Confessions of Fire is the debut studio album by American rapper Cam'ron. It was released through Epic Records on July 21, 1998.[1] Originally titled "Who Is Cam'ron?"[2] The production on the album was mostly handled by Darrell "Digga" Branch, along with Swizz Beatz, Trackmasters, Jermaine Dupri, and among others. The album also features guest appearances by Mase, 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[3] and was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold.[4]
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. 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.[5] In addition, it managed to reach the top ten on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number nine.[6]
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.[7]
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.[8]
Confessions of Fire received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic 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, Erlewine thinks 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". He gave the album 3 stars.
Commercial performance
Confessions of Fire debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 107,000 copies in its first week.[3] This became Cam'ron's first US top-ten debut on the chart.[3] On October 27, 1998, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States.[11]
