Is Cam going to paint the world purple like he did with the color pink? If the Harlemite’s past influence is any indication that would be a resounding affirmative. With Purple Haze on deck, Cam revealed what’s really good in his life these days.
AllHipHop.com: Cam can you speak on the new album and what you’re bringing to the table this time?
Cam: The new album entitled Purple Haze coming out this summer; I’ve been doing it for the past six seven eight months. I always grow every album and I talk about current events. Fifty percent of the album is about what’s going on right now. But as far as me growing, I’m around nice artists, Jim, JR, Juelz, and being around them is keeping me on my toes. It’s like tough love. Every album I grow.
AllHipHop.com: What about the theme of this album? It seems like there is a story line.
Cam: What we are basically doing is a short film to coincide with the album. So when you hear the album with out even seeing the video I want you to have a visual just by listening to it. You don’t even have to see the movie because when you hear it its like a book. That’s why I put a more theme to it. I put skits in between so that they keep you in track with each song so that you understand.
AllHipHop.com: How would you say you have grown as an artist?
Cam: If you do five albums and don’t grow you are just stupid. You are going to end up growing. At the end of the day I don’t want to be in the game five or six years and still be a regular artist. I went from artist to CEO to selling cologne, to liquor, to clothing deals, to nightclubs, whatever I could get in to. You got to take advantage of the music. Even though I have longevity, who says I want to do this forever?
AllHipHop.com: Can you speak on the new liquor you just came out with? What made you do that?
Cam: Honestly, with the liquor they came at us with the deal and I told Jimmy to take care of it while I was doing the music thing. We always said that if we got liquor we would name it “Sizzurp” for the simple fact that people are familiar with that name in the south because of the real Sizzurp. At the end of the day when you look at the numbers it wouldn’t make sense not to do it. I would be stupid to turn it down.
AllHipHop.com: What’s this thing with you and purple?
Cam: To tell you the truth all of that is coincidental. It doesn’t matter if I come out with the star spangled banner, it will be fly.
AllHipHop.com: How much of your style is you? How much is it your stylist?
Cam: I had no stylist that came here with me today. I’m Cam before the day start. Don’t get me wrong my girl Monica [his clothing stylist] knows what I like. No stylist can make me who I am, but Monica does help me out.
AllHipHop.com: Are you still trying to patent your own shade of pink?
Cam: We were working with this dude on trying to get our own color. I was mad on not patenting the color pink on putting it into the market place. If I could do it I’m going to try to do it.
AllHipHop.com: Do ya’ll have a clothing line coming out?
Cam: We talked to a couple of different people but at the end of the day, for me, the money has to make sense. Obviously people are going to follow what I do.
AllHipHop.com: On that same tip of people who follow what you do, it seems like you have cults of kids, especially on the net. Do you know about these dudes?
Cam: I don’t know every situation you are talking about, but I appreciate all the love. I’m not running a cult like David Koresh or nothing, but I guess people can relate to stuff I am saying. As long as they are putting their energy in a positive direction, I appreciate it.
AllHipHop.com: So, those not in the Cam cult, what’s the difference between Purple City, The Taliban, and all the sub-Diplomats?
Cam: We all from Harlem, Purple City is from 158th and Broadway, Taliban is from 145th and Broadway, Diplomats we just everywhere…it’s just a couple of guys we all used to hang out on 145th and Broadway and it’s like 40 of us, we all had our little blocks, but not only that, like I said we had entrepreneurs, they had their own entertainment companies. It’s just a bunch of different crews hooking up with each other so we can all promote our stuff together. You know after we got stuff popping we branched off a little. Shiest got Purple City coming out, my man Luch got the Taliban Records.
AllHipHop.com: Who is in Dip Set right now?
Cam: Me, Jim Jones, Juelz, and Freeky Zeeky originally started the Diplomats. Now we got JR Rider, and Hell Rell comes out of jail Aug. 13th.
AllHipHop.com: What happened with Freeky Zeeky?
Cam: I don’t want to go into it but he will be home 2006.
AllHipHop.com: Is Juelz coming out any time soon?
Cam: Right now what we are doing is trying to put together the roster, right know he has about 80 songs…and he just finished building his own studio. We’re trying get Jim out there a little bit before Juelz. So we’re looking at the Jim in August and Juelz in October… then start the year off fresh with J.R.
AllHipHop.com: Now that Jay-Z is sort of moving along, aside from DJ Clue and Kanye too, you are the only other artist on The Roc to go platinum. Where do you think that positions you within The Roc?
Cam: It’s not personal, I mean this is a family label, but at the end of the day, business is business. Nothing can bring the bar down no matter what artist goes on regardless, so I’m not fighting for a spot, or fighting to be No. 1. The only thing I’m fighting about is that I’m talented and I don’t want none of my talent to go to waste. But these are guys that I grew up with and I’m blessed to be in a situation to be in a label with friends I knew since I was seven or eight. So no music can really break my bond [with them] and I don’t have to fight for a position.
AllHipHop.com: I was told that you had some freestyles disses towards Jay-Z, is that correct?
Cam: No not at all, I have no problem with Jay-Z, the media be pumping all that up. We don’t really do too much music together, but I don’t have no problem with the dude at all.
AllHipHop.com: With Dame, do you still roll with him, I know he’s not in the Roc-A-Fella building as much. Are you more self- sufficient know cause he’s doing a lot more things with the clothing and everything?
Cam: I mean I’ve always been self -sufficient, but with Dame, he’ll be like “Cam, if you got a problem, call me.” Like if they give me a headache, I’ll call Dame. Dame is like the red button, you know what I’m saying? I’ll call and he’ll yell and regulate and that’ll be that. But like I don’t be up underneath Dame, because I’m a hustler too. I like Dame, Dame is like me. He sleeps four hours a day, I sleep four hours a day, he out grinding, I’m out grinding, and I like it like that. I instill that in my crew. I don’t want any body sitting up under me all day so I don’t sit under Dame all day.
AllHipHop.com: What do you think about Mase coming back?
Cam: To each their own. I’m happy for him.
AllHipHop.com: Would you try and pull him into your squad?
Cam: Oh no doubt. This is a business. I think people would buy his albums just to hear what he has to say.
AllHipHop.com: What about Big L? Were ya’ll real close?
Cam: Big L was my man but we didn’t hang out everyday. He was the main rapper in my neighborhood growing up. He was the one who told me I needed to pursue this. He told me I was good.
AllHipHop.com: You were on Hot 97 doing a dating game, where you pulled a chick. Did you every go out on that date?
Cam: No. They put me on the spot and I had to do it. It was a good advertisement.
AllHipHop.com: How did mix tapes help you to get put on?
Cam: No one really believed in the Dip Set situation we had going on. All our mixtapes look hot because we looked like we were about something. I would take all of my furs out of the closet and give them to my crew and we’d take pictures for the cover. But the mixtape game isn’t the same now because everyone does it.
AllHipHop.com: Is your album going to have anything special in it?
Cam: I’m in the album, that’s blessings enough. If you buy the album you are going to hear me.
AllHipHop.com: What does “Lord I Know” it mean for you?
Cam: The Jahiem joint is real soulful. At the end of the day I just wanted to give a tribute to those locked down.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have a favorite song on the album?
Cam: My favorite song on the album is probably “Ghetto Soap Opera.” It’s about me and my sons mom and all the drama we be going through.
AllHipHop.com: How old is your son right now?
Cam: Three.
AllHipHop.com: How does he feel about his pop?
Cam: Oh he loves me. He went with me to the Grammy’s. What ever he wants to do, he do.
AllHipHop.com: Cam can you speak on the new album and what you’re bringing to the table this time?
Cam: The new album entitled Purple Haze coming out this summer; I’ve been doing it for the past six seven eight months. I always grow every album and I talk about current events. Fifty percent of the album is about what’s going on right now. But as far as me growing, I’m around nice artists, Jim, JR, Juelz, and being around them is keeping me on my toes. It’s like tough love. Every album I grow.
AllHipHop.com: What about the theme of this album? It seems like there is a story line.
Cam: What we are basically doing is a short film to coincide with the album. So when you hear the album with out even seeing the video I want you to have a visual just by listening to it. You don’t even have to see the movie because when you hear it its like a book. That’s why I put a more theme to it. I put skits in between so that they keep you in track with each song so that you understand.
AllHipHop.com: How would you say you have grown as an artist?
Cam: If you do five albums and don’t grow you are just stupid. You are going to end up growing. At the end of the day I don’t want to be in the game five or six years and still be a regular artist. I went from artist to CEO to selling cologne, to liquor, to clothing deals, to nightclubs, whatever I could get in to. You got to take advantage of the music. Even though I have longevity, who says I want to do this forever?
AllHipHop.com: Can you speak on the new liquor you just came out with? What made you do that?
Cam: Honestly, with the liquor they came at us with the deal and I told Jimmy to take care of it while I was doing the music thing. We always said that if we got liquor we would name it “Sizzurp” for the simple fact that people are familiar with that name in the south because of the real Sizzurp. At the end of the day when you look at the numbers it wouldn’t make sense not to do it. I would be stupid to turn it down.
AllHipHop.com: What’s this thing with you and purple?
Cam: To tell you the truth all of that is coincidental. It doesn’t matter if I come out with the star spangled banner, it will be fly.
AllHipHop.com: How much of your style is you? How much is it your stylist?
Cam: I had no stylist that came here with me today. I’m Cam before the day start. Don’t get me wrong my girl Monica [his clothing stylist] knows what I like. No stylist can make me who I am, but Monica does help me out.
AllHipHop.com: Are you still trying to patent your own shade of pink?
Cam: We were working with this dude on trying to get our own color. I was mad on not patenting the color pink on putting it into the market place. If I could do it I’m going to try to do it.
AllHipHop.com: Do ya’ll have a clothing line coming out?
Cam: We talked to a couple of different people but at the end of the day, for me, the money has to make sense. Obviously people are going to follow what I do.
AllHipHop.com: On that same tip of people who follow what you do, it seems like you have cults of kids, especially on the net. Do you know about these dudes?
Cam: I don’t know every situation you are talking about, but I appreciate all the love. I’m not running a cult like David Koresh or nothing, but I guess people can relate to stuff I am saying. As long as they are putting their energy in a positive direction, I appreciate it.
AllHipHop.com: So, those not in the Cam cult, what’s the difference between Purple City, The Taliban, and all the sub-Diplomats?
Cam: We all from Harlem, Purple City is from 158th and Broadway, Taliban is from 145th and Broadway, Diplomats we just everywhere…it’s just a couple of guys we all used to hang out on 145th and Broadway and it’s like 40 of us, we all had our little blocks, but not only that, like I said we had entrepreneurs, they had their own entertainment companies. It’s just a bunch of different crews hooking up with each other so we can all promote our stuff together. You know after we got stuff popping we branched off a little. Shiest got Purple City coming out, my man Luch got the Taliban Records.
AllHipHop.com: Who is in Dip Set right now?
Cam: Me, Jim Jones, Juelz, and Freeky Zeeky originally started the Diplomats. Now we got JR Rider, and Hell Rell comes out of jail Aug. 13th.
AllHipHop.com: What happened with Freeky Zeeky?
Cam: I don’t want to go into it but he will be home 2006.
AllHipHop.com: Is Juelz coming out any time soon?
Cam: Right now what we are doing is trying to put together the roster, right know he has about 80 songs…and he just finished building his own studio. We’re trying get Jim out there a little bit before Juelz. So we’re looking at the Jim in August and Juelz in October… then start the year off fresh with J.R.
AllHipHop.com: Now that Jay-Z is sort of moving along, aside from DJ Clue and Kanye too, you are the only other artist on The Roc to go platinum. Where do you think that positions you within The Roc?
Cam: It’s not personal, I mean this is a family label, but at the end of the day, business is business. Nothing can bring the bar down no matter what artist goes on regardless, so I’m not fighting for a spot, or fighting to be No. 1. The only thing I’m fighting about is that I’m talented and I don’t want none of my talent to go to waste. But these are guys that I grew up with and I’m blessed to be in a situation to be in a label with friends I knew since I was seven or eight. So no music can really break my bond [with them] and I don’t have to fight for a position.
AllHipHop.com: I was told that you had some freestyles disses towards Jay-Z, is that correct?
Cam: No not at all, I have no problem with Jay-Z, the media be pumping all that up. We don’t really do too much music together, but I don’t have no problem with the dude at all.
AllHipHop.com: With Dame, do you still roll with him, I know he’s not in the Roc-A-Fella building as much. Are you more self- sufficient know cause he’s doing a lot more things with the clothing and everything?
Cam: I mean I’ve always been self -sufficient, but with Dame, he’ll be like “Cam, if you got a problem, call me.” Like if they give me a headache, I’ll call Dame. Dame is like the red button, you know what I’m saying? I’ll call and he’ll yell and regulate and that’ll be that. But like I don’t be up underneath Dame, because I’m a hustler too. I like Dame, Dame is like me. He sleeps four hours a day, I sleep four hours a day, he out grinding, I’m out grinding, and I like it like that. I instill that in my crew. I don’t want any body sitting up under me all day so I don’t sit under Dame all day.
AllHipHop.com: What do you think about Mase coming back?
Cam: To each their own. I’m happy for him.
AllHipHop.com: Would you try and pull him into your squad?
Cam: Oh no doubt. This is a business. I think people would buy his albums just to hear what he has to say.
AllHipHop.com: What about Big L? Were ya’ll real close?
Cam: Big L was my man but we didn’t hang out everyday. He was the main rapper in my neighborhood growing up. He was the one who told me I needed to pursue this. He told me I was good.
AllHipHop.com: You were on Hot 97 doing a dating game, where you pulled a chick. Did you every go out on that date?
Cam: No. They put me on the spot and I had to do it. It was a good advertisement.
AllHipHop.com: How did mix tapes help you to get put on?
Cam: No one really believed in the Dip Set situation we had going on. All our mixtapes look hot because we looked like we were about something. I would take all of my furs out of the closet and give them to my crew and we’d take pictures for the cover. But the mixtape game isn’t the same now because everyone does it.
AllHipHop.com: Is your album going to have anything special in it?
Cam: I’m in the album, that’s blessings enough. If you buy the album you are going to hear me.
AllHipHop.com: What does “Lord I Know” it mean for you?
Cam: The Jahiem joint is real soulful. At the end of the day I just wanted to give a tribute to those locked down.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have a favorite song on the album?
Cam: My favorite song on the album is probably “Ghetto Soap Opera.” It’s about me and my sons mom and all the drama we be going through.
AllHipHop.com: How old is your son right now?
Cam: Three.
AllHipHop.com: How does he feel about his pop?
Cam: Oh he loves me. He went with me to the Grammy’s. What ever he wants to do, he do.