Cam'ron
Cam'ron |
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Cameron Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known as Cam'ron, or Killa Cam, is a 1-time platinum selling rapper from Harlem in New York City. Cam'ron is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats, commonly known as DipSet.
Biography
Cameron Giles began his musical career in the mid 1990's, rapping alongside Big L, Ma$e and his cousin Bloodshed in a group called "Children Of The Corn". The group dissolved after Bloodshed's death in a car accident in 1997. However, Giles continued to rap, and he eventually was introduced to Notorious B.I.G. by Ma$e[1], who was so impressed with his skills that Biggie introduced him to his manager, Lance "Un" Rivera. Cam'ron signed to Rivera's Untertainment label distributed by Epic/Sony, releasing his first solo album, Confessions Of Fire, in July 1998. The album featured songs like "357" and "Horse And Carriage," featuring Ma$e, and eventually went Gold. Unfortunately, Untertainment folded in 1999[2], and Cam'ron was absorbed into Epic Records (his distribution label).
1999-2000: S.D.E.
Cam'ron achieved notoriety for his 2001 release from Sony Records under Tommy Mottola. Reportedly using unconventional methods such as physically assaulting and threatening numerous Sony Records employees, Cam'ron sought an end to his contract due to his record company's lack of promotion for his second album released in 2000, entitled S.D.E (short for Sports, Drugs, and Entertainment). It featured songs such as "Let Me Know" and "What Means the World to You," which featured an all-star line-up of Southern rappers such as U.G.K, Trina, and Ludacris, in addition to Cam'ron's Dipset protege Juelz Santana. The album also went Gold despite limited promotion.
2002-2004: Roc-A-Fella
With his release from Sony Records, Cam'ron moved on to sign with his childhood friend[1] Damon Dash in 2001, who had already been managing him and Roc-A-Fella Records. In 2002, he released his third and most successful album, Come Home With Me, along with the biggest hits of his career, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma," both featuring Juelz Santana. Cam'ron catapulted to a Platinum album thanks to Roc-A-Fella's marketing.[3] He went on to star in the Damon Dash produced film, Paid In Full in 2002. Cam'ron then teamed up with his fellow Diplomats: Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, and Freekey Zeeky, to release the Diplomats' debut, Diplomatic Immunity, in 2003.
2004-Present: Purple Haze and Killa Season
The follow-up from Cam'ron's group, The Diplomats, Diplomatic Immunity 2 was released on November 23, 2004. Cam'ron's fourth album, Purple Haze, was released on December 7, 2004.
In December of 2004, Cam'ron requested his release from Def Jam/Roc-A-fella Records, feeling his projects weren't receiving the attention they deserved.[4] Regardless of business setbacks Purple Haze still managed to reach Gold status due to the support of many Dipset loyalists. As of April 28, 2005, Cam'ron joined the Warner Music Group under the Asylum Records imprint.[5] In August of 2005[6], Cam'ron began work on what would be his first project for Asylum, shooting a direct to video movie titled Killa Season. The film would mark both Cam'ron's screenwriting and directorial debuts, as well as his return to acting. Killa Season was released on DVD April 25, 2006. After a special two-day theatrical release.[7] Cam'ron's fifth studio album, also titled Killa Season was released on May 16th, 2006. Despite selling 114,000 units his first week and debuting at #2 on the charts, Killa Season failed to have the same staying power as his previous releases, selling 542,000 units to date, making it the lowest selling album of his career [1].[8]. Several tracks off the album include the first single "Touch It Or Not" aka "Suck it or not" (feat Lil Wayne), "Do Ya Thing (Remix)" as well as "I Love My Life," "Something New", and "Wet Wipes".
In December 2006 on New York radio station Hot 97, Cam'ron stated that he plans to release two albums in 2007 including "Killa Season 2" & "Crime Pays", along with a joint album with fellow Diplomat member Hell Rell called "Uptown Boys".
Shooting
In the early morning of Sunday, October 23, 2005, Cam'ron was shot in the arms three times after a botched carjacking in Washington, D.C.[9] He was leaving a popular nightclub after performing earlier Saturday at Howard University and stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Kenyon and Warder streets in Northwest D.C. Shortly after midnight, a passenger of a nearby car threatened Cam'ron to "give up" his 2006 Lamborghini. Cam'ron resisted and the gunman then shot him. Three bullets struck him as he held the steering wheel, but he was able to drive himself around going the wrong way on streets and flashing his lights, trying to get a police officer's attention because he didn't know where he was or how to get to the hospital, until a fan finally drove him to Howard University Hospital for treatment. He caught a plane back home the next day.
The gunman and passenger sped off in and crashed into a parked car and a home and then fled the scene. D.C. Metro Police also recovered a cell phone from the scene of the crash, which they are trying to use to trace the suspects.
Feuds
Feud with Ma$e
In 2004, Cam'ron came into headlines after a dispute with his former friend Ma$e. After returning to the music industry after a five year religious hiatus, Ma$e conducted an interview on the New York City radio station Hot 97 where he described his falling out with Cam'ron and the current status of their relationship. Ma$e claimed that confusion over $50,000 he asked to receive for an appearance in the "Horse and Carriage" music video caused the demise of their relationship. This fueled a heated on-air debate between Cam'ron's right-hand man Jim Jones and Ma$e. [10]Jim Jones declared that Ma$e was "fabricating" in the autobiography he wrote in 2001. Also, Jim Jones was upset that Mase used people's real names in his book, thereby exposing them. Furthermore, Jones said "you wasn't giving us no money, so we went out and got money" when Jim Jones and Cam'ron went on tour with Mase, and that now they don't need Ma$e anymore because they are the "Sizzurp boys, quarter billion, ya ain't heard?", in reference to The Diplomats Purple Sizzurp liquor business. Jim Jones went on to reveal that Ma$e actually left Harlem not because he was answering a higher calling to become a reverend, but because he was scared out of town by the murder of his two friends, Pop Lotti and Baby Mane. Jones claimed Ma$e was "ran up out of Harlem" because there was "money on him," meaning someone had put a bounty on Mase's head. Jones goes on to tell Ma$e that "you need to be nervous to be in Harlem still, cuz I'm here" and threatens that Mase better "have them boys with the badges on them" (police) with him when he next encounters him, because "I [Jim Jones] will do it to you, [Ma$e] Duke." Jim Jones informs the audience that he never liked Mase, as he crudely refers to him as "Betha," Mase's last name.
Feud with Nas
After the promoters of Hot 97's Summer Jam festival refused to allow headlining Nas to hang an effigy of Jay-Z during his performance at 2002's show, he appeared on Hot 97's rival Power 105 and attacked both the music industry's control over hip hop and the rappers who he saw as submitting to it, including Jay-Z, Nelly, N.O.R.E. and Cam'ron(who was Jay-Z's labelmate at the time. Ironically, later Cam'ron became rivals with Jay-Z) : "Y'all brothers gotta start rapping about something that's real.... Rappers are slaves." This brought Cam'ron into the Jay-Z/Nas feud; Cam'ron made a diss record over Nas's "Hate Me Now" beat where he made vicious attacks such as talking about Nas's dead mother and threatening to piss on Nas's daughter. Cam'ron later publicly apologized for attacking Nas's family. Although Nas never responded directly, he has taken subliminal shots that many perceive to be at Cam'ron and Dipset. Cam'ron and other members of Dipset still occasionally diss Nas in interviews and take small shots at him in songs.
Feud with Jay-Z
In 2006, Cam'ron released a diss track called "You Gotta Love It" [11], in which Cam accused Jay-Z of stealing Roc-A-Fella records, Rocawear clothing, and Kanye West from Damon Dash. In addition to this, he claims he saw someone put a Roc-A-Fella handsign up before he was shot. He also ridicules Jay-Z for wearing chancletas with jeans and laughs at him for stabbing Lance "Un" Riverra because he was in love with female rapper Charli Baltimore.
Released simultaneously with "You Gotta Love It" was a second track, "Swagger Jacker." In this track created originally by DJ DAT of the Bronx, Cam'ron outlines numerous instances where Jay-Z has performed lyrics originally recorded by a bevy of other rappers, most notably Notorious B.I.G.
In 2006, Cam'ron held a press conference to discuss his possible jail term and addressed the Jay-Z beef.[12] Since he was convicted on a weapons possession in 2002, he needed permission to leave the state, which he failed to do. Cam stated that he always gets permission, however his trip to D.C. was a last minute decision. When asked about the reason behind the whole Jay-Z beef, he said the final straw was the Jay-Z "I Declare War" concert in which Jay-Z ultimately declared peace not war. The concert was seen by most as a positive step towards stopping the violence in hip-hop. However, Cam'ron went on to falsely accuse Jay-Z of attempting to find Jim Jones's Catholic school pictures and footage of Cam and Jones getting robbed.
It is said that Jay-Z responded to Cam'ron, although he never mentions his name, in the remix of the Rick Ross' song "Hustlin", which also features Young Jeezy. In the "Hustlin" remix, Jay-Z refers to his style of dress on island resorts as well as mentioning the circumstances in which Cam'ron was injured in the car jacking. Cam'ron responded with a verse from an unofficial remix of Yung Joc's "It's Goin' Down". Rumor has it that Cam'ron will address Jay-Z's decision to pull Foxy Brown from the Mary J. Blige track, Enough Cryin' (for which Blige invented a "alter ego", Brook Lynn) on a future track.
Feud with Lil Cease and Junior Mafia
In 1998, Cam'ron and Jim Jones were involved in a altercation with associates of Brooklyn emcee Lil' Cease, cousin of Notorious BIG, and members of his crew at the Rucker Basketball Park in Harlem, NY. This was documented on a TNT televised basketball game. In 2005, Lil' Cease later released the video footage of the altercation, narrating and naming the people he knows in the video. This video was also named in XXL magazine as one of the 20 best street dvds in the October issue. It depicted Jim Jones getting savagely beating until he got to chance to get up, then he ran for his life. Cam'ron wisely stayed out of harm's way.
Feud with 50 Cent
On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and 50 Cent were involved in an heated argument on Hot 97, due to the remarks 50 Cent made about Koch Records referring to it as an "artist graveyard" due to the fact that many artists sign there after being released from major company record deals. Cam'ron responded by insulting the recent record sales of G-unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep and stating how Jim Jones was selling really well on Koch Records and how The Diplomats had a distribution deal from several labels at the same time. However, after Cam'ron got cut off the air, and 50 Cent left Hot97, Jim Jones called in and tried to clear up Cam's comments.[10]
50 Cent released the diss record "Funeral Music" aimed at Cam'ron at 12 midnight on DJ Kay Slay's myspace page on Thursday, February 8th. The song references Cam'ron's deal with Koch as being indicative of Cam's rap career ending[11].
Cam has since recorded a response called "Curtis" which aired on Hot 97 on Friday the 9th. In the song, Cam states that 50 snitched on him to his parole officer. Cam'ron discredits the name 50 Cent borrowed by Curtis Jackson in reference to the Kelvin Martin. He also makes fun of his appearance and teeth calling him "A gorilla with rabbit teeth" and "Bugs Monkey". The video aired on DukeDaGod and Cam'ron's Myspace on February 15th. [2] Cam'ron has made a second video dissing 50 cent. The video is called C.U.R.T.I.S Pt II. [3]
Awards and nominations
Grammys
- 2003: Nomination for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group for "Oh Boy" with Juelz Santana
- 2004: Nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Dipset (Santana's Town)" with Juelz Santana
Other
- 2005: Pitchfork Media names Purple Haze 9th Best Overall Album, 2nd Best Hip-Hop Album of 2005
- 2005: Vibe 2005 Best Rap Group
Discography
Albums
| Album cover | Album information |
|---|---|
 |
Confessions of Fire
|
 |
S.D.E.
|
 |
Come Home With Me
|
 |
Purple Haze
|
Killa Season
| |
Shade of Black
|
Singles
Filmography
- 2002: Paper Soldiers
- 2002: Paid in Full
- 2005: State Property 2
- 2006: Killa Season
- 2007: Killa Season 2
References
- ^ a b "Camron.. He Shoots, He Scores". Camron: Interview. AskMen.com. 2002. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Muhammad, Tariq K. (1999, December). "Hip-Hop Moguls: Beyond The Hype". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Strong, Nolan (2002-12-23). "Cam'ron Strikes Platinum". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Kye, Stephenson (2004-12-11). "Cam'ron Lensing Shootout Scene For "Killa Season"". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Strong, Nolan (2005-04-29). "Cam'ron Leaves Roc-A-Fella For Asylum/Warner". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Stephenson, Kye (2005-08-25). "Cam'ron Lensing Shootout Scene For "Killa Season"". AllHipHop.com. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Cam'ron's Killa Season Hits Big Screens in Limited Engagement". XXL. 2006-03-30. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Rogulewski, Charley (2006-05-24). chilipeppers/articles/story/10379018/chili_peppers_camron_top_the_chart "Chili Peppers, Cam'ron Top the Chart". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 04 October.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Brigid Schulte and Hamil R. Harris, 2005-10-24. "Rapper Shot in Alleged Carjacking in D.C.."
- ^ Cam'ron On The Phone With 50 Cent
- ^ 50 Cent Disses Cam'ron - Funeral Music Lyrics
External links
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | US Rap | Album | ||||
| 1998 | "Horse & Carriage" (feat. Ma$e) | #41 | #9 | - | Confessions of Fire | ||
| 1998 | "Feels Good" (feat. Usher) | - | #54 | - | Confessions of Fire | ||
| 1998 | "357" | - | #88 | - | Confessions of Fire | ||
| 1999 | "Let Me Know" | #99 | #22 | #2 | S.D.E. | ||
| 2000 | "What Means The World To You" | #83 | #30 | #34 | S.D.E. | ||
| 2000 | "My Hood" | - | - | #44 | S.D.E. | ||
| 2002 | "Welcome To New York City" (feat. Juelz Santana & Jay-Z) | - | #55 | - | Come Home With Me | ||
| 2002 | "The Roc (Just Fire)" (feat. Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel) | - | #77 | - | Come Home With Me | ||
| 2002 | "Oh Boy" (feat. Juelz Santana) | #4 | #1 | #1 | Come Home With Me | ||
| 2002 | "Hey Ma" (feat. Juelz Santana) | #3 | #7 | #4 | Come Home With Me | ||
| 2002 | "Boy (I Need You)" (Mariah Carey feat. Cam'ron) | - | #68 | - | Charmbracelet | ||
| 2004 | "Girls" | - | #77 | - | Purple Haze | ||
| 2004 | "Get 'Em Girls" | - | #99 | - | Purple Haze | ||
| 2006 | "Touch It Or Not" (feat. Lil Wayne) | #71 | #62 | #25 | Killa Season | ||