A Million Dollars: Houston Hip-Hop Artist Cameron Giddings Takes On L.A. In Search of a Break

Cameron Giddings speaks candidly about taking his music from out of his home studio in Houston to the stage of the Key Club in Los Angeles, where he has opened for the likes of Paul Wall and MIMS.

Coyote Music:You are originally from Houston, Texas, but have spent the past few years in Los Angeles. What was it that took you there?

Cameron Giddings: Los Angeles is a city where your dreams can become a reality as long as you’re willing to work hard and commit to your craft. I wanted to get into an environment where it surrounded me, that daily inspiration it takes to succeed. When you become the one stuck behind the velvet ropes in a new place and all these people around you are on the other side, it makes you work that much harder because you want to make it across that line of nothing to something.

CM: You seem to enjoy life in L.A. What were some of your highpoints?

CG: I got to attend numerous movie premiers, award shows, and perform with acts I never thought I would. The whole vibe of it all was mind blowing. There’s too much to even put together in words that would properly explain how much of a blessing it was to experience the things I did.

CM: Did you have a favorite moment?

CG: Ya know, it was the coolest thing, attending the Critics Choice Awards. I'd only been in L.A. for a month and got to go. I get there, sit down, and turn around and to my surprise I see Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie sitting right behind me. That almost gave me a heart attack. Then to top it off Don Cheadle and George Clooney were over my other shoulder.

CM: Did you find anything discouraging about L.A.'s lifestyle?

CG: Not really. I did find that it’s not easy to move your way up as I had hoped and always thought it would be, but that was okay because it’s what I wanted and will continue to be.

CM: It can be glamorous, but what were some times that have been more trying for you?

CG: There were several tough moments in particular. After moving out there, I was forced to drop my management after several deals gone bad, and I ended up stuck seeing all these people whose careers were flourishing and I couldn’t even book a show at the local lounge... Several months of that ate at me, putting me in a funk. After finally getting a few gigs, though, that weight came off my shoulders. The waiting can kill your high. I mean, after playing on ABC and appearing on CBS TV, having to start performing at places like dive bars just sucks.

I fought my way through it, kept grinding, and was blessed when I got the chance to open for Paul Wall at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Stepping on stage right before one of my childhood idols was surreal. After that I got to play main stage at The Key Club on the Sunset Strip with MIMS, once I got onstage to a sold out crowd of that nature I had an adrenaline rush like I had never had before. I knew at that moment, “I’m definitely on the right path right now.” The crowd was huge, loving the show, and I was projected on a giant screen over my head. At that point, it was the greatest moment for me.

CM: What’s going on with you currently?

CG: My new song, “A Million Dollars” was released on iTunes today. The concept is simple: “How can a person make a million dollars?” It’s a rock song with hip-hop over it. And lyrically, I just say it the way it is: “Okay, I'm a white hip hop artist. I’ve got no money. I can't get into the clubs. Women won't give me the time of day. But when I have a million dollars, those things will change.” I like the irony, too, about trying to make a million dollars starting with a song about not having a million dollars.

CM: Would you say that’s your main goal, financial success?

CG: That’d be nice, but I write about what I want most. At first, my songs were about wanting to get where I want to be. But after having a couple big shows and gaining some recognition, my newer material has more of an “I did it” vibe. Success is more about how people receive the songs I write than whether or not I make a ton of money. Right now I don’t have too much to show for financially. I have had a few big breaks and I enjoy doing what I’m doing so much right now and, with that being said, if I could continue to get by doing what I love I never want to change a thing.

CM: What’s a song of yours that best captures your writing style?

CG: I have a song called “Faith and Truth.” It basically says that when it rains and pours, if you just keep pushing you’ll make it through. When someone’s in a situation where they’ve hit rock bottom, I hope they can hear a song of mine like this one and it picks them back up.

CM: So you’ve acted, produced, sung, and written songs. Do you have a particular focus among all those things?

CG: I would love to act, but my heart is in the music. 110%. Getting to be a character onscreen is great but being able to create music on my own and write…I love that so much more. It’s like I'm in control of the script and I'm writing the character.

CM: Your songs seem to combine aspects of rock and hip-hop. Where does that style come from?

CG: I grew up listening to nothing but country and rock. But around age 12 is when I got into hip-hop. I liked that it offered something completely different. Hip-hop's lyrics, topics, and the swagger of the music was all new and interesting to me.

CM: Do you have a set songwriting process or do your songs come together in different ways?

CG: I’ve done both, a song-at-a-time and over a long period of time. But when I sit down and write at the moment an idea comes to me, those songs seem to have the longest lasting effect. In that way, I get music, lyrics, and overall concept done using the same moment of inspiration. “Help Me” was a song I did with a friend of mine Kelseylee. I was just sitting at a keyboard, and she and I got to talking about the music industry and how difficult things can be. Then the moment happened: “Someone help me.” Within five minutes I’d played it and got it down on the synthesizer and 20 minutes after that I had the melody and lyrics laid out.

CG: Another one that came along very quickly was “Shorty Put It On Me.” It’s more of a club joint. I’d just got outta high school, was working at a coffee shop, bored outta my mind. I just started tapping spoons, wrote some ideas on napkins, came home and got it down. Now that's my show closer.

CM: If this interview had been only one question, and you had only one thing to tell its readers, what would it be?

CG: I’m just a good ol’ boy with a passion for what I do. My reasons are the same as everyone else and the way I deliver my music is that it’s me. I know I’m a white kid from the suburbs. I’m not afraid to tell people that. It’s what I am. I believe people enjoy what I am doing because it’s honest and I enjoy making my music. And so far that’s been true—listeners from Houston, Hollywood, Inglewood, Compton, they have all given me a positive response at shows. When I first started, I tried hard to make myself sound like I'm from someone that I’m not. But then I just started being myself. Since then, things have come together much faster and more honestly. Sometimes as an artist you just have to step back, to be sure your art is a reflection of the real you.

Posted on 6/29/09