10 of the Best Albums to Come From Dipset
The home of the hustler and trendsetter, Harlem has played an integral role in helping instill a relentless grind and a flair for the dramatic in its inhabitants. This has proved true particularly in hip-hop, as a number of the storied neighborhood's favorite sons have incorporated the money-making ethos learned in those stomping grounds in the construction of their empires. Among this group is Cam'ron, who flipped a long-shot bet on himself into one of the most impactful movements in modern rap history.
After a pair of solo albums, 1998's Confessions of Fire and 2000's S.D.E., Cam'ron rounded up his crew, The Diplomats a.k.a Dipset, and linked with longtime friend Dame Dash, who signed Cam'ron to a record deal with Roc-A-Fella Records. Jim Jones, Juelz Santana and rapper/hype-man Freekey Zekey joined Cam'ron on his Roc-A-Fella debut LP, Come Home With Me. Juelz, who appeared on the singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma," became a breakout star. The following year, Cam and crew formed like Voltron for Diplomatic Immunity, a platinum-certified double-album that showcased the four core members, as well as additional talent like Hell Rell.
With Juelz Santana (Def Jam at the time), Jim Jones (Koch back then) and Freekey Zekey (Diplomat Records) all earning solo deals of their own and releasing critically-acclaimed solo albums, at their peak, The Diplomats was a well-oiled machine, with a constant wave of projects stamping the group's run as iconic. And with nearly two decades since they initially took the world by storm, Cam'ron and company continue to put in work, individually and as a unit, a testament to their staying power and strength in numbers.
In celebration of Cam'ron's 44th birthday on Feb. 4, XXL honors the Harlem legend by highlighting 10 of the best studio albums to come out of the Dipset camp to date.
See 10 of the Best Albums to Come From Dipset