Give or take a year, he's actuate. Cassidy been down with Ruff Ryder's since then mid-late 90s. Joe Budden was been rapping since 1995. He even battled DMX on the set of Belly in early 1998.
Most rappers that's out where out years before they blew.
I actually remember him telling the same Drag-On story but that they were trying to make them a group after that DMX battle. But I can't remember when/where he said it so I'm probably wrong.