Crime Pays

Cam’ron returns after a short hiatus

When in 2006 the album Killa Season was released the popularity of the team Dipset fronted by rapper Cam’ron was far from its peak already, which was why the fans had expected the guys to do their best in order not to find themselves at the bottom of charts. Yet as it turned out consequently the album’s very getting into the lists of the most successful was not a bad a achievement in itself. The significant portion of fillers, rather monotonous production and the themes’ poorness did not allow the record to justify the hopes laid on it after which Cam’ron was out of sight for undetermined time. Not so long ago it got known that the band Dipset has ceased to exist as it was – the founding members Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, and Freeky Zeeky parted their ways and are barely going to unite again. Thus a crucial moment in Cam’ron’s career has come and this year returining from a short hiatus the rapper understands clearly that the following step he takes defines the direction of his entire further career. Well, from the very first sounds of his splendid sixth album Crime Pays it is all clear: up and only up it will go.

A much more mature, qualitative and powerful album Crime Pays

The single My Job has been one of the most popular songs in the Internet from the beginning of May – in fact, initially it was not that and was released separately only due to the listener’s warmest welcome. Nevertheless, it is far from the only successful song on Crime Pays, on the contrary, each of them deserves your attention. Perhaps the exxaggerated significance Cam’ron gives to the skits beween the songs shoud be considered as the record’s shortcoming but on the other hand they make an inseparable part of the tradition and can be looked at as merits as well. The album opens with the introduction which is also the title track Crime Pays (Intro), from which it is at once clear that this collection of songs is much more mature, qualitative and powerful. A melodious composition Where I Know You From is refined with a stylish arrangement, while Curve can boast several interesting samples in a row. One of the album’s highlights is the song Silky (No Homo) devoted to the opposite sex and pleasing with contagious tubes, female vocals on chorus and a memorable tune. The crime theme appears for the first time brightly on another noticeble number Get It In Ohio telling of the thieves’ hard life whereas great club tracks You Know What's Up featuring C.O. and Sky-Lyn, Spend The Night and Cookies-N-Apple Juice performed with Skitzo and Byrd Lady, although filled with self-confidence, erotics and permissiveness throughout are no less impressive by any means. The topical single My Job is followed by one of the darkest and most serious songs Homicide, while Get It Get It is another memorable track refined with rather melodious samples and dweling upon the street life.

A meaningful album in the artist’s life

The artist has done his best to make Crime Pays a real hip-hop album addressed to both the club audience and those people who think of their lives and the world situation, so he apeals to severak generations at the same time, respectively. A number of compositions in this respect are the reflection of the rapper’s thoughts concerning the theme of crisis and all its consequences. Due to them, the album is undoubtedly rather meaningful in the artist’s life and almost three years of anticipation have been definitely worth it. Though this time he has also failed to avoid fillers taking into account the fact that the record offers all in all 23 compositions, 18 without skits, it is easy to ignore it. On the other hand those fond of frank lyrics are sure to find a lot of interesting on Crime Pays for them even depite the fact that there is a bit different kind of idea claimed in the album’s title. On the whole the record is a good testimony that talented Cam’ron having a variety of interests is an artist who has gone a long and rather difficult way to his laurels on which he can calmly rest.