As I was opening the press CD for Cam’ron’s latest, Crime Pays, I couldn’t help but think about Willie Colon’s Crime Pays. Yes, that’s right Willie and Hector Lavoe released Crime Pays in 1973, before Killa Cam was created in Harlem. I couldn’t resist so I had to do a comparison. Check it out! Album Cover
Cam’s CP: An upper body shot of Cam with an Empire State Building backdrop and two gun silhouettes. Looks like any other rap album circa the Dipset era.
Willie’s CP: Willie and Hector dressed in 1930s gangster garb smoking cigars atop a vintage car. Classic! It’s straight street without being overtly in your face.
Winner: Willie Song Titles
Cam’s CP: “Silky (No H**o),” “Get it in Ohio,” “Chalupa,” “Cookies-N-Apple Juice”—Some of them read like a soft-core Skinemax flick, while others read like a children’s book.
Willie’s CP: “El Malo,” “Que Lio,” “Juana Peña,” “Titan”—all of them read like they contain powerful storylines but can they compete with ““Silky (No H**o)”? Winner: Nope. Cam got this one.
Lyrics
Cam’s CP: “From Ecuador, extra raw, repertoire like the reservoir,” and on and on. Cam is the king of the lazy flow and extra points for using “Ecuador” in a rhyme even if it isn’t positive.
Willie’s CP: “Siguió robando y robando pero ya la polícia a Vicente lo estaba velando/ Y dicen que en la 110 y la esquina Lexington ahí el estaba el escondido dentro de un safacón/ Ay que guiso! Te agarraron.” Willie’s cautionary tale sung by Hector talks about a street thug whose robbing career is cut short by the cops. Winner: Willie of course.
Impact
Cam’s CP: Cam has been M.I.A. until recently and his return is well-received by fans. Will CP redefine hip-hop music? Not a chance but it’s nice to hear ignant ish again from the most ignant rapper of all ignant rappers.
Willie’s CP: Hells yeah it redefined the genre. Willie and Hector were the brash young boricuas who headed the Fania All Stars and the salsa movement of the ‘70s. Competition is none. Winner: Willie
Overall I love Cam’s lazy rap style but here at Jesús Talks we’re about substance over estilo. Willie has both.
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