July 21 In hip-hop history: Cam’ron releases his first album

Cam’ron may have gotten his start in the music industry in the early ’90s, but the Harlem native’s rap reign officially began once his debut album hit the streets.

On July 21, 1998, Killa Cam delivers his first album confessions of fire via Entertainment/Epic Records. Cam’ron’s 19-track project features collaborations with Noreaga aka NORE, Jimmy Jones, Kelly Price, Usher and Charli Baltimore with production from Swizz Beatz, Trackmasters, Jermaine Dupri and others. The long-awaited debut LP arrived after the success of his previously released tracks “357”, which featured in the 1998 film wooand “Horse & Carriage” with Ma$e.

“Horse & Carriage” remains one of the standout records on the album along with “Glory” featuring NORE and cheater anthem “Wrong Ones” featuring actress Tichina Arnold. Yet the Trackmasters-produced hit is also a catalyst for the grueling beef that ensued between Ma$e and Cam that began just before the album’s release.

Once the song started making moves on the Billboard charts, Cam decided to shoot the music video and asked Ma$e to feature in it. The Bad Boy artist, who previously rapped in a band called Children Of The Corn with Cam, tried to charge him $40,000 to appear in the video. Cam wasn’t trying to pay for all that, so he found a lookalike to appear in the video instead. His solution to his problem didn’t seem to suit the Harlem World rapper.

In the years since the video’s release, Ma$e and Cam’ron have shot each other in person and on wax. Cam went wild on Ma$e multiple times on songs like “Take Em To Church” and “It’s Killa.” Even after quitting music in 1999 and becoming a pastor, Ma$ea managed to return to acting and hit back with “The Oracle.” These days, both MCs remain civilians but Ma$e claimed he still disagreed with Cam.

Listen to Cam’ron’s debut album confessions of fire below.