LP Thoughts: Camron- Sports, Drugs & Entertainment (2000)

This is a tough one. Not because of the album but of the person who made it. I was once a huge fan of this cat right out the gate when he came out back in '97. I was feelin his whole rap style and the partnership he had wit Mase. I once considered him one of rap's elite. But as I look at him now, im just disappointed at some of the moves he made and friends he double crossed. So i as write this piece im a talk wit a peace of mind to remember this dude how he once was not present date.

For a brief period there Cam went into hiding. After droppin his 1st LP back in late '97- early '98, he took a leave of absense no where to be found. But in '99 he popped up with a dope single "Let me Know" which was a track that got u crunk and hyped instantly. I bought that single the day it dropped and video was nice as well. Then i didnt hear him again until early 2000 on a DJ Clue freestyle. Then i read a article about him in XXL in early 2000, it was about what he was up to and what happened to him. That article also stated that he was goin thru some medical problems and label problems. It was also during this time when he turned to Dame to be his manager. So i was kinda happy to see my nig back in the game ready to drop some new stuff and it made things better when i started to see promo posters on him saying his new album comin out in mid 2000.

I think i was watchin Rap City and they was showin some videos that was bubblin at that time, then out of the blue a new vid came on. The beat was crazy with some dope guitar stabs and kinda uptempo to get ur head bobbin. Then was i was lookin hard to see who is this, and i was surprised, it was Camron!!?? "What Means The World 2 U" was a monster hit!  It took me a while to digest it, then i realized that this man got a heat rock on his hands wit this one. I was living in Philly at the time and this track was blaring everywhere. I saw footage recently of Funk Flex debuting this song in the Tunnel back in '00 wit Cam sittin right there behind him and the response was crazy for it. Back in '98 Cam had them crazy wit "Horse & Carriage" now 2 years later had them with this one. It was some great times i tell ya, me and my nigs was all jammin this joint. It was no doubt in our minds that when this LP drops we are all coppin this joint!

So in September of 2000 i was right there at the local music spot coppin this LP with no hesitation. I just hoping that this LP was ok and can at least equal his 1st one. Boy was I right about this one, it was more than OK and it did top his 1st LP in my opinion. I mean this LP was hittin right out the gate with track #2 "Thats Me"! I can go on record and say that this track is probably one of Cam's best songs he ever done that gets overlooked. The beat on this song is bananas, the carefully orchestrated "killa, killa, you are, you are" in the beginning of the song get my hyped every time i hear it! I love this track, simply love it! Then we go to another heat rock wit #11 "Losin Weight" wit Prodigy! This track is hard as well with the dope piano loop and the lyrics on this track is crazy, this was still Prodigy when he was Prodigy if u know what i mean. Dope, dope track. On to track #12 with "Sports, Drugs & Entertainment"! Who knew Ron G did this joint?! And u gotta give him props for finding the perfect hook for this record by Biggie, "In the hood its a short stop, u either slang crack rocks or u got a wicked jumpshot". Real dope and creative. Now another blazin heat rock is #17 "Where Im From"! Ah man, this another one of my personal favs with a sinister piono loop and straight gutter hard lyrics. Dutch & Spade (from Major Figgas fame) wrecked this joint and Cam finished it off very nicely. Then they bring it back to '99 wit #18 "Let Me Know". This one of them tracks that get u bouncing right away and the sample of Monday Night Football was crazy! Last but not least #19 "My Hood" was a nice track that Dame Grease produced. The vid for this track was kinda out there and kinda funny but i love the hook he had for this one. All and all this LP was very nicely done. It bring back memories every time I think about this one.

I can go on all day on how i feel about Cam nowadays but for now im not gonna take away his great effort he put into this LP. It is one of my personal gems wit heat rocks sprinkled all over this one. To me ill give this album a 4.6 out of 5. I just love this album and thats how i see it. Now u tell me, whats ur LP Thoughts on this LP?