Cam'ron

Cam'ron (real name Cameron Giles) (born February 4, 1976) is a popular African-American rapper from Harlem, New York. Cam'ron is the head of the musical group "The Diplomats", better known as "Dip Set". The group consists of Juelz Santana, Jim Jones, J.R. Writer, 40 Cal., female rapper, Jha'Jha, as well as currently incarcerated member Freekey Zeekey. Hell Rell is another member of the Diplomats, recently was released from Clinton Correctional Facility.

Cam'ron began his career in the early 1990's, rapping alongside Big L, Ma$e and his cousin Bloodshed in a group called "Children Of The Corn." The group dissolved after Bloodshed's death in a car accident in 1996. However, Cam'ron continued to rap, and he eventually was introduced to Notorious B.I.G., who was so impressed with his skills that Biggie introduced him to his manager, Lance "Un" Rivera. Cam'ron signed to Rivera's Untertainment label, releasing his first solo album, Confessions Of Fire, in April of 1998. The album featured such hits as "3-5-7" and "Horse And Carriage," featuring his old friend, Ma$e. Unfortunately, Untertainment folded in 1999, and Cam'ron was forced to change labels. The same year, he signed to Sony 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 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.

With his release from Sony records, Cam'ron moved on to sign with his childhood friend Dame Dash 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. Dash even went as far as to propose naming Cam'ron Vice President of Roc-a-fella, but Jay-Z rejected the idea. He went on to star in the Damon Dash produced film, Paid In Full in 2002.

Cam'ron is also credited with starting the recent trend of men wearing pink. He claims that it was already popular in urban New York, but, with his aid, became widespread across America. In early 2004, Cam'ron announced plans to work with scientists to develop a new color and patent it for his trademark use. This eventually manifested as a purplish color that he used to design a hat in conjunction with the baseball cap company New Era. The hat was immensely popular and sold out in record time.

In mid-2004 Cam'ron came into headlines again after a dispute with his former friend Mase. After returning to the music industry after a 5-year religious hiatus, Mase conducted an interview on the New York radio station Hot 97 where he described his falling out with Cam'ron and the current status of their relationship. This fueled a heated on-air debate between Cam'ron's current right-hand man Jim Jones and Mase where Jones threatened Mase that he would "put dentures in your mouth" and he advised Mase to "have them boys in blue" (police) with him when he next encountered him. Subsequently, Mase and Cam'ron got into a verbal debate that ended in Cam'ron hanging up the phone, in disgust over Mase's alleged lies and insincerity.

Cam'ron's frequently stalled fourth album, Purple Haze, was released on December 7, 2004. The follow-up from Cam'ron's group, The Diplomats, Diplomatic Immunity 2 was released on November 23rd, 2004. As of April 28, 2005, Cam'Ron officially left Roc-A-Fella Records and joined the Warner Music Group under the Asylum Records imprint, slated to release his fifth album in the summer of 2005.