Cam’Ron has been a force in East Coast Hip Hop since the early 90s. The Dipset founder’s career spans both TV and music, with his third studio album, Come Home With Me, featuring the iconic singles “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma.” However, Cam’Ron seems to have a secret extra talent: making interviews go viral. The Harlem legend has left quite a few interviewers dumbstruck over the years, and he’s recently done so again. In a now-viral interview with Abby Phillip on CNN, Cam’ron visibly drank a jar of his sexual enhancer, Pink Horse Power, and shared that would be going to get “some cheeks” after the interview. There have been other times when Cam’ron has been at the center of a wild interview, and the following seven are worthy of note.
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The 2003 Source Awards Carpet
On the carpet for the 2003 Source Hip Hop Music Awards, Cam’ron and the rest of Dipset were left a bit dumbfounded. During an interview on the red carpet, a young interviewer named Andy held a fake petition for Cam’ron to sign. The petition, titled “B*itches are people too,” was as a result of the “negative music about females.” Not one to be pranked, Cam’Ron held his face straight and asked no questions as he reached for the petition and added his signature. Andy then promised to frame Cam’ron’s signature.
Cam’ron Flips The Tables On Bill O’Reilly
In 2003, Bill O’Reilly, the conservative firebrand, faced off against Cam’ron, during an interview on “The O’Reilly Factor.” The topic was: the impact of rap lyrics and other elements of Hip Hop culture on young people. O’Reilly, with his characteristic intensity, grilled Cam’ron and Damon Dash about their responsibility towards the content they produced. A third guest on the show was Principal Salome Thomas-El, who was also there to argue how the new Hip Hop was bad for children.
It didn’t take long for things to start going sideways. During the interview, O’Reilly began asking Cam’ron pointedly rude questions about his music and lifestyle. These questions were fielded by Dash for a while. However, in a hilarious turn, Cam’Ron, cool and collected, responded. He looked at O’Reilly with a smirk, and mockingly laughed, saying: “You maaad…I got dirt on you, doggy!”
The host, taken aback by Cam’Ron flipping the script, attempted to regain control. But Cam’ron’s composure remained unshaken. Dash would also try to return the interview back on track by talking about artistic freedom and questioning the framing of O’Reilly’s arguments. However, it was too late, and the interview was awkwardly wrapped up after a few minutes. Cam’ron had left the entire interview astonished.
Read More: Cam’Ron Reveals The Dirt He Had On Bill O’Reilly During His Infamous Interview
Cam’ron’s Post-Shooting Interview
On October 23, 2005, Cam’ron, on his way from a D.C. nightclub, had his blue Lamborghini showered with gunfire during an attempted carjacking near Howard University. Cam’ron was shot once in the arm. In a subsequent news interview after his discharge, Cam’ron, with a rolled blunt in hand, recounted the ordeal to the press. With a curious mix of humor and nonchalance, he said, “I felt disrespected ’cause nobody’s gonna take a quarter million dollar car from me. Let alone a five cent piece of chewing gum.” He also used the opportunity for a quick promotion: “I got shot three times and my album comes out November 22.”
Cam’Ron also boldly told the press he would not be cooperating with the police. “I won’t just give up anything to anybody because they’re waving a gun around,” he said. Moreover, when asked if the attack was related to his career, Cam’ron showed more of his trademark humor. He insinuated that the robbers just didn’t like that he was successful. “It’s nothing. I’m all right. It’s just a flesh wound,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that happen when you live that kind of life.”
60 Minutes With Anderson Cooper
On April 19, 2007, Cam’ron met up with Anderson Cooper for an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. During this meeting, the rapper made some of his most controversial statements till date. Cam’ron explained to Cooper, how “There’s never a reason to help the police,” when Cooper questioned his “No Snitching” creed. Then, when asked if there were exceptions to the rule, such as a serial killer neighbor, Cam’ron continued by saying that even if he had a serial killer neighbor, he would not report them to the authorities. Instead, he would simply just move away to another neighborhood.
Furthermore, he shared that there would always be repercussions if he ever broke this code. He mentioned the carjacking from 2005, and why he chose not to report. According to him, any form of cooperation with the police would have cost him his “street cred.” Additionally, he would become a target. “Where I come from,” he said. “Once word gets out that you’ve cooperated with the police, that only makes you a bigger target of criminal violence.”
The backlash to the interview was immediate and intense. Cam’ron’s comments were met with criticism from various quarters, including those who had suffered personal tragedies or worked in law enforcement. Recognizing the impact of his words, Cam’ron issued an apology on April 26, 2007. He clarified that his comments were a reflection of his frustration with his circumstances, and not intended to be harmful.
The Angie Martinez Show
On February 1, 2007, on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 Cam’ron made yet another iconic interview appearance. 50 Cent was the guest on the show, promoting his third studio album Curtis. He was taking calls when Cam’ron and Koch Records’ GM Alan Grunblatt dialed in. The conversation took a sharp turn when 50 Cent called Koch Records a “graveyard” for artists.
Cam’ron, defending his label and artists, challenged 50 Cent’s comments, leading to a back-and-forth over record sales and industry clout. The Harlem rapper questioned the success of G-Unit artists, compared to those under Koch. The back-and-forth then escalated as Cam’ron began to repeatedly taunt 50 Cent with his now-iconic jeer, “Curtisss! Curtiss! How much did the mob sell Curtiss?!”
Angie Martinez, found herself in the middle of the confrontation and tried to mediate to no avail. As tensions rose, she was forced to cut the call short. Despite the abrupt end to the on-air argument however, the feud continued off the air for some time. Nine years later, on August 9, 2016, 50 Cent and Cam’ron publicly ended their feud, sharing photos on Instagram and seemingly sharing a laugh together.
Drink Champs & Neighbor 29C
In a candid episode of Drink Champs, aired on April 3, 2021, Cam’ron shared the bewildering story of his neighbor, a woman now known to the world as 29C. Although he had shared a few clips on his Instagram before the interview, Cam’ron recounted to N.O.R.E how his simple interaction with 29C spiraled into bizarre territory. It began with the neighbor filming him from her terrace and escalated after a personal encounter. She allegedly also sent a direct message to Cam’ron stating what she actually wanted from him: “to have my Black babies,” a request he would consider.
After their hookup, the stalking situation allegedly took a turn for the worse. The neighbor’s behavior became obsessive, prompting Cam’ron to record the incidents and post on his Instagram, “just in case shit go left,” as he put it. Despite the tension, Cam’ron mentioned that he and 29C were on good terms at the time of the interview. The incident, while unsettling, was also leveraged by Cam’ron as a marketing opportunity for his product, Pink Horsepower. Three years later, in a CNN interview, Pink Horsepower made a grand appearance.
On CNN with Abby Phillip
Cam’ron’s interview with CNN’s Abby Phillip ended with a bag of mixed reactions and raised eyebrows. The interview, which occurred on May 21, was intended to discuss a recent graphic video involving Diddy assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Things quickly veered off course after Cam’Ron got a series of leading questions from Phillip. Specifically, she asked if Cam’Ron “recognized” Diddy’s aggressive behavior.
This, and a few other questions made Cam’ron unwilling to continue the interview. “I don’t know him like that, what do you mean did I recognize him?” he asked. “I’ve seen him. What you mean my experiences?” As the interview continued, Cam’ron took a moment to chug his sex enhancement product, Pink Horsepower. After that, he made a crude remark about his plans after the show. “Sorry, I’m gonna get some cheeks after this HorsePower joint.”
He then directed a question off camera: “Who booked me for this joint?” he asked, visibly irritated by the direction of the conversation. “You think I be sitting watching what Diddy do all this? I didn’t know this was a Diddy joint that y’all invited me to.” The segment was abruptly concluded and Phillip thanked him for appearing, and Cam’ron responded with a curt “thank you” before reiterating his earlier question about who booked him for the interview. He would later confirm on his podcast that he was intentionally uncooperative with the interviewer: “You call me on CNN for the bullsh*t, I’m gonna give you the bullsh*t.”
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