Cassie was born in New London, Connecticut, United States and moved to New York City and continued modeling; she attended classes at the Broadway Dance Center. Meanwhile, music producer Ryan Leslie spotted her at clubs and parties in late 2004.
Shortly after a formal introduction to Ryan Leslie, Cassie became the focus of Next Selection. The two wrote a duet called "Kiss Me" and after recording the track, Next Selection made a management move to play the song for music executive Tommy Mottola. Leslie also co-wrote and produced Cassie's first single, "Me & U". Cassie was introduced to Sean "Diddy" Combs by a make-up artist from one of her modeling assignments, which also helped her to get a shot at a music career.
Before signing with the Bad Boy label, Cassie's first single "Me & U" had already hit the airwaves and was a major hit in clubs. On its official release, "Me & U" proved to be a hit song. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Pop 100.
Her follow up single, "Long Way 2 Go" was far less successful, peaking at ninety-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Cassie's debut album, Cassie, which was released on August 8, 2006 and sold 321,000 copies in the U.S. according to Nielsen Sound Scan. In contrast to her album sales, Cassie's hit single, "Me & U", sold over 1 million digital downloads.
Not With You
Cassie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it comes to your love
But the question that's burnin' in my heart
Is whether it's strong enough?
If you want me to stay
There's something we gotta do
I need to see years of us
Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you
Ain't no place I call home, if I'm not with you
Constantly on the phone, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, if I'm not with you
Don't know if I can trust, if I'm not with with you
All of these questions, 'cause if I'm not with you
I hope you're expectin' this, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, baby
And I love it when it's just
The two of us layin' around
And I can't help, I want you to myself
The feelin's getting stronger now
So I hope you feel
The way I feel, I feel
I need to see years of us
I've got to trust, If I'm not with you
Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you
Ain't no place I call home, if I'm not with you
Constantly on the phone, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, if I'm not with you
Don't know if I can trust, if I'm not with with you
All of these questions, 'cause if I'm not with you
I hope you're expectin' this, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, baby
I hope you're not disrespectin' me
I'm hopin', I'm everything you need
And that all you wish for
You'll find in me
It's the way that you show
Show you care, show that you love
When you're not with me
Ain't nowhere that I belong
Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you
Ain't no place I call home, if I'm not with you
Constantly on the phone, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, if I'm not with you
Don't know if I can trust, if I'm not with with you
All of these questions, 'cause if I'm not with you
I hope you're expectin' this, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, baby
Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you
Ain't no place I call home, if I'm not with you
Constantly on the phone, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, if I'm not with you
Don't know if I can trust, if I'm not with with you
All of these questions, 'cause if I'm not with you
I hope you're expectin' this, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, baby
In Cassie's song "Not With You", the singer discusses the extent to which she is willing to go for the love of her life. She asks herself whether their love is strong enough to withstand the distance between them, revealing that she is unsure about continuing the relationship if they are not in close proximity. She wants to see "years of us" and establish trust before committing fully to the relationship, as she won't feel like she belongs anywhere or have a place to call home if she is not with him. She admits that she struggles with trust issues but hopes that he loves and cares for her enough to address her concerns.
The song encapsulates the doubts, insecurities, and fears of a lover when they are apart from their significant other. It shows how distance can affect the emotions and perceptions of people in a relationship. The repetition of the chorus, "Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you", emphasizes her feelings of disorientation and the need to be near the person she loves to feel complete. She further expresses her vulnerability and dependence on her partner, emphasizing her need for assurance and validation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd give anything, go anywhere
When it comes to your love
But the question that's burnin' in my heart
Is whether it's strong enough?
I am willing to do anything and go anywhere for your love but I am not sure if our love is strong enough to last.
If you want me to stay
There's something we gotta do
I need to see years of us
I've got to trust if I'm not with you, heh
If you want me to stay, we need to work together to create a future for us. I need to see a long-term commitment and build trust so that I know I can rely on you even when we are apart.
Ain't nowhere I belong, if I'm not with you
Ain't no place I call home, if I'm not with you
Constantly on the phone, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, if I'm not with you
Without you, I feel lost and like I have no place to belong. I am always thinking about you and wanting to talk to you, and without you, I feel incomplete.
Don't know if I can trust, if I'm not with with you
All of these questions, 'cause if I'm not with you
I hope you're expectin' this, if I'm not with you
If I'm not with you, baby
When we are apart, I don't know if I can trust you and it raises a lot of questions in my mind. I hope that you understand my feelings and expectations even when we are not together.
And I love it when it's just
The two of us layin' around
And I can't help, I want you to myself
The feelin's getting stronger now
I love spending time with you, especially when it's just the two of us. I can't help but want you all to myself and my feelings for you are growing stronger.
So I hope you feel
The way I feel, I feel
I need to see years of us
I've got to trust, If I'm not with you
I hope that you share the same feelings that I have for you. I need to see a commitment to our future together, which requires trust and effort from both of us.
I hope you're not disrespectin' me
I'm hopin', I'm everything you need
And that all you wish for
You'll find in me
I hope that you are not taking me for granted or disrespecting me. I am hoping that I am everything you need and that I can fulfill all your hopes and desires.
It's the way that you show
Show you care, show that you love
When you're not with me
Ain't nowhere that I belong
The way you show me that you care and love me is what makes me feel complete. When you're not with me, I feel like I have no place to belong.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: A RYAN LESLIE, CASSIE VENTURA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind