I N T E R V I E W O N E :
INTERVIEW BY JOSHUA IV.
PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 003, 2024
II DIE IV RECORDS - STUDIO A
We're here at the 2D4R studio where FG Cam is gearing up to introduce his latest work, 003, to the world. Having co-produced the album with him, I've been alongside Cam as he shaped 003. Today, Cam gives an inside look at the stories, ambitions, and creative process behind his upcoming project before getting back in the booth to finish a couple songs for the tape.
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JOSHUA IV: Before we get into the music, last month you turned 26. You feeling any different from the past couple years?
FG CAM: Nah, to be honest 26 man.. just feels like another milestone. If anything just having more responsibility on my plate.. 24, 25 was cool I feel like I was young.. 26 you’re past that mark - halfway to 50. You feel like alright, let’s get to it. Just seeing that number kind of puts you in a different kind of mode.
IV: What's been inspiring you outside of the music lately? Any books, films, or experiences feeding into the creativity?
FG: Of course, for me personally it’s always something outside the music. It’s not always me listening to another artist, sometimes I don’t even listen to artists like that. I still got the same 500 or so songs in the playlist.. Shit a lot of the time it’s TV shows, as the people will hear in the music, movies too.. people in general just day to day conversation. I’ve always been the type to piece up stuff in my head just throughout the day.. I might hear some percussion and that alone might just give me something to build off.
IV: Yeah for sure, same.. So speaking of inspiration I never asked you, I know we created this project inspired by the James Bond 007 series but out of all the other movies what about it inspired you to craft a project around it?
FG: Well one, like you said there’s a million movies but those other million movies don’t have that franchise like the Double O series. You know like, still to this day all the way from the 60’s.. 70’s they’ve got Double O movies. I want to make that type of mark. For two, you know all the Bond characters.. calm.. cool.. collected type of guys but you know they’ll get the job done.. So yeah, I’m just trying to embody that.
IV: Tough.. So, so far I know we’re still wrapping up the project but if you had to pick one song on 003 that defines who you are at this point in life, which would it be?
FG: Man to be honest with you.. it might be some shit I might record tonight but shit it’s a couple.. you know like all my songs are going to reflect how I’m feeling day to day. Every time you hear a song from me you get a peak into my life.
IV: I was in the studio with Toine the other day working on some music.. we ended up having a conversation about life.. the things we've been through.. relationships.. you already know the type of shit we been going through lately on that side.. the whole 9.. and when the conversation came back to music he told me as a fan, the thing he wanted to hear from you was more vulnerability. As an artist, do you think you have to be more vulnerable to be more impactful?
FG: I feel like at the end of the day it all depends on what type of person you are, what type of artist you are. There’s people you’ll never see the real side of that have made it in the industry.. you see them in real life and they’re like a square or like the complete opposite. I definitely do try to — I wouldn’t say be vulnerable but be truthful and as real as I can. That’s why when I rap, I rap for the people to feel it.. But I feel like I have though.. if you think about Cash Cow, going back to the last question when you hear that you’ll definitely learn more about me. That’s me expressing some of that vulnerability.
IV: Yeah, it’s definitely sprinkled in there. I think as an artist it’s all about how you flex it. As an artist I don’t think you can really get around that.. like, I don’t think you can separate yourself from the art as an artist. As artists all we have is our perspective so it’s always gonna be some real life in there. Your approach to that is like Ghostface to me.. he has a quote where he’s like, I don’t give a f*** if you don’t know what I’m talking about—this is art. When you see a painting on the wall and it looks bugged out because you don’t know what the artist was thinking because it’s just a splash and you don’’t see any benches or trees.. The artist made it, he knows what it is.. That’s how I think we both approach the music, even though we have different styles.. if you know you know, if you get it you get it type shit.
So what's the message you want to get across.. or like.. what’s the journey you want to take the fans through as they listen to 003?
FG: Being long lasting. I want them to know I’m not going anywhere. We not going anywhere. We're really pushing the needle for this thing whether people realize it yet or not.. we just gotta do it right.
IV: I know for me it feels like I'm never done iterating. Even like my own music, I’m constantly changing things or like damn, it’s not ready yet. How do you know when a song or project is done?
FG: I definitely try not to think too hard into it. When I listen back I know if I need to tweak something pretty fast and I don’t dwell on it too much other than that. You just can’t create the same masterpiece twice so I might polish it but for me it is what it is. Unfiltered.
IV: I feel that. For me it’s a bit different being a perfectionist.. trying to make everything clean and flawless but I’m learning to embrace that hip-hop element.. keeping it raw and making it work. I think that’s what separates art that you can feel versus the art you can’t. I think it’s important to perfect the craft but equally as important to keep that authenticity. I think it’s a lost art because of hip-hop being a business.. it’s not about serving the music or the art, it’s about what’s commercial.
We've both seen each other grow since we started working together. Is there something about your approach to the music that's changed in a way you're proud of?
FG: For sure. Not to be a broken record but going back to me wanting to have that lasting impact.. you know I say to myself—what’s going to have somebody come back and listen again?.. That’s really the main thing I’m focused on just having that replay value. I’m riding with my uncle the other day and Rae Sremmurd No Flex Zone was playing on this commercial and I’m like damn.. That’s one of them ones you know, it’s a million songs like that but yeah that one is never going anywhere. That’s the impact I want to have.
IV: If you could collaborate with anybody who would it be?
FG: Come on man.. you already know who my favorite artist is. K Dot. Definitely the best rapper in the game right now to me.. no shade to Drake. You know we came up listening to Drake. He makes great music but for me when it comes to Kendrick.. the lyricism.. shit is just on a different level.
IV: So thinking about his last project Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, going back to the question about vulnerability, you think you've got room for one of those?
FG: For sure, it’s definitely room but it’s like—
IV: How you get there.
FG: Yeah, exactly it’s all about the process how I get there. I see myself having a project like that in the future where I’m giving the people some real, real shit but you know first you gotta get to that level. That level where people want to hear that from you.
IV: That’s valid. So on to something different.
What’s your favorite Cleveland moment?
FG: Probably would have to be something sports related but I don’t know for real it might be just enjoying the city for what it is.. being able to have all four seasons. I feel like a lot people don’t really understand that. The seasons balance me out. You know I’m a Libra so I’m all about the scales. If I’m somewhere it’s hot all the time I’ll probably get to tweaking.
IV: That’s crazy.
FG: I think I would. I think I need that balance but who knows, we’ll see.
IV: You voted?
FG: Yeah, I voted. I did the absentee ballot. Just sent mine in.
IV: I went in and early voted. Took two hours start to finish. I’m thinking I’m about to run in here real quick, 30-45 minutes quick shit. I’m out there in shorts bruh I’m thinking yeah, I’ll just slide over there real quick before I workout. Crazy.
FG: It was at a school around here?
IV: Nah, downtown I’m still registered down there. Silly shit.
What’s your favorite Cleveland food spot?
FG: That’s a tough one. You know if I’m downtown I gotta slide to Pizza 216 grab me a lil pie, a lil drank man.. If I’m over here I’d probably say one of my local spots, Showcase.. used to slide to the case grab my lil Philly cheesesteak egg rolls.
IV: Yeah I peeped, I think they had something going on last night.
FG: Yeah we missed that, we was supposed to slide I was gone pull through with Warren but you know he had to coach. I’ll tell you what tho, Red Walters Bar-B-Que is fire. They got some of the craziest chicken bruh. It’s over there off Cedar.
IV: I’m not even hip, I definitely gotta tap in.
Alright last question I guess, favorite rap album? You can only pick one.
FG: Hmm.. only one well you know which one I gotta pick then. To Pimp A Butterfly. That album is just such a timeless album and it’s a lot different from other rap albums you’re gonna hear because it's real music.. real instruments. The story telling.. It’s really a masterpiece.
IV: I gotta agree. Well, good talk bro time to lock in. You got anything else?
FG: Nah, we good.
