Cam’ron has once again shed light on the murky waters surrounding his relationship with JAY-Z, and believe it or not, Gillie Da Kid may have inspired him to do so.
During a recent conversation he had with a guest on his Talk With Flee podcast, Cam’ron explained why he has chosen to skip the annual Roc Nation brunch organized by JAY-Z’s company—piggybacking off of comments Gillie Da Kid made earlier this month. While Cam’ron gave JAY-Z his props for his hustle and elevation, he made it clear that his success doesn’t necessarily make HOV a person he would regularly hang out with because he’s already done that in the past. In doing so, Cam’ron ended up revealing that he was never invited but also never had any desire to go.
“I’ve done records with JAY-Z,” Cam’ron said. “I was actually signed to JAY-Z’s company. I had a joint venture with JAY-Z and Def Jam. It’s not a big deal for me to be around JAY-Z or his people. I grew up with his business partner Juan [OG Juan Perez]. I played basketball against Juan, not only coached against Juan—so it’s not really a big deal for me to be around a bunch of men. And that’s what the brunch is: a bunch of men with a few scattered women.”
Cam’ron went on to acknowledge how appealing the brunch may be for younger artists and celebrities by recalling an anecdote about boxer Gervonta Davis, who was excited to attend and meet JAY-Z for the first time.
“I remember watching Tank [Gervonta Davis], the boxer, e was excited to go for the first time,” he said. “I think he never met JAY-Z.”
He continued, “He was in the mirror coaching himself like, ‘How am I gonna say hello to JAY-Z? Hey, my man! Yo, what’s up, my man!’ It was funny, but I get that for people who’ve never been in that environment or never met JAY-Z.”
Despite his lack of interest in attending the event, Cam’ron made it clear that he respects JAY-Z’s hustle and success, especially considering his rise from humble beginnings.
“At the end of the day, one thing I never take away from JAY-Z is the hustle,” he said. “I don’t know Marcy [Marcy Projects] JAY-Z, but I know 560 State St. JAY-Z. I never saw JAY-Z broke. When I met JAY-Z, he lived in 560 State Street, had fish tanks in the walls, lived in a duplex, and always had money. Seeing his elevation is incredible. If you’re a hustler, there’s no way not to like what JAY-Z’s talking about.”
However, Cam’ron is firm in his stance that he has no intention of using the brunch as a means to build a relationship with JAY-Z or anyone else in attendance.
“I’m not gonna go to a brunch to try and have that relationship there,” he said. “If I really wanted to talk to somebody, I’d just make a call. It’s not a big deal for me.”
Gillie Da Kid, on the other hand, took a different approach when explaining why he refuses to attend the Roc Nation Brunch during his interview on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe. He believes the entire event is orchestrated as a power move for JAY-Z rather than a genuine networking opportunity.
“I learned that all of that sh*t is fake,” Gillie Da Kid said when asked about the music industry. “That’s why I don’t go to no parties. It’s just a bunch of drunk people lying to each other, saying, ‘We gonna get together, man,’ when they don’t even have your number.”
Gillie views the event as a strategic branding play rather than an actual opportunity to forge new relationships.
“They invited me to the Roc Nation Brunch, and I was like, ‘Why would I want to come?’ You want me to be real or you want me to lie?” he said. “The Roc Nation Brunch ain’t nothing but JAY-Z putting a bunch of people on the lawn, then going in the back door saying, ‘I told you I still run this s###. Give me the money.’”
He emphasized that he has built his own brand and refuses to participate in industry events that don’t offer real value.
“I don’t let nobody use my brain for their branding,” he said. “What do you get from going to these parties except for a picture? They don’t even smile with you unless you’re worth $500 million or more.”
While Gillie’s assertion of the situation appears to stem from overall evaluation of the disingenuous atmosphere in the music industry, Cam’s seems to be rooted in more of a personal issue. In fact, Cam’ron’s thoughts follow a podcast that aired last year during which he revealed he hadn’t spoke to JAY-Z since he performed at his B-Sides concert years ago.
