Pulling out a real gun during his audition for Paid in Full helped Cam’ron secure the role of Rico in the 2002 crime drama.
The rapper spoke about his acting journey while interviewing The Drop: A Snowfall Saga stars Aleyse Shannon and Symba on Wednesday’s (Nov. 4) episode of Talk With Flee. Cam’ron played Rico in Paid in Full, a character based on the late Harlem drug kingpin Alpo Martinez, starring alongside veteran actors Wood Harris and Mekhi Phifer.
“I’ve never acted before in my life, but the story was from Harlem,” Cam’ron said around the eight-minute mark of the video below. “When I went to audition I’m like, ‘I got to get this fucking part.’”
“And while I was reading, I pulled out a real pistol on the na I was auditioning with, and the na was like, ‘Yo, what’s up?’” Cam’ron continued. “And I’m like, I went to n***a, I said, ‘I need this part. I really need this part.’”
Although Cam’ron admitted he no longer has the audition footage, he said Paid in Full producer and former friend Dame Dash can confirm the story. The “Oh Boy” rapper also shared the same experience during a 2023 appearance on All the Smoke.
Last September, 50 Cent claimed he had secured the rights to Paid in Full to develop a TV adaptation. The move drew criticism from Dame, who called him out, referring to the Get Rich or Die Tryin’ rapper as Cam’ron’s “new boss.” Cam’ron fired back by describing the former Roc-A-Fella Records executive as a “chatty patty.”
