Cam'ron Recalls Pulling Real Gun at Audition

The Harlem rapper says he brandished a real pistol while reading for his role in the 2002 crime drama Paid in Full.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Hip-Hop and Rap

Cam'ron Recalls Pulling Real Gun at Audition

Rapper Cam'ron recalled on a recent podcast episode pulling a real pistol on another actor during his audition for the 2002 crime drama Paid in Full, where he played Rico. He said he had never acted before the audition and told the actor he needed the part.

Why it matters

The anecdote revives attention on the film, which is based on Harlem drug kingpin Alpo Martinez, as a separate report says 50 Cent has claimed rights to develop a television adaptation. The story also resurfaces the film's behind-the-scenes history involving its producers.

The account is a first-person recollection from Cam'ron, who said he had never acted before his Paid in Full audition, and the claim is not corroborated by footage. Cam'ron told the Talk With Flee episode he does not have the audition tape, so the account cannot be independently verified.

The players

Cam'ron

Harlem rapper who starred as Rico in the 2002 film Paid in Full and has long been associated with the Diplomats crew.

50 Cent

Rapper and entrepreneur who claimed he acquired the rights to develop a Paid in Full television adaptation.

The details

Cam'ron said he pulled a real pistol on the actor he was reading with while auditioning for Paid in Full, and told that actor he needed the part. He recounted the story on Talk With Flee and had earlier told it on All the Smoke in 2023.

2002: Paid in Full released with Cam'ron as Rico.
2023: Cam'ron first retold the audition story on All the Smoke.
Nov. 4, 2026: Cam'ron discussed the audition on a Talk With Flee episode.
2025: 50 Cent claimed he acquired rights to a Paid in Full TV adaptation.

Legacy Context

Hip-hop crossover into acting has been a recurring pattern, and Paid in Full's 2002 release is a documented example of a rapper moving into a leading film role. The renewed interest through a potential television adaptation follows that same pattern of rap-era crime stories being revisited for screen.

Viewers interested in Paid in Full can look for the 2002 film through standard rental and streaming options, though no current availability was specified in the source. A television adaptation remains unscheduled, so there is no release date for readers to plan around.

The takeaway

Stories about an artist's early acting breaks often reveal how unplanned those career turns can be. Readers following hip-hop's screen crossover can track how these origin stories shape later projects.