Cam’ron has been honored with the Legacy Leader Award for his accomplishments as a Harlem native.
Killa Cam delivered a moving speech when accepting the award at the Black Independence Awards banquet in his hometown on Saturday night (June 17).
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“My mom moved to Harlem from Atlantic City in 1963 and I always wondered, ‘What if I grew up in Atlantic City?’ Then I was like, ‘Thank God I didn’t grow up in Atlantic City.’ … Growing up in the late 70’s and early 80’s in Harlem, it was violence-ridden, drug-infested and I lived smack-dab in the middle of it.”
Cam went on to explain how his mother always wanted more for him and to be diverse as she enrolled him in tap-dancing and gymnastic classes. The Dipset rapper admitted his first love before rap was basketball and he thought that was his ticket to getting out.
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“By the time I was 13 years old, I was a top 50 basketball player in the United States… As I was getting older, this thing called Hip Hop was getting older. Whether it was break dancing, graffiti or rapping, I liked putting words together.”
After meeting Ma$e and the both of them were kicked out of college, Cam’ron was inspired to take rapping more seriously after seeing Big L, his neighbor in Harlem, get a record deal.
Cam credits Dame Dash for helping his career explode on Roc-A-Fella and getting him out of his first poorly constructed record deal.
“Everywhere I go, I take Harlem with me,” he said. “I represent Harlem everywhere I go. Next year about this time hopefully my documentary is out and y’all could see much more.”
While a documentary is on the way for 2024, Cam is still keeping busy outside of music, as he and his good friend Ma$e host the burgeoning sports talk show It Is What It Is, which has featured guests like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
