, 2013, by Bad Boy Records. It was her first full-length project released since her self-titled debut studio album Cassie (2006). Following the premiere of the track "King of Hearts" in February 2012, which was initially announced as the lead single from her upcoming second studio album, Cassie announced that she would be releasing a mixtape. The mixtape's concept is based on the 1991 film New Jack City.

RockaByeBaby marked Cassie's first body of work to include a diverse roster of collaborators including musical guests Meek Mill, French Montana, Jeremih, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Pusha T, Ester Dean, Wiz Khalifa, and Too $hort, as well as writer James Fauntleroy. Recording and production sessions for the mixtape took place with producers Rob Holladay, Da Internz, Knotch, Noel Cadastre, The Fr3shmen, Soundz, Magnificent, BJONES!, Mike Will Made It, Young Chop, David D.A. Doman, THC, Sounwave and Terrace Martin, with Cassie, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Matthew "Matty Rich" Testa and Holladay serving as executive producers.

RockaByeBaby received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Cassie's vocal performances and complimented its production and the mixtape features, with some calling it "hip-hop's streetest spitters." On April 2, 2013, "Numb" featuring American rapper Rick Ross was released online alongside its accompanying music video. "Paradise," featuring rapper Wiz Khalifa, premiered the following week on BET's 106 & Park.

Background and development
After being spotted frequently in late 2004 at clubs and parties by music producer Ryan Leslie, the two worked together and wrote a duet called "Kiss Me" in 2005 and, after recording the track, Leslie played the song for music executive Tommy Mottola. After hearing "Kiss Me," Mottola offered Cassie a management deal, with Leslie also signing her to NextSelection Lifestyle Group, his music-media company he had founded with online marketing partner Rasheed Richmond. Leslie then wrote and produced Cassie's first single, "Me & U", also in 2005. The song became a successful club song in Germany. During this time, Diddy heard "Me & U," and Leslie convinced him to partner his Bad Boy Records with NextSelection imprint for the release of Cassie's debut album, produced entirely by Leslie.

After signing the record deal in 2006, Cassie released her self-titled debut album Cassie, which was released on August 8, 2006. Its lead single, "Me & U," peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, selling more than 1 million digital downloads.
In 2007, Cassie began work on her second studio album, and released a string of singles intended for the project; "Official Girl," featuring Lil Wayne, in August 2008, "Must Be Love," featuring Diddy, in April 2009, and "Lets Get Crazy," featuring Akon, in August 2009. In December 2009, it was announced that Cassie had signed a new deal with Interscope Records. Cassie then released yet another single from her planned sophomore album, "King of Hearts", in the United States on February 14, 2012, along with the official music video.

Title, concept and artwork

Sean Combs helped Cassie come up with concept of the mixtape being based on the crime film New Jack City (1991). It was based on the character Keisha from the film New Jack City played by Vanessa A. Williams, during an interview Cassie spoke on this decision saying, "At first when we came up with the concept of RockaByeBaby it was loosely based on New Jack City and Keisha in New Jack City, who was sent to do the dirty work for the guys in the film. RockaByeBaby is really based on Keisha and her just no-bullshit attitude and I wanted it to be a reflection of a different side of my personality that people haven't really gotten to experience yet. It’s just a tougher side of my personality." The mixtape's official artwork was revealed through both Cassie's official Twitter and Instagram accounts on the day of its release. The cover consists of Cassie appearing with a gold "smoking gun", gold necklace, earrings, rings and gold lipstick. Cassie described the artwork as her "tougher" side of her personality which has an "attitude".

Composition
Speaking on the mixtape's genre Cassie described, "It's not pop, it's not R&B, it's Cassie." Furthermore, Cassie said, "My goal was to make a tape that you could vibe to and that people could enjoy from the beginning until the end. I want this to be what you listen to when you need to escape." 
"Paradise" is a "Slow-bubbling minimalist" song and has an "old-school vibe", it features American rapper Wiz Khalifa, is produced by Da Internz and written by James Fauntleroy.
"Numb" featuring Rick Ross was described by Idolator as being "haunting and eerie and minimalist and a little bit trippy."
"Sound of Love" featuring American singer Jeremih is a "slow jam" that last for a duration of four minutes sixteen seconds. "Sound of Love" was written by	The Real Knotch and produced by the latter and Rob Holladay.
"Turn Up" features rapper Meek Mill produced by Young Chop, "Turn Up" is "sinister synthscape" song. The song "I Know What You Want" utilises the instrumental from "m.A.A.d City" by Kendrick Lamar and  "Do My Dance" the instrumental of the song of the same name by Tyga.

Release
In July 2012, Cassie announced in a letter to her fans that she has been working simultaneously on her album and a new mixtape entitled "Rock-A-Bye Baby", which will be released on April 11, 2013. The mixtape will be released online through various media outlets.

On March 12, 2013, Cassie revealed a photo via her official instagram, the photo consisted of Cassie and armed men as well as the mixtape's official release date "April 11, 2013." On March 20, 2013, Cassie released a trailer in support of the mixtape, The clip features footage of a shooting scene from New Jack City, where she got the title from. Cassie is seen walking down a dark road and blows smoke into the camera, while a vehicle drives by.
During an interview Cassie described the mixtape and why she released it saying “This mixtape is about more than just music, it’s about the art, the visuals and the people,” continuing to say “I wanted to release RockaByeBaby to show my appreciation to the supporters that have been there from day one and always believed in me and my art.” on April 8, 2013, Cassie held a "listening party" in which fans could meet and greet her.

On April 11, 2013, RockaByeBaby was finally released as a free digital download exclusively on online mixtape distribution platform DatPiff. RockaByeBaby has so far been downloaded over 690,000 times and, with over 2.4 million views as well, it's been certified 2x platinum on that website, making it one of their most popular mixtapes ever.

Promotion
On December 17, 2012, a new Cassie song "End Of The Line" surfaced online along with its video, it contained "string-and-piano melody" and was produced by Knotch. On January 24, 2013, Cassie released a remix of Trinidad James single "All Gold Everything" entitled "All Gold, All Girls," featuring American rappers Trina and LoLa Monroe, to announce the upcoming release of the mixtape. Neither of the two latter songs were featured on the mixtape's final track listing.

On March 26, 2013, Cassie released a trailer for "Numb" featuring American rapper Rick Ross, which is featured on the mixtape. The video for the song was released on April 2, 2013, and directed by Alex Nazari. The video depicts Cassie walking down Hollywood Boulevard, on the beach at sunset, and on a dark road at night.

On March 21, 2013, Cassie shot the video in Los Angeles for the mixtape's song "Paradise" which features American rapper Wiz Khalifa, the video featured a cameo appearance from model Karrueche Tran. On April 5, 2013, via her official Twitter and Vimeo accounts, Cassie released a trailer for the song "Paradise" directed by Alex Nazari. The video sees Cassie and Khalifa with "friends" on a porch and her driving a in an "old school" Chevrolet. On April 9, 2013, the video for "Paradise" premiered on BET 106 & Park.

A behind the scenes video for the song "I Love It," featuring rapper Fabolous, premiered online on May 20, 2013. The music video, directed by Chris Latouche and filmed in an underground club, ended up not getting a release. On September 5, 2013, Cassie released a video for the track "I Know What You Want," directed by Christopher LaTouche and JayOhh. The video depicts Cassie ridding a BMX bike in Rodeo Drive and pouring Ciroc on two men with illustrations by Eric-Shabazz Larkin.

Critical reception

RockaByeBaby received critical acclaim, with critics commending Cassie's versatility and confidence crafting a cohesive and polished body of work. Noisey's Ezra Marcus praised the mixtape calling it "so evocative and abundant," with "supple, diamond-tipped production" that "mercifully avoids any hint of EDM," continuing to laud Cassie's vocals: "over the last seven years, Cassie's become something of a religion—a lost deity for those of us captivated by her voice's singularly devastating confluence of innocence and experience." Miles Raymer of Pitchfork detailed the cult following Cassie's debut album had inspired, noting that she "had yet to release its proper follow-up," adding, "even if it never comes, RockaByeBaby, the mixtape she’s released to hold us over until then, would more than suffice." Raymer then drew comparisons between the project and, not only to "risk-taking" R&B singers Jeremih and the Weeknd, but also "melody-intensive" rappers Drake and Future, concluding: "Cassie fans have spent a long, long time waiting for the rest of the world to start paying attention to her. After RockaByeBaby I can't imagine they'll be able to ignore her for much longer." Dummy Mag echoed a similar sentiment, describing it "an entertaining listen" with "an impressive bill." Bradley Stern of MuuMuse found the record to be "a much more aggressive experience than anything she’s ever done." PrettyMuchAmazing posted on their website, "While the best songs on the mixtape play on the vaporous alt r&b tropes that are en vogue right now, Cassie's uniquely uninterested – if not flat-out bored – vocal delivery somehow keep things interesting."

BET's Jacob Rohn opined, "Cassie reinvents herself, singing, rapping and showing a much more risqué side. With her maturity in pocket, an all-star roster of features (risqué experts included) and production reminiscent of that early 2000s Timbaland sound," commenting that her best verse is featured on the track "Numb," and finalizing, "it's easily good enough to be an official album." Marc Hogan of Spin wrote that the mixtape offers both "Cassie's icy digital soul and her no-holds-barred vision of hip-hop — and on early listens it’s thrillingly audacious." Writing for The 405, Tom Baker picked "Sound of Love" as the stand-out song, writing that "her delivery has a real flow" and expressed that "even when she's playing the part of the gangsta's moll this is Cassie's show," and she "has a magnetism that explain why people are still so eager to listen to anything she touches, and for the most part this could serve as a solid – if different – follow-up to her first album." Dimas Sanfiorenzo of Global Grind complimented the mixtape's "dark music," as well as the use of "clips from New Jack City intertwined throughout the project," calling the featured rappers "hip-hop's streetest spitters." In the opinion of The Washington Posts Allison Stewart, the mixtape "feels like the work of a returning heroine stooping to conquer: It’s twitchy and raunchy, begrudging and spare." Zcamp of Tiny Mix Tapes described it as "an out-of-nowhere pop juggernaut that's entirely unlike anything we've heard from Cassie thus far," elaborating, "Yeah, Cassie's gone American Gangster on us, and it sounds damn good: a schooling in the methodologies of pop/rap/R&B fusion, backed up by a reputable roster of guest stars."

VIBE Vixen received the mixtape positively claiming its "new sound's giving us chills," with writer Jaz Cuevas stating that the singer is "serving up a raw, laid back vibe, and it's obvious that Cassie is making music that is true to herself," listing "that sexy, sultry, low voice that made us fall in love with Cassie from the jump (cue "Me & U")" and the accompanying collaborations and visuals as some of its positive aspects. Singersroom.com applauded the body of work for its "aggressive sound" and Cassie's "edgier side," saying that she "rocks out on every track with her soft voice, but with the bravado of a female rapper." At HNHH, Rose Lilah mentions it is "a nice addition to the impressive catalogue Cassie has been building over the years," while Dhruva Balram declared RockaByeBaby to set "an example of how an infusion of R&B and hip-hop can work" and Cassie showcasing "her ability to not just sing but mix in rhymes with her vocals," suggesting it "heightens the expectation for the singer's actual album." Despite the project boasting several featured artists unlike 2006's Cassie, Interview'''s Marcus Holmlund felt "it stays true to her now-lauded transient affect: only amplifying her aggression lyrically while sticking to her atmospheric vocal style." In a review for The Quietus, Gary Suarez said "RockaByeBaby features an ultramodernity that Cassie's contemporaries continue to struggle with."

AccoladesRockaByeBaby was named mixtape of the week by Stereogum's Tom Breihan, who also remarked it could've been released as a proper album, likening the "same sinister, debauched chill to it" as the Weeknd's House of Balloons: "Cassie's got that same predatory, almost threatening sexuality in her voice, but she sounds in control in ways that Abel Tesfaye rarely does," praising her voice and stating all the featured rappers brought "their A-game" with the project still sounding "like it belongs entirely to her, like it’s being beamed directly from a world of her creation." The mixtape was then placed at number forty-three on the same publication's 50 Best Albums of 2013 list, observing "she succeeds like no R&B singer since Aaliyah." It was picked as one of Facts 20 Best Mixtapes of 2013, who dub Cassie as the "Ice Princess of R&B," and call it the publication's "most anticipated mixtape of 2013" serving as a "lean, straight-to-the point reminder of why we actually care about Cassie Ventura so much," and ranked at number eleven on Centric's "13 Best R&B/Soul Mixtapes & EPs of 2013" year-end list. The Fader referred to Cassie as "the pioneer of R&B vaporware" and listed the extended edit of the mixtape track "All My Love" by producer Kingdom as one of the most underrated songs of 2013. The mixtape appeared on Idolator's "10 Favorite EPs/Mixtapes Of The Year," and at number fifty-six on eMusic's 100 Best Albums of 2013.  RockaByeBaby was also rated the best mixtape of the year by Dazed, calling Cassie "the ultimate contemporary R&B dreamgirl."

Track listing

Sample credits
Information adapted from WhoSampled.

 "Paradise" contains a sample of "Bang Bang Bang" by Mindless Behavior.
 "Take Care of Me Baby" contains a sample of "Got One" by 2 Chainz.
 "I Know What You Want" contains a sample of "m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar.
 "Do My Dance" contains a sample of "Do My Dance" by Tyga featuring 2 Chainz.

Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of RockaByeBaby''.

 BJONES! – producer
 Noel Cadastre – producer
 Cassie – primary artist, executive producer, vocals, styling
 Sean "Diddy" Combs – executive producer
 James Cruz – management
 Da Internz – producer
 Ester Dean – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Aubry Delaine – producer
 David D.A. Doman – producer
 Neil Dominique – A&R, production coordinator
 Fabolous – featured artist, vocals, composer
 James Fauntleroy II – composer
 Steven Gomillion and Dennis Leupold – photography
 Rob Holladay – executive producer, producer
 J-Doe – composer
 Jeremih – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Wiz Khalifa – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Knotch – producer, composer
 Christopher "Video Chris" LaTouche – viral video content
 Los – composer
 Magnificent – producer
 Terrace Martin – producer
 Mike Will Made It – producer
 Meek Mill – featured artist, vocals, composer
 French Montana – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Chaz Morgan – art direction, design
 Deonte Nash – styling
 Pusha T – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Derek Roche – styling
 Rick Ross – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Michaela Shiloh – composer
 Soundz – producer
 Sounwave – producer
 Jasmine Nicole Spence – composer
 THC – producer
 Matthew "Matty Rich" Testa – executive producer, engineer, mixing
 The Fr3shmen – producer
 Too Short – featured artist, vocals, composer
 Young Chop – producer
 Yung Berg – composer

References

External links
Cassie - RockaByeBaby on DatPiff
Listen to RockaByeBaby Mixtape on SoundCloud

Bad Boy Records albums
Cassie Ventura albums
2013 mixtape albums
Albums produced by D. A. Doman
Albums produced by Da Internz
Albums produced by Mike Will Made It
Albums produced by Sounwave
Albums produced by Terrace Martin
Albums produced by Young Chop Rock-a-bye Baby is a nursery rhyme and lullaby.

Rock-a-bye Baby may also refer to:

 Rock-A-Bye Baby (film), a 1958 American musical comedy starring Jerry Lewis
 Rockabye Baby!, a series of CDs geared toward infants and newborns
 RockaByeBaby, a mixtape by American singer Cassie
 "Rock-A-Bye Baby", a song by Irving Berlin

See also
 Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody, a popular song written by Jean Schwartz
 Rockaway Valley Railroad, also known as the "Rock-A-Bye Baby"
 Rockabye (disambiguation)