Cam’Ron – Purple Haze

To appreciate Cam’Ron’s Purple Haze, one must look pass the lyrical contents. As much as I detest his “we don’t love them hoes” attitude toward women, I must give him props for crafting a luminous album. His flow is simple but pushes the beats, and the beats are blazing. He is a minimalist and his rhyme schemes are minimal, yet playful. He uses the artfully constructed style throughout the album. Beside his distinctive charisma, Killa Cam’s delivery stands out as well. He spits each word clearly and naturally. Even while he switches his flow on “Adrenaline” with Twista and Psycho Drama, his verse is still as clear as crystal when he speeds up or slows down.

When rocking Purple Haze, I tune in for the aesthetic experience. I enjoy the beautiful production, the rhyming skills, and the artistic vision, but leave the artist’s intention behind. Despite his disgusting lyrics, “Get ‘Em Girl,” “Shake,” “Hey Lady,” and “Girls” (sampling Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Fun”) are straight banging. I am sure the ladies wouldn’t care what he says when they back their “thangs” up in the club. When I talk about the aesthetic experience, I mean to separate the work of art from my personal interpretation. It’s hard to do with rap, especially with an album like Purple Haze, because of its aggressive sexual lyrics; however, it could be done. “Leave Me Alone Pt.2,” for instance, Cam’s flow chops through the melody forcefully while the violin saws away the beats.

With more highlights including “Get Down,” “Killa Cam,” “Down And Out,” Purple Haze is an even album that could be play from start to finish without interruption. Not only the skits do not distracted the flow but also help to give the album a few pauses between 20 tracks. Big up to Killa Cam!