Hip hop is all about confidence. As a result, the scene is flooded with a sea of amateur rappers with an ego the size of Britain looking to make a name off the back of some weak bars and a whole heap of misguided bluster. But for every hundred deluded brag merchants, there are one or two who’ve earned their bragging rights through skill and creative vision. Listening to his new EP Persian Rugs, it quickly becomes apparent that East London emcee C.A.M is one of those rare few.
Coming off the back of his 2017 debut The First Move, Persian Rugs lands like a mortar shell in a fireworks factory. The emcee delivers a constant barrage of double-time bars and meticulous rhymes. Each track oozes a swagger that would sound preposterous in the hands of an inferior rapper. First single ‘Setting the Pace’ comes across as the hybrid bastard child of Ocean Wisdom and Jehst, while the title track shows there’s substance behind the lyrical finesse.
The EP comes wrapped up in some dope production courtesy of Bradford-based Hashfinger with some guest scratching from DJ Jabbathakut.
Soon to appear alongside industry veterans Micall Parknsun, Chester P and Stig of the Dump, C.A.M’s career trajectory looks right on track. C.A.M himself seems confident enough, spitting “Fuck a runner-up I’ll be the next to win” on ‘The Warning’. Listening to Persian Rugs, it’s hard to argue.
Check out the Persian Rugs EP on Bandcamp now or listen on Spotify here.