Uptown, in the chocolate city known as Harlem World, an aspiring superstar is poised to blow. Surrounded and supported by his crew, a young baller with raw talent and a big mouth absorbs images from his environment and turns them into razor sharp lyrics. From playing ball on asphalt playgrounds to shooting c-lo while scoping out and scooping up a few of Harlem's finest after midnight on 140th St., Cameron 'Cam'ron' Giles has never been one to shy away from life's gritty reality.

Known for years as a tough competitor on some of the cities toughest basketball courts, Cam'ron once played point guard for top New York teams Riverside Church and Goucher. Cam had envisioned himself playing pro ball before a leg injury in college forced him to the sidelines. Cam returned to Sugar Hill with new aspirations running through his veins. "I had gone to high school with Mase, and he introduced me to some people in the music business. Since my leg never really healed properly, I decided to get into music instead of going back to school."

Cam's rap resume began with an introduction to Notorious B.I.G. through Mase. Impressed with Cam, B.I.G. secured Cam a record deal with Untertainment and his certified gold debut, CONFESSIONS OF FIRE dropped in 1998. With the now classic tracks, ".357" and "Horse and Carriage" featuring Mase on the hook, Cam's aggressive yet complex rhyme style shook rap to it's foundations. "I had always been a fan of brothers like Kool G. Rap, Eazy E,
Public Enemy and Big L," says Cam'ron. "So when I stepped in front of the mic, I knew I had to step hard." When Untertainment lost it's distribution, Cam was eagerly snatched up by Epic Records. His sophomore release SPORTS, DRUGS AND ENTERTAINMENT was also certified gold and produced another smash hit with "What Means the World to You."

As a means to rise above the professional turmoil that often accompanies the life of an artist in the rap game, Cam and his crew, the Harlem Diplomats, reached out to Roc-A-Fella CEO and childhood friend Damon Dash. "I've known Dame Dash since I was a kid," says Cam, referring to the Roc's CEO. "Both of us grew up in Harlem together and I've seen him build Roc-A-Fella from nothing."

On his eagerly awaited third album, COME HOME WITH ME, Cameron 'Cam'ron' Giles dives deep into the heaven and hell that is Harlem. "If people watch music videos, they might think Harlem is some giant amusement park where people in glitter suits dance around all day," says Cam'ron. "My record is not about the Harlem shakers or Bill Clinton on 125th St. I want people to see that Harlem is still ghetto."

The album's first single, "Oh Boy," featuring fellow Diplomat Juelz Santana, combines a quirky vocal sample with production from the Roc's in-house producer Just Blaze to create a street anthem for the new millenium. "That was one of those songs I was able to knock out in twenty minutes." Confesses Cam. "I heard the beat, and all these ideas started flowing. It's a fun
song."

Aside from appearances by Roc-A-Fella artists Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, and Memphis Bleek, Cam uses COME HOME WITH ME as an opportunity to showcase his own fam, a crew known collectively as The Diplomats. The title track "Come Home With Me" features Juelz and Jimmy pushing a brutal beat as if it were a shiny whip on Lenox Ave. Going back into time, Cam and his boys reminisce about government cheese and Mike Tyson pounding out Mitch Green outside Dapper Dan's. "I wasn't interested in having too many other rappers on these songs," says Cam. "But these guys are like my brothers, we vibe together. We hang together, we stay together and we do music together." Another family member is Cam's girl, Toy, for whom he wrote "Daydreamin'" another outstanding track from COME HOME WITH ME. "We've been together off and on since we was 12." confesses Cam. "I just wanted to thank her for sticking with me."

Flipping an old Tupac beat on the mind-blowing "Leave Me Alone," Cam recruited the West Coast don named Daz to come down to the studio and lace the track. "I had the chorus stuck in my head for a long time," says Cam. "And since Daz produced the original track ("Straight Rider"), I thought he would be the best person to do the rearrangement. I loved the way Pac used it, but I still did it differently." Daz also contributed vocals on the song's chorus. "He was in New York doing a show with Snoop, and I just got him to come by the studio and do what he do."

"On this album, my style changes with the times," relates Cam. "And I always try to be a little ahead of the times." The majority of COME HOME WITH ME was produced by DR Period, Just Blaze and Ty Fyffe. "I'll turn down a beat if it sounds like what everyone one else is doing. My goal is to be twenty blocks ahead of everybody else."

Displaying the same self confident bravado that made his reputation as a baller on the asphalt uptown, Cam is ready to take his game to the next level. "I had some bad experiences at my former label, but that is the past. Roc knows how to promote rap music, so now that's my new home. It's the best place for the music that I write."