CameupKav: From breaking records to making records

In 2013, he scored 114 points in the season, scoring five more points than NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, who scored 109 in 1969. Cassidy surpassed him that year, reaching eighth highest overall for the category.

“I broke some records there. You know, but, like, I wasn’t really focused on a record like that. I was just, I was just playing football, you know, I was just trying to find my way, to be the first one to go to college in my family,” Cassidy said.

During his first game of senior year, Cassidy injured his shoulder and his football career and opportunities seemed to slip away. But he was determined to not let an injury define him.

And it wouldn’t be the last time Cassidy’s name would be surrounded by local greats.

On Jan. 22, Cassidy, who raps under the persona, CameupKav was invited to perform with his music group FamBizz at the Roseland Theatre in Portland, Oregon, where he opened for Bay Area hip-hop star Andre Nickatina, the headliner. Cassidy recalls feeling grateful for the opportunity and enjoying the experience. It would be the second time he had the chance to open for Nickatina; the last in July of 2021.

This time Cassidy would be promoting his new album, “Heart On My Sleeve.” The album was released Dec. 20 and quickly gained popularity climbing to number six on Apple iTunes daily hip-hop charts. And for nearly a week, the album floated around the top 10 on the list ahead of notable rappers; such as Drake and Chief Keef.

“Yeah, it was fun, man. That was all because I had the support of my people, you know, genuine support,” Cassidy said.

At Serra High School, he would join the chorus alongside his cousin Reno Anoa’i, who was featured on American Idol in 2015. Anoa’i, who also played football with Serra, reminisced about how he first invited Cassidy to sing men’s chorus.

He said that the student athletes in the men’s chorus had to figure out an arrangement with their football coach in which they could leave music class early to catch the end of football practice.

“It was definitely a lot to juggle trying to maintain all the extracurricular activities that we wanted to. But, you know, Kava was someone who was always persistent. And he knew what he wanted, and he always worked for what he wanted. So, you know, him and the rest of all of us, we made sure that we held each other accountable. And, you know, stayed the course,” Anoa’i said.

Retired music professor Jay Jordan, who ran Serra’s music program for over 40 years, said their chorus group was very successful during the two years that Cassidy sang in chorus. Jordan explained that Serra’s goal was to always achieve a unanimous superior (the highest ranking score) from judges at festivals.

“I just vividly remember his first year, we were at South City High School, and we got that rating. And he was really excited. And yeah, he got it, that level of success mattered. You know, and I appreciated that,” Jordan said.

Jordan’s primary goal was for his students to love music as much as he does.

Since about 11 years old, Cassidy had a passion for music. Raised in a house where his parents introduced him to a wide variety of Bay Area hip-hop, R&B and soul, Cassidy said he had always sang and wrote rhymes with his cousins when they were young.

His father Tim Cassidy feels blessed to watch his son perform on the same stage as some of the musicians he grew up listening to. But more importantly, Cassidy wants his son to be happy and to put himself in a position to make a living out of whatever he does.

He has supported his son in various ways from filming and editing football highlights for YouTube and now attends his music shows giving him a hug as soon as he finishes his performance.

“I think just when we look at life, right, it’s just, it’s always like, go, go, go, go, you know, living in the Bay, doing what we do everything fast paced, you know, if you’re not moving fast, you’re not moving at all, and, and for him (Kava) just to try to make sure that, you know, he’s able to slow down and just kind of take it in, you know, because it’s not about the final destination,” Cassidy said. “We’re just trying to tell him just to try to enjoy the journey.”