ARTIST: Cam’ron
ALBUM: 1st of the Month; Box Set
LABEL: Killa Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2014
It’s the 1st of the Month
Written by Jeremy Weeden
Harlem rapper Cam’ron dropped an EP every month over the latter half of 2014. Each of these 1st of the Month EPs featured new music from the rapper and now Cam’ron has put them all together in one box set.
The first five songs made up the first EP. This set does not have many features for only Sen City and Un Kasa are featured. On the “Other Side” Cam rocks over a down south-styled beat and raps about his life and the other side of the tracks. “Talk About It” is classic Cam and is a collaboration with longtime Dipset producer Skitzo. On “The Funeral” Cam tells the story of being at his friend’s funeral. The story gets your attention from the beginning as Cam raps “I’m at my man funeral/Looking at his girl cry/Preacher sayin’ he a good guy/Man, that’s a fuckin’ lie.”
The next five songs in the box set were the second EP. This EP gets off to an excellent start with the soulful “Sweetest” in which Cam raps about his life growing up on Lennox Avenue. Fans of ‘90s rap know well about Big L’s death but it is easy to forget that rappers like Cam’ron grew up with him. Cam touches on this topic and others in “Sweetest.” “Lala” is an upbeat piano laced track with a catchy hook about smoking lala. “So Bad” features reigning hip-hop princess Nicki Minaj.
The following five songs— which composed the third EP— begin with the hard-hitting “Dumb Bitch.” Over this drum-heavy beat, Cam obviously raps about none other than dumb bitches. The next song “Devil” tells us why Cam’ron apparently deals with those dumb bitches; some of them are “the devil on the dick.” “Let The Show Begin” features British songstress Estelle. This horn-laced track is a standout.
The next five songs made up the fourth EP and the set includes the hard-hitting “Killa’s Cry.” Cam tells an interesting autobiographic tale touching on certain parts of his life. “Snapped” features Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz. Cam takes a break from rapping and sings on “”Baby Ain’t Mine” and “Fuckin Hater.”
The following five songs made up the fifth EP. “Touch the Sky” features Wiz Khalifa and Smoke DZA. “Wonderland” features Hell Rell and samples “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire. “Uh Uh Uh Oh” finds Cam rapping over a crazy off kilter beat.
The last five songs end the compilation on a high note. “All Dat There Mine” features Gunplay and Juju as the threesome rap over a dirty south beat. “Devastated” is a tale of a love gone wrong and dealing with a crazy ex. Sen City raps on the hook “She devastated, she devastated/turn the loving into hatred.” “Easier Said” is a soulful track with a catchy, sampled hook.
The 1st of the Month boxset is a huge amount of music to take it in at one time. At 30-songs long, it would be the equivalent of a triple cd for some artists. However Cam varies his material and styles enough to sustain the listener’s attention. 1st of the Month is a good series and well received individually, there is no reason the box set will not get the same reception.