Cameron Giles was born on February 4, 1976 in Harlem, Manhattan. He went to a local high school and would meet lifelong friends and fellow rappers Mase and Jim Jones as they all played on the same basketball team. In 1994, Cam developed the nickname Cam’ron and formed a rap group with Mase and Big L. After two members of the group died, the group dissolved and Mase introduced Cam’ron to The Notorious B.I.G., who would introduce Cam to his manager Lance “Un” Rivera. Un would go on to sign Cam to his management firm and help him get himself and his Diplomat Records a distribution deal with Epic Records.