''Confessions of Fire'' is the debut studio
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by American rapper
Cam'ron
Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), known Mononym, mononymously as Cam'ron, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in the early 1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed with Lance Rivera, Lance "Un" Rivera's Lance Rivera, Untertainment, a ...
. It was released through
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
on July 21, 1998. Originally titled "Who Is Cam'ron?" The production on the album was mostly handled by Darrell "Digga" Branch, along with
Swizz Beatz,
Trackmasters,
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...
, and among others. The album also features guest appearances by
Mase
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
,
Usher,
Kelly Price,
Noreaga, and more.
''Confessions of Fire'' was supported by three singles: "
Horse & Carriage," featuring Mase, "357" and "Feels Good" featuring Usher. The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics and received commercial success. The album debuted and peaked at number six on the US
''Billboard'' 200, selling over 107,000 copies in its first week of release
and was certified gold by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
with over 500,000 copies sold.
Singles
The album was supported by three singles. The first single, "
Horse & Carriage" was released on April 13, 1998. The song features a guest appearance by
Mase
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
. It received moderate chart success. On the chart dated August 29, 1998, the single peaked at number 41 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, narrowly missing the top 40.
In addition, it managed to reach the top ten on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart, peaking at number nine.
The second single, "357" was released on June 2, 1998. The single missed the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. But managed to peaked at number 88 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
The third single, "Feels Good" was released on December 8, 1998. The single features a guest appearance by Usher. The song also missed the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. But managed to peaked at number 54 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Critical reception
''Confessions of Fire'' received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
spoke on Cam'ron following in the footsteps of
Sean "Puffy" Combs, calling his music polished and melodic while still maintaining the East Coast gangsta aesthetic like Puffy. He also claimed that Cam'ron is a better rapper than Puffy but lacks the pop flair that he's used to create big hits. Erlewine then spoke about Cam'ron potential as a charismatic rapper. Ultimately, he thought Cam'ron showed promise on his debut and managed to create "an accessible fusion of rap and pop that manage to keep some sort of street edge".
Commercial performance
''Confessions of Fire'' debuted at number six on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 107,000 copies in its first week.
This became Cam'ron's first US top-ten debut on the chart.
On October 27, 1998, the album was certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States.
Track listing
Leftover tracks
*"Pull It" (featuring
DMX)
Sample credits
*"357" contains a sample of "Magnum P.I. Theme" by
Mike Post.
*"A Pimp's A Pimp" contains a sample of "Don't Turn the Lights Off" by
The Originals.
*"D Rugs" contains a sample of "Mother's Theme (Mama)" by
Willie Hutch and "I'm Your Pusherman" by
Curtis Mayfield.
*"Feels Good" contains a sample of "When Somebody Loves You Back" by
Teddy Pendergrass.
*"Fuck You" contains a sample of "Phuck U Symphony" by
Millie Jackson.
*"Me & My Boo" contains a sample of "
Being With You" by
Smokey Robinson.
*"Prophecy" contains a sample of "
Fragile" by
Sting.
*"Me, My Moms & Jimmy" contains samples of "
Genius Of Love" by
Tom Tom Club and "
Mama Used to Say" by
Junior.
*"Wrong Ones" contains a sample of "As We Lay" by
Shirley Murdock.
*"Horse & Carriage" contains samples of "Cuban Cabby" by
Desi Arnaz
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Love Lucy'', in whi ...
and "
Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" by
Bill Withers
William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...
.
*"Death" contains a sample of "
Suicidal Thoughts" by
The Notorious B.I.G.
*"We Got it" contains a sample of "Say What" by
Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad (; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, Rhythm and blues, R&B, and Soul music, soul music and recorded with musicians s ...
Charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
1998 albums
Cam'ron albums
Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri
Albums produced by Swizz Beatz
Albums produced by Trackmasters