When talking about rappers, one must always make reference to the ego, the bravado and the machismo of its esteemed participants.

Cam’ron has always offered a certainly cool and cocky swagger that would suggest that he’d never own up to naming his favorite rappers. But, lo and behold, Cameron Giles has no qualms about naming his Top 5 rappers, even if he’s had major beef with them.

This is going to be fun.

The Notorious B.I.G

“As for Big, I met Big about two or three times through Ma$e, you know Ma$e took me to his house, I rapped for him. That’s kinda how I got my deal because after he passed away like he had told Un [Lance Rivera] about me and Un signed me after that.”

Tupac Shakur

“I kinda appreciated ‘Pac after he died. You know, they always say stuff like that but I got the Makaveli album soon as he died. I was like, “Yo this album is crazy” and I started going through the archives of his old stuff and I was like, “Wow.” I wasn’t into him like that when he was alive, but after he died I started listening to all his s**t.” And, I was like wow this dude is amazing.”

Nas

“As far as Nas is concerned, I grew up listening to Nas before we even started beefing. You know I wouldn’t say his latest stuff is my favorite even though I like a couple of things on there but you know like “NY State of Mind,” representing first album was one of the classics Illmatic.”

Jay-Z

“Jay-Z’s first album also you know I liked his first two or three albums um as far as “Can I Live” stuff like that, you know vintage vintage Jay-Z definitely. He’s (comparable to) Big, Pac of course they are two of the greatest. If somebody is rappin’ or plays basketball or whatever and says somebody’s better than them, they don’t even need to compete.”

Cam’ron

“With me, my word play is great. I could rhyme with anybody. It’s like I did a song with Mariah Carey then next week with Ol’ Dirty Bastard or I could do a song with Bone Crusher and do a song with whoever you know, John Legend. I think that’s what makes me different also and then at the same time I been  South like when I lived in Atlanta. I lived in Chicago. I lived in Ohio. I lived in Englewood, California for a couple years so me being throughout the United States you begin to see different things. I’ll be in Ohio and I’ll do a song with some people that you’ll probably never hear the song and never get to meet them but they take that like, “Wow we did a song with Cam.” Then on top of that, I’m just like a fly n***a too. Like you know my swag is a million like far as jewelry, clothes, anything. All that combined I think that makes me who I am.”

Lil Wayne: Honorable mention

“Right now, (If I have to pick somebody other than myself), I would say Wayne, Lil Wayne. He gotta lot of versatility and a lot of stuff that he does, he rhymes off the top of his head. You know a lot of times people rhyme off the top of they head, but it doesn’t really make sense. They just rhyming of the top of they head. I think he’s one of the better artists that could rhyme off the top of they head and still make sense of what he’s talking about.”

On having highly publicized beefs with Nas and Jay-Z, but still respecting their skill:

“Is Kobe Bryant mad he gotta play Lebron James tonight? You know what I’m sayin? I’m not one of them people that’s beefin’ or battling with people and not gonna say who’s hot. That’s just a hater. Like if you think about like I said, not sayin that there stuff isn’t good now or whatever, but the vintage Nas and Jay’s first two, three albums was crazy. So definitely I would say (they are my favorites). It doesn’t bother me at all but I’m not gonna hate.

THE SIDEBAR

AllHipHop.com needed to know from Cam’ron, why he loves Chicago so much:

“I fell in love with Chicago. To be honest, I grew up watching “Good Times” so when I ever went to Chicago I was like I gotta go to them “Good Times” projects man. They called Cabrini Green and they actually tearing them down now. I went there and Chicago – I been around the whole world – and Chicago is the only city I would say that’s identical to New York. What I’m saying is Chicago’s kinda identical to New York as far as subways, as far as L-trains, as far as projects, as far as tenements. The Southside is like Brooklyn, the West side is like Harlem. The people (of Chicago) have a little more hospitality. They don’t have as much as that rough edge as New York got. Don’t get it twisted, people will die out there and there will be crime . I just get a real homely feeling with Chicago and the same thing with Ohio.”

6/10

Producers come a dime a dozen these days. It is the advent of the internet. It has allowed anyone to grab a program that allows someone to harmonize with instruments. For most, this allows them to try and usually fail however for those who have the ability to stick with it, they can gain enough ground to catch the ear of any artist. The internet has also allowed those with a like sound to click together and pull both sounds together. Keelay & Zaire have used that tool to put together Ridin High.

From the first cut, the influence of the sample is very apparent. Keelay & Zaire seem to be disciples of the school of Pete Rock, with tracks such as “Wake Up”, led by Emilio Rojas, capture a sound that is as smooth as it is conscious. For much of this album, they keep the tempo down and let samples and heavy handed instrumentation to create their sound.

Throughout the disc are rhymes of underground culture of Hip-Hop. The artists range from the New West Coast luminary Blu (“The Times”), venerable veterans like Tash (“I’m On Swerve”), and underground mainstay Supasition (“Trapped”). It creates an atmosphere that pours a smooth grove through the speakers.

However, there are a few bumps in that very groove. “I Used To Ride” is extremely out of place. Its brash sample mixed with its lyrics full of impetuous sixteens do not mesh well with the rest of the albums tracks that make their mark on a slower, cooler tempo.

Also accompanying this disc is a rare slip up by Little Brother alum Phonte. The North Carolina emcee feels like he phoned it in and it leaves the average fan wondering why he routinely gets involved in “hottest rapper out” conversations.

For all of the artists and the smooth sounds this album offers, at the end it isn’t very memorable. Most of the sounds cruise into each other, and without to much distinction at that. The end product is an album that can sit in the car, however, after a few spins, this one goes to the back and will probably never come back out.

Keelay & Zaire Featuring Blu, Fortlive and Nino Moschella

“The Times”

Welcome back. Tale of the Tape is here once again to give you the idea of just what you can expect off this mixtape grind.  As you know, anyone can put out a mixtape, and trust me, through these honorable ears I am saving you from inner Hip-Hop damage. When you aren’t getting those cold shakes from wasting your time putting something on your MP3 player, no need to thank me, just keep it honorable by checking out the column.

This week we get started with German producer Shuko’s The Foundation. Afterwards we follow up with Fabolous, whose gives us a look at his Fabolous Life. Jim Jones gives us a tour of his own life with Heron 3:16. Newcomer Outasight gives us an idea of what to expect getting us From Here To There.  Ending this week is DJ Greg Street , who is definitely Sertified Worldwide.  Let’s go, word to Diddy.

Shuko

The Foundation

Peep It

For those who refuse to look past their own pavement, Hip-Hop has spread from the streets to New York to all over the world. Because of that, there are Hip-Hop artists, producers specifically, from the international market getting some burn by some of your favorite artists. German producer Shuko happens to be one of them. Having tracks from a differing range of artists from Talib Kweli & Rakim (“Getting Up Anthem Remix”), Skyzoo (“Strung Out”), and Big Noyd, Phil The Agony, and Krondon (“All Out”), there is a good selection here.

Fabolous

Fabolous Life

Peep It

You know the reason why Hip-Hop fans can’t spell fabulous right? F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S should ring a bell.  Even if the name isn’t spelled right, we rock with him anyway because the tommy gun flow he displays at will. For those listeners who need a primer before his album, Loso’s Way, hits stores, look no further than Fablous Life. Contained is almost every single radio appearance that he has had over the years, and there is a lot. From older tracks such as “Super Woman” to newer tracks like “I Luv Ya Girl”, this is a solid listen.

Jim Jones

Street Religion Heron 3:16

One & Done

The trudge to the spotlight has been a rather long one for Jim Jones. Since appearing as that odd guy in Cam’Ron’s “Horse & Carriage” video, he has slowly taken a little bit more shine until finally crafting a hit in “We Fly High” in 2006. Through that, he secured a major label deal with Sony and began working on his latest album Prey IV Reign. With such a title, one could only wonder how he could lose….right. Well, Street Religion Heron 3:16 Jones really doesn’t really impress anyone. “Na Na Nana Na” no thanks.

Outasight

From There to Here

Heavy Rotation

Outasight isn’t your usual Hip-Hop artist.  At first glance, he looks more comfortable on the cover of a Hollister ad than mixtape cover. However, once you uncover the music, you find that he has got some good stuff to spit (“Fame & Fortune”). “People Places Things” off his upcoming album sounds quite interesting with his harmonic 16’s. As usual, Mick Boogie gets up with another artist and crafts one of the best mixtapes of the month. No surprise here.

Greg Street

Sertified Worldwide

Heavy Rotation

Dj Greg Street is never one to shy from the limelight. To catch some more of it, he has recently released Sertified Worldwide. This one has plenty of remixes that feature some of your favorite artists such as Lil Wayne, T-Pain, and Keri Hilson (“Turnin Me On”), Lupe Fiasco, Wale, and Kardinall Official (“Dope boyz”) and Yung Joc (“Drop It Down Low”). This has plenty of listen to, and only a few dim spots (“Old School Chevy” specifically). This one can stick in the rotation for a while.

Tale Of The (Mix)Tape:

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