Purple Haze [PA]

Performer: Cam'ron
Artist: Juelz Santana
Engineer: Eric 'Ibo' Butler; Carlisle Young; Milwaukee "Protools King" Buck; Mike Peters; Mike T
Producer: Cam'Ron; The Heatmakerz; Kanye West; Chad Wes Hamilton; Nasty Beat Makers; Ryan Press; Skitzo; Ty Tracks; Charlemagne; Versatile; Traxster; Antwan "Amadeus" Thompson; The Heatmakerz; Kanye West; Just Blaze; Chad Wes Hamilton; Nasty Beat Makers
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Cam'ron (rap vocals); Steven "Opera Steve" Santiago, Jim Jones , Jaconda "Ms" Blunt, Sarah Hinds, Latrice "Grease" Carter, Mike Peters , Dave Irving (vocals); Freekey Zekey, Jahiem, Mona Lisa, Nicole Wray, Psychodrama, Syleena Johnson, Twista, Jim Jones , JR Writer, Unkasa, Juelz Santana. Audio Mixers: Eric "Ebo" Butler; Carlisle Young; Traxster. Recording information: Santana's World, New York, NY; Sony Music Studio, New York, NY; The Hit Factory, New York, NY. Photographer: Oluwaseye Olusa. Released within months of Jim Jones' On My Way to Church, the second volume of the Diplomats' Diplomatic Immunity, and another flurry of mixtapes, Cam'ron's fourth album ("Previously written in 2001," as announced in the intro) is evenly divided between strong and weak tracks. This lack of quality control will both provide ammo for Diplomat haters and frustrate Diplomat supporters, even if there's a durable 45-minute album in here somewhere. The backing track of "Girls," a feather-light translation of Cyndi Lauper's "Just Wanna Have Fun," belongs on a teen pop record -- it's such a folly that it makes you wonder if somebody dared Cam'ron to release it. "Harlem Streets" fares only a little better, with the theme from "Hill Street Blues" used to distracting and detracting effect -- perhaps the cues should've taken from Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's "Ill Street Blues" instead. On the other side, a pair of soul-steeped productions from Kanye West ("Down and Out," built on William Bell's "Strung Out") and the West-inspired Pop & Versatile ("Soap Opera," using Smokey Robinson's "Merry-Go-Round") help prop the album back up, and Heatmakerz's rallying "More Gangsta Music" features some of Juelz Santana's infectious youthful energy. Though it has been two years since Cam'ron's last solo album, there's so much Diplomat-affiliated material stuffing the racks that even the most devoted followers must be on the verge of overdosing on the crew's bewildering, nonsensical rhymes. "Cause I feed you well/Every sneaker, hell/You eat Louis, sh*t Gucci, breathe Chanel/Karl Lagerfeld, acting like Gargamel" wins the prize on this release. Inconsistencies and gratuitous running time be damned, a lot of rap fans will be happy just to have another Cam'ron album to devour. Fellow Diplomats JR Writer, Jim Jones, and Freeky Zekey make appearances, along with Twista and Jaheim. ~ Andy Kellman PURPLE HAZE, Cam'Ron's fourth album, was practically introduced by the Diplomats two weeks earlier in 2004, as the Harlem, New York City MC showed off his vast empire of diverse and interesting rappers on DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY 2. Besides cementing his position as a key player in NYC hip-hop and giving him a legion of talent to draw from for his records, working with gifted, original minds like Juelz Santana and Jim Jones has sharpened young Cam'Ron's own game. The long-awaited PURPLE HAZE finds him in top form, spicing his smooth delivery with forceful, focused rhymes that flow over some of the most striking beats in the business. Cam'Ron opens PURPLE HAZE tough as ever, swaggering through an imaginary club with Juelz, boasting fiercely over a dizzying soundtrack on "More Gangsta Music." However, Cam'Ron switches gears abruptly with a sweet (and rather obscure) Marvin Gaye sample on "Get Down." Innovative backdrops abound from the African-reggae blend on "Killa Cam" to the "Theme from Hill Street Blues" loop (used effectively, without a hint of gimmick) on "Harlem Streets." Over it all stands the imperious Cam'Ron and his dry, easy delivery, equal parts charm and brutality, holding sway over PURPLE HAZE, a highly engaging record.

Spin (pp.100-1) - "On PURPLE HAZE, he tightens the infectiously casual flow he's always displayed on mix tapes. His selection of beats is top-notch and risky..." - Grade: B+ Entertainment Weekly (p.84) - "The beats are as hyperkinetic as the humor is twisted....Once again, Cam proves why he is hip-hop's best guilty pleasure." - Grade: B+ Vibe (p.82) - 3 discs out of 5 - "Cam will continue to add color to his coarse style of rap until you clearly see things his way."

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