On this day in hip-hop history, Dipset frontman Cam’ron released his debut solo LP, Confessions of Fire, on the Undeas Entertainment label.
Following the tragic death of his cousin Derek “Bloodshed” Armstead and the breakup of his former group Children of the Corn, which included Big L, Cam, Marcy and Bloodshed, the release marked Cam’s introduction to the rap world and his mainstream debut as a solo artist.
Like much of the music coming out of New York in the late ’90s, the album had both hardcore street and pop crossover appeal, born from its gritty, story-filled lyrics about the streets and energetic production from Swizz Beatz and Jermaine Dupri. Commercially, the debut was a huge success, reaching #6 on the Billboard 200 chart and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart, and selling over 500,000 copies.
The project’s lone single, “Horse & Carriage”, featuring Ma$e and produced by Trackmasters, was a radio hit and peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, though it just missed the top 40.
