The Harlem-bred native had been operating mere minutes behind however was extraordinarily apologetic for the tardy arrival. Earlier than he readied himself to take a seat in his barber’s chair for a contemporary lower and shape-up, he shook palms with the manufacturing crew who have been patiently ready and — once more — took full accountability for his lack of punctuality, albeit, on the mercy of cross nation journey, New York Metropolis visitors, and an sudden ruckus on the entrance of the constructing that left a person knocked unconscious and ready on an ambulance.
Cam’ron was again in his hometown, Harlem, the place he as soon as obtained the “boosters boosting” and “computer systems ‘puting.” With a music profession spanning nearly 30 years, promoting hundreds of thousands of data, and performing in sold-out venues, the “Get ‘Em Ladies” rapper has a enterprise portfolio that ain’t all hip-hop.
Lately, Cam’s skilled ambitions have reached even higher heights, and his shift into digital media has grow to be the automobile. To grasp Cam’ron, one must perceive that he’s by no means not enterprising and capitalizing on a possibility.
In February 2023, the rapper-turned-talking-head did his massive one, launching It Is What It Is, an irreverent, sports-centric podcast hosted by Cam, his childhood homie, Ma$e, and Treasure “STAT Child” Wilson. The initiative was an influence transfer that turned his $120,000 funding into an eight-figure entity.
“I’d be on the telephone arguing with my man … I have a look at the telephone; I’ve been arguing with this dude for an hour and 50 minutes about sports activities,” Cam’ron stated.
“So, I used to be like, I’m gonna simply make investments my very own cash and simply make it seem like an expert setting, put on a go well with however discuss how individuals discuss within the playing spot, on the nook, within the tasks, on the stoop or the barbershop.”
“That was the imaginative and prescient,” Cam stated.
It Is What It Is swooped in to cater to an underserved demographic who may get pleasure from sports activities commentary—with out the code change.
Lower than two years later, It Is What It Is has about 279 episodes within the can. The present ranks No. 45 within the sports activities podcasts class on Spotify, has 630,000 Instagram followers, and has 551,000 subscribers on YouTube, with over 80 million views. The idea is genius and took flight. Together with a candy payday for these concerned got here an enormous following the place hundreds of supporters keep saluting the triumvirate and giving Cam’ron his flowers. A look beneath a given episode put up will present subscribers of the community leaving endearing feedback:
OH BOY
Cam’ron is conscious that there are conflicting views of him relying on the angle or state of affairs. His run-ins with controversy, which have seemingly made a couple of of us salty, are sometimes misconstrued and maybe perceived with out nuance. There’s a rhyme and motive for his reactions and responses in lots of instances, and he’s greater than prepared to expound.
“I do what the scenario requires,” he says. “I wouldn’t remorse something that I’ve achieved up to now.”
Cam continues: “Lots of people say, ‘Cam, when he was on Invoice O’Reilly, he was bugging. When he was on CNN, he was appearing loopy,’ however in the event you ever need to know my perspective from any of these conditions, I’d be more than pleased to clarify what occurred in any scenario the place any individual thinks that I used to be ignorant and silly, smug, silly, dumb, not representing the Black tradition.”
Artwork doesn’t all the time imitate life, however these strains can simply blur when observing life by digital lenses. Nevertheless, Cam’ron is each little bit of who he says he’s, not the thought of who individuals could venture him to be. He acknowledges that his hip-hop persona, tongue-in-cheek commentary, and shoot-from-the-hip mannerisms are sometimes conflated with Cameron Giles.
