Cam'ron - Crime Pays

It has been a while since we have heard from Killa Cam, but don't worry, he's back, and he has brought it harder then ever (well maybe not...).  It has been around three years since we have heard from Cam'ron, and Crime Pays will be his first release since the 2006 LP entitled, Killa Season.  There are a few truly standout tracks that I have been bumpin' on a regular basis, but overall, the album lacks a lot of the heat and "Killa" style to it.  I am a Killa Cam fan, and I support his cause, but the album really didn't live up to all I thought and hoped it would.  The LP features a full track listing (23 tracks total), and features C.O., Sky-Lyn, Byrd Lady, 40 Cal., Skitzo.  While the majority of those musicians I have never heard of, they accompanied Cam well on the album.  The LP definitely wasn't his best musical production, but it had a few bright spots!

I am going to speak my mind, and try not to make anyone angry, or anything like that, so here it goes!  I know that Cam came out and said that no big name musicians would be featured on this album, but I just don't get why.  I am not saying that I don't like his solo work, I am just saying that a solid supporting cast can really enhance an album, and push it from being a somewhat decent album to a GOOD album.  I mean collabs generally work in your favor, on the track, "Down & Out (Feat. Kanye West)" off of Cam's LP, Purple Haze, Yeezy and Cam each killed a sick narsty beat.  I have been bumping that track in my car for such a long time, and it never gets old!  The thing is, that the good tracks on this album will get old after a while. 

Also, I find that the album itself lacks a "strive point".  Something that keeps me interested in the story line and theme that is behind the album.  It seems as though Killa Cam went for a story-based LP, and to tell you the truth, the story he was telling did not interest me whatsoever.  At least with Eminem's Relapse album, I was learning about the abuse of drugs, and the horrible life that one can live once he or she is a slave of addiction.  The feeling behind the album was just not there, he brought that "fire" feel to certain standout tracks, but for the most part, the album was missing a lot of "fire-power" and because of that, I don't think it will sell well and be well-received by many music fans out there!

I am a huge Cam fan, and I suggest that if you are too then you should buy the album and support the artist.  This was not one of my favorite albums, there were maybe four or five tracks on here that I would bump in the car consistently, but not enough for me to say I was satisfied with the LP he has released.  I really do think that if he had thrown a few features on the album, that it would of turned out much better.  Some key features that would have been sick are Kanye West, Jadakiss, Lil' Wayne, Juelz Santana, Twista, Jay-Z, and possibly Usher (if he was doing a slow track).  All those musicians have been featured on past LP's with Cam'ron, and I think that if you threw a few of these guys on some of these decent tracks, you would have had a sick narsty album!  Sadly, Cam'ron did not do that, and the album is a sub-par one at best.  If you're a Killa Cam fan, you'll enjoy hearing some new work out of the album, but it definitely is not something worth dropping a lot of dough on!  If I had to give the album a grade, it would get a C+/B- (At best... Maybe Even Lower Then That...)

Crime Pays Track Listing:

1. Crime Pays (Intro)
   
2. Cookin Up 
   
3. Where I Know You From
   
4. Fuck Cam #1 (Skit)
   
5. Never Ever 
   
6. Curve
   
7. Silky (No Homo)
   
8. Get It In Ohio 4:24 
   
9. Who 
   
10. Grease (Skit)
    
11. You Know What's Up (Feat. C.O. & Sky-Lyn) 
    
12. Spend The Night
    
13. Fuck Cam #2 (Skit)
    
14. Woo Hoo (Feat. Byrd Lady & 40 Cal) 
    
15. Chalupa
    
16. Cookies-N-Apple Juice (Feat. Skitzo & Byrd Lady)
    
17. My Job
    
18. Homicide
    
19. Fuck Cam #3 (Skit) 
    
20. Got It For Cheap (Feat. Skitzo)
    
21. Get It Get It
    
22. Bottom Of The Pussy 
    
23. Fuck Cam #4 (Skit)

GO OUT AND SUPPORT THE ARTISTS... BUY CRIME PAYS, IN STORES NOW!!!

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