*comes back to deliver the goods (part 2)*

[One Eyed Willy]

Cam'ron Puts Mixtape Favorites On Official Debut


LL Cool J once rhymed about only needing an hour, a pen and a pad to write a hit record. Cam'ron and the Diplomats say they need just a fraction of that time.

"It don't take nothing but 10 minutes," Cam said recently about penning tunes with Jimmy Jones and Juelz Santana. "We rap. If we hear a beat that's hot, we could do it. Sometimes I'll be like, 'Let's write about this,' 'cause we have a bunch of concepts, but we're oppressed. We got 20 years of hard time to write about. It's nothing."

Cam and company have been holding true to a Tupac-like speed and frequency of making music. During the past year, they've released four Diplomats mixtapes for the streets and Cam's platinum solo album. The group's first official LP, Diplomatic Immunity, drops March 25.

"Our album is gonna be like a mixtape," Cam said. "It's a double CD. We do every mixtape and put like 20 songs on them, so there's like 80 songs [on the street.] We don't want people to be like, 'What happened to this song?' or 'What happened to that song?' All the best songs from volume one through [four], we put them on one CD, and the other CD will be all new music."

The group is gearing up to shoot the album's first video, "Gangsta Music," this weekend in New York. On the song, the Diplomats give props to the Geto Boys, reciting lyrics from Scarface on the hook: "I sit alone in my four-corner room staring at candles."

"We was in Chicago [last year, and] they had me writing out there," Santana remembered. "[Cam] gave me that beat, I wrote two verses and said, 'You gotta get on this one too.' "

While in the Windy City, the Dips also bumped heads with DMX and politicked two collaborations. Cam recorded a song for X's upcoming It's Not a Game, and the favor was returned with the Yonkers rapper barking on the chorus of the Diplomats' "What's Really Good" (see "DMX Gon' Give It To Ya On Soundtrack, Fifth Solo Album").

Elsewhere on their album, the Diplomats show that their musical tastes go far beyond rap. Their "Built This City" samples — you guessed it — Jefferson Starship's "We Built This City."

"For a couple of years I was trying to get somebody to do that beat," Jones recalled. "It was more or less the hook [that I liked]."

The rock feel carries over to "Ground Zero," which has ominous guitar licks carpeting pulsating drums. "I speak pain, spit power/ Talk courage, breathe flowers/ Follow me through the debris of these towers," Juelz says on the song.

" 'Ground Zero' symbolizes the whole tower incident," Jones said. "We was picking up the whole revival of New York and our revival too, because Diplomats is a whole new [musical movement]."

Moving from the present and the future to the past, "Who Am I" finds Juelz rhyming about shedding tears as he looks back at his life's harder times.

"That was a song I did three different verses [for], breaking down three different parts of my life," Juelz told. "One verse was talking about my mother, one verse talking about how I came into the game. ... It's a real deep thought song. It's music — if you're doing it from the heart, you gotta let out your feelings. If you're not, you're not making real music, you're making B.S."

Santana said he hopes to get Lauryn Hill back in the habit of making music, at least for the probable first single from his May 13 solo album, From Me to You.

"I got a song called 'All I Need Is You.' If I get Lauryn Hill on it, it will probably be my first single," the 18 year-old said. "I look up to Lauryn Hill; I always wanted to do a song with Lauryn. I'm feeling her music, her soulfulness. I felt like it would be a good time to bring her back into the public eye."

After Santana's debut drops, Cam plans to release his next disc, Purple Haze, on August 5, and a Diplomat DVD called "Come Home With Me" is supposed to come out before the year is over.

"It's a 2003 'Streets Is Watching,' " Cam said of the project. "Eleven videos mixed with dialog and acting scenes in between. It shows what we went through to get to the point we're at now. It's a couple videos off of Diplomatic Immunity, couple off of Juelz's album, couple off my album. It's different videos, different songs and it'll all make sense. It will all coincide."

For a full-length feature on mixtape culture and the role of mixtapes in making a rapper's career, check out "Mixtapes: The Other Music Industry."

—Shaheem Reid



 

[One Eyed Willy]

because some of you are anticipating this album more than getting laid i have decided to drop the tracklisting for the first 4 mixtapes. go get that shit off kazaa and realize the power of the dip.

Volume I
Kay Slay - Intro
Camron feat Juelz - Oh Boy
Camron feat Daz - Ambitions of a Killa
Camron feat Beanie - Just Fire
Camron feat Ja Rule - Dial M for Murda Remix
Camron, Jimmy Jones, Juelz - Come Home With Me
Juelz Santana - Gangsta
Camron - Freestyle
Juelz Santana & Camron - Facts of Life
Jimmy Jones, Juelz Santan - Ball Out (rmx)
InfaRed, Cross - Freestyle
Camron - Freestyle
Camron - Rocafella Get Money
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - *****es aint **** (rmx)
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - Maria Maria
Camron - Stan (remix)

Volume II
Nas Power 105 Interview - Intro
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Grinding
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Hate Me Now
Cam'ron - Show You How (Remix)
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I Really Mean It
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Master P - Bout It Bout It
Juelz Santana Ft Cam'ron - I Love You
Juelz Santana - Santana The Great
Juelz Santana, Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I'm Ready
Hell Rell - Interlude
Hell Rell Ft Cam'ron - This Is What I Do
Peedi Crack, Juelz Santana, Cam'ron - One For Peedi Crack
Cam'ron And McGruff - Pain And Agony
Jim Jones, Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - First Of The Month
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Cash Money - Oh Girl
Hell Rell And Juelz Santana - Dip Extravaganza
Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - Here We Go
Jay-Z Ft Cam'ron - Show You How
Calico - Bonus Track

Volume III
Jim Jones - Intro
Killa - Interlude
Juelz - Its More Than Music
Killa & Juelz - The Bigger Picture
Killa Feat Diplomats - Whats Really Good
Juelz - Freestyle
Juelz - I'm Ready freestyle
Jim Jones - Getaway
Killa & Juelz - Hey Ma rmx rmx
Killa & Juelz Feat Toya - Hey Ma rmx
Hell Rell - Interlude
Jim Jones - Questions
Un Casa - Death Is The Only Escape
Killa - I Love You
Dame Dash Feat Rocafella Fam - We Are Da Champions
Jaheim Feat Killa & Juelz - Fabolous
Dame Dash Feat Killa & Jim Jones - Call Me Dame

Volume IV
Kay Slay n Camron - Intro
juelz santana - ur gonna love me
camron - yeo
camron n juelz santana - u ought to know
camron santana n jim jones - freestyle
camron n juelz santana - gangsta music
camron n juelz santana - let's get it on
camron - purple haze
camron jim jones n juelz santana - money cash hoes
camron n jim jones - harlem music
camron jim jones n juelz santana - ground zero
jim jones juelz santana n ali - this goes out
camron n jim jones - fly boys
jim jones - freestyle
jr writer - freestyle
camron jim jones n juelz santana - what's really good
beanie siegal ft jayz - once again it's on
m.o.p - that simple
shiest bub n agallah - purple city: gangsta
chris - freestyle
j mills - freestyle

[KVB]

Volume I
Kay Slay - Intro
Camron feat Juelz - Oh Boy
Camron feat Daz - Ambitions of a Killa
Camron feat Beanie - Just Fire
Camron feat Ja Rule - Dial M for Murda Remix
Camron, Jimmy Jones, Juelz - Come Home With Me
Juelz Santana - Gangsta
Camron - Freestyle
Juelz Santana & Camron - Facts of Life
Jimmy Jones, Juelz Santan - Ball Out (rmx)
InfaRed, Cross - Freestyle
Camron - Freestyle
Camron - Rocafella Get Money
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - *****es aint **** (rmx)
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - Maria Maria
Camron - Stan (remix)

Volume II
Nas Power 105 Interview - Intro
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Grinding
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Hate Me Now
Cam'ron - Show You How (Remix)
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I Really Mean It
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Master P - Bout It Bout It
Juelz Santana Ft Cam'ron - I Love You
Juelz Santana - Santana The Great
Juelz Santana, Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I'm Ready
Hell Rell - Interlude
Hell Rell Ft Cam'ron - This Is What I Do
Peedi Crack, Juelz Santana, Cam'ron - One For Peedi Crack
Cam'ron And McGruff - Pain And Agony
Jim Jones, Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - First Of The Month
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Cash Money - Oh Girl
Hell Rell And Juelz Santana - Dip Extravaganza
Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - Here We Go
Jay-Z Ft Cam'ron - Show You How
Calico - Bonus Track

Volume III
Jim Jones - Intro
Killa - Interlude
Juelz - Its More Than Music
Killa & Juelz - The Bigger Picture
Killa Feat Diplomats - Whats Really Good
Juelz - Freestyle
Juelz - I'm Ready freestyle
Jim Jones - Getaway
Killa & Juelz - Hey Ma rmx rmx
Killa & Juelz Feat Toya - Hey Ma rmx
Hell Rell - Interlude
Jim Jones - Questions
Un Casa - Death Is The Only Escape
Killa - I Love You
Dame Dash Feat Rocafella Fam - We Are Da Champions
Jaheim Feat Killa & Juelz - Fabolous
Dame Dash Feat Killa & Jim Jones - Call Me Dame

Volume IV
Kay Slay n Camron - Intro
juelz santana - ur gonna love me
camron - yeo
camron n juelz santana - u ought to know
camron santana n jim jones - freestyle
camron n juelz santana - gangsta music
camron n juelz santana - let's get it on
camron - purple haze
camron jim jones n juelz santana - money cash hoes
camron n jim jones - harlem music
camron jim jones n juelz santana - ground zero
jim jones juelz santana n ali - this goes out
camron n jim jones - fly boys
jim jones - freestyle
jr writer - freestyle
camron jim jones n juelz santana - what's really good
beanie siegal ft jayz - once again it's on
m.o.p - that simple
shiest bub n agallah - purple city: gangsta
chris - freestyle
j mills - freestyle

Damn that's a lot of shit... Cam said the Diplomats album will include the best songs from these mixtapes on one disc and brand new material on the other. Although I have not heard any of them, there's bound to be a lot of filler on these tapes. I think I'll just let him filter out the wackness, and go cop their "offical" album instead...

[Skindiana bon3z]

Volume I
Kay Slay - Intro
Camron feat Juelz - Oh Boy
Camron feat Daz - Ambitions of a Killa
Camron feat Beanie - Just Fire
Camron feat Ja Rule - Dial M for Murda Remix
Camron, Jimmy Jones, Juelz - Come Home With Me
Juelz Santana - Gangsta
Camron - Freestyle
Juelz Santana & Camron - Facts of Life
Jimmy Jones, Juelz Santan - Ball Out (rmx)
InfaRed, Cross - Freestyle
Camron - Freestyle
Camron - Rocafella Get Money
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - *****es aint **** (rmx)
Camron, Juelz, Jimmy Jones - Maria Maria
Camron - Stan (remix)

Volume II
Nas Power 105 Interview - Intro
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Grinding
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - Hate Me Now
Cam'ron - Show You How (Remix)
Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I Really Mean It
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Master P - Bout It Bout It
Juelz Santana Ft Cam'ron - I Love You
Juelz Santana - Santana The Great
Juelz Santana, Cam'ron And Jim Jones - I'm Ready
Hell Rell - Interlude
Hell Rell Ft Cam'ron - This Is What I Do
Peedi Crack, Juelz Santana, Cam'ron - One For Peedi Crack
Cam'ron And McGruff - Pain And Agony
Jim Jones, Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - First Of The Month
Cam'ron And Jim Jones Ft Cash Money - Oh Girl
Hell Rell And Juelz Santana - Dip Extravaganza
Juelz Santana And Cam'ron - Here We Go
Jay-Z Ft Cam'ron - Show You How
Calico - Bonus Track

Volume III
Jim Jones - Intro
Killa - Interlude
Juelz - Its More Than Music
Killa & Juelz - The Bigger Picture
Killa Feat Diplomats - Whats Really Good
Juelz - Freestyle
Juelz - I'm Ready freestyle
Jim Jones - Getaway
Killa & Juelz - Hey Ma rmx rmx
Killa & Juelz Feat Toya - Hey Ma rmx
Hell Rell - Interlude
Jim Jones - Questions
Un Casa - Death Is The Only Escape
Killa - I Love You
Dame Dash Feat Rocafella Fam - We Are Da Champions
Jaheim Feat Killa & Juelz - Fabolous
Dame Dash Feat Killa & Jim Jones - Call Me Dame

Volume IV
Kay Slay n Camron - Intro
juelz santana - ur gonna love me
camron - yeo
camron n juelz santana - u ought to know
camron santana n jim jones - freestyle
camron n juelz santana - gangsta music
camron n juelz santana - let's get it on
camron - purple haze
camron jim jones n juelz santana - money cash hoes
camron n jim jones - harlem music
camron jim jones n juelz santana - ground zero
jim jones juelz santana n ali - this goes out
camron n jim jones - fly boys
jim jones - freestyle
jr writer - freestyle
camron jim jones n juelz santana - what's really good
beanie siegal ft jayz - once again it's on
m.o.p - that simple
shiest bub n agallah - purple city: gangsta
chris - freestyle
j mills - freestyle

Damn that's a lot of shit... Cam said the Diplomats album will include the best songs from these mixtapes on one disc and brand new material on the other. Although I have not heard any of them, there's bound to be a lot of filler on these tapes. I think I'll just let him filter out the wackness, and go cop their "offical" album instead...

yeah me too...who's gonna download all those songs above...LMAO....i will though cop their album though on March 25th...

peace