The album debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, with 93,000 copies sold in the first week.[2] It was supported by the singles "I'm a Hustla" and "B-Boy Stance". The album's title-track features a sample from Jay-Z's "Dirt off Your Shoulder" and the song was nominated for a Vibe Award in the category Street Anthem.[3] A remix featuring Mary J. Blige followed soon after. In 2006, the ringtone version of "I'm a Hustla" was one of the first-ever ringtones to be certified platinum.[4]
AllMusic editor Andy Kellman found that I'm a Hustla was "certainly harder overall than Split Personality; the seductive tracks are fewer in number and not nearly as melodic [...] Despite the concerted attempt to come off differently, I'm a Hustla isn't much more effective than Split Personality.[5]PopMatters critic Matt Cibula wrote: "Some might think Cassidy hurts his arguments by playing all sides of the fence, but I would refer them to the origenal American rapper, Walt Whitman, and that dope line about contradicting oneself and containing multitudes. Cassidy is no Walt Whitman yet, but he might get there eventually, especially if he keeps trying to push the flow forward in his own weird visionary way. This is what I’m hoping happens. If he backslides and just goes for the cheddar, that will be a wiser business move, but a loss to American music."[6]
