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Cameron Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known as Cam'ron, is a rapper, songwriter, and actor. He is also the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats, commonly known as Dipset.
Cameron Giles was born in Harlem, New York. He went to school at Manhattan Center High School, where he would meet his long time friends Mase and Jim Jones. He began his musical career in the mid 1990s, rapping alongside Big L, Mase 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 and Big L's death in 1999. However, Giles continued
to rap, and he eventually was introduced to Notorious B.I.G. by Mase,who was so impressed with his skills that Biggie introduced him to his manager, Lance "Un" Rivera.
Early career
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 Mase. Untertainment folded in 1999,
and Cam'ron was absorbed into Epic Records. 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 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 Southern rappers such as U.G.K., Trina, and Ludacris, in addition to Cam'ron's Dipset protege, Juelz Santana.
With 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.[2] 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 album, Diplomatic Immunity, in 2003, which was quickly certified platinum by the RIAA. On November 23, 2004, a year later, the Diplomats released their second album, Diplomatic Immunity 2. Although not as successful as The Diplomats' first group album, it still was boosted to gold status. Cam'ron's fourth album, Purple Haze, was released on December 7, 2004, on Def Jam/Roc-A-Fella Records. It reached gold status.In December 2004, Cam'ron requested his release from Def Jam/Roc-A-Fella Records, feeling his projects weren't receiving the attention they deserved.
With Asylum
On April 28, 2005, Cam'ron officially joined the Warner Music Group under the Asylum Records imprint.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 on April 25, 2006, after a special two-day theatrical release. Cam'ron's fifth studio album, also titled Killa Season, was released on May 16, 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, making it the lowest selling album of his career & first album not to reach gold
status. As of November 1, 2007 Cam'ron officially stated that he had been released from Asylum Records.
On November 7, 2007, Cam'ron released a mixtape called Public Enemy #1 and will release his sixth studio album through SRC Records.
Other music projects
Children of the Corn
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Cam'ron first started rapping as a member of the rap group, Children of the Corn, alongside Ma$e, Big L, McGruff, Digga and his cousin Bloodshed. The group split up after the death of Bloodshed and before they were signed to a deal, but a collection of the group's songs
was released in 2003 entitled Children of the Corn: The Collector’s Edition.
The Diplomats
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Main article: The Diplomats
Cam'ron is the leader of the Harlem rap group The Diplomats, known as Dipset. When the group's debut album, Diplomatic immunity, was released, the group became a financial success and was expanded to include three new members: Hell Rell, JR Writer, and 40 Cal.
Other ventures
Diplomat Records
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Cam'ron founded Diplomat Records (distributed by Koch Records, Asylum Records, Warner Bros. Records, Def Jam Recordings, and SRC Records) in 2002 with Jim Jones, shortly after being dropped by Sony Records. He later expanded his label to form Killa Entertainment.
Acting career
Cam'ron made his acting debut on the 2002 film Paid in Full, where he played the character Rico, who is based on former Harlem drug dealer Alpo.
In 2006, Cam'ron would return to his acting career and make his debut in screen writing in his movie Killa Season. Cam'ron plays a high school basketball player who eventually drops out of high school to begin his own drug ring. The
movie was released in 2006, simultaneous with the Killa Season album. It was shown at a few theaters in New York City and is now available on DVD.
On October 23, 2005, Cam'ron was leaving a popular nightclub in Washington D.C., after performing the day before at Howard University, and stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of New York and New Jersey avenues. Shortly after midnight, a passenger
of a nearby car threatened Cam'ron to "give up" his car, a 2006 Lamborghini. Cam'ron resisted, and the gunman then shot him. Cam'ron was struck at least once as he was holding 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. The gunman and passenger sped off and crashed into a parked car and a home, 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.
On April 22, 2007, Cam'ron was interviewed on 60 Minutes about the incident; he stated that he does not know who shot him. He also stated that he would "not help the police"
try to locate the shooter saying he is "not a snitch" and trying to help the police would probably hurt his record sales.
Cam'ron was also questioned on 60 Minutes about the "Stop Snitchin'" campaign. When asked if he would tell the police if a serial killer was living next to him, Cam'ron replied "I would probably move," but wouldn't inform the police. Cam'ron was a victim of
a shooting that revealed no leads or clues because he refused to give police information about the suspect claiming it would
hurt his business and violate his "code of ethics." However, Cam'ron has come across the police in the past. However, in the
standard police report, Cam'ron did not give a description of any one of the fifteen black males that he was involved with
in the physical altercation.
Controversy
Roc-A-Fella Records
The feud between Cam'ron and his former record label began in 2006 when he released a diss track called "You Gotta Love It", in which Cam accused Jay-Z of stealing Roc-A-Fella records, Rocawear clothing, and Kanye West from Damon Dash. In addition to this, Cam'ron claims he saw someone put a Roc-A-Fella hand sign up before he was shot in 2005. He also ridicules
Jay-Z for wearing chancletas with jeans and laughs at him for stabbing Lance "Un" Rivera 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. 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 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 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'." In the song, 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."
50 Cent
On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and 50 Cent had a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. 50 Cent commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists.[8] Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group, The Diplomats, had a distribution deal from several labels.[8] Both rappers released "diss" songs with accompanying videos on YouTube. 50 Cent suggested in "Funeral Music" that Cam'ron is no longer able to lead The Diplomats and that Jim Jones should take his place. Cam'ron responded with "Curtis" and "Curtis Pt. II", in which he makes fun of 50
Cent's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth". 50 Cent responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck. On the May 17, 2007 edition of 106 & Park, 50 Cent appeared as a guest. When asked about his beef with Cam'ron, he stated "I haven't heard anything from Cam'ron since
he got punched in the eye, I haven't heard one word!" Afterwards, he scoffed, "Has anyone seen Tru Life? We should ask him
about Cam'ron." A day later Cam'ron fired back on video camera with the following statement: "It's 7:40, May 17th. I just
got a 2 way talking about Curtis is talking about I don't come outside. We in my vacation home because it's gonna be a real
fucking hot summer for everybody. Probation is officially over. Curtis you wanna get involved? Holla at me, I'm right here."
Jim Jones
Rumors have begun to spread that fellow Dipset member Jim Jones has been in many rifts and disagreements with Cam'ron. On May 7, 2007, Jones was to appear on the "Funkmaster Flex" radio show, but due to unknown reasons, Jones was a no show; making bloggers
and listeners wonder if this was a statement of a possible break up within the group. However, radio personality Miss Info caught up with Jones and interviewed him in which he describe the situation with him and Cam'ron. He said:
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"Me and Cam'ron haven't
spoken to each other in a year...I kept quiet out of loyalty, I felt like if we can't be friends then at least we can do business
together," Jones explained to Miss Info. "But now I can't be next to you...I'm through with being in hot water because of
you...We still the Diplomats. We worked too hard to achieve our own success and now we're gonna do something new." |
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When Cam'ron was available for an interview with Miss Info, he talked about his relationship with Jones, saying:
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"I still haven’t
spoken to Jim. But Jim ran with me for over 10 years, he worked hard, and I wish him the best of luck. Everybody thinks I’m
mad at Jim. Why am I mad? I told people for years that Jimmy was gonna be a star. So its better on my resume…I wish
him the best. The only thing is, him being with 50, I can’t really run with that. Hang out with who you want to hang
out…but me, I can’t really do nothing like that." |
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Other feuds
In 2004, Cam'ron came into headlines after a dispute with his former friend Mase. After returning to the music industry after a five year religious hiatus, Mase 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. Mase 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. The feud would continue in 2005 when Mase and Cam'ron engaged in a verbal debate on the
phone that ended in Cam'ron hanging up, disgusted by Mase's alleged lies and insincerity. After the argument, both sides traded
diss records back and forth. According to Cam'ron, the feud has ended between him and Mase; however, they still haven't talked
to each other.
In 2005, Lil' Cease, cousin of Notorious B.I.G., released the video footage of an altercation that had taken place in 1998 between Cam'ron and Jim Jones and members of Junior M.A.F.I.A. at Rucker Basketball Park in Harlem, New York City, and documented on a TNT-televised basketball game. Lil' Cease narrated and named the people he knew in the video. This video was also named in October
2005 issue of XXL Magazine as one of the twenty best street DVDs of the year.
On May 1, 2007, a heated argument between Cam'ron and Roc-La-Familia rapper Tru Life took place outside of a popular night club in New York.The stories are different from each party, but what is known is that Tru Life approached Cam'ron about his feud with the
Diplomats and Cam'ron ignored him. According to Tru Life, he punched Cam'ron in his eye, the police broke up the fight and everyone
dispersed. The story from Cam'ron and his crew was that the police had already broken up the argument before either side could
attack the other.
Discography
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Filmography
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