Cam'ron and Ma$e have been killing it with their sports show, It Is What It Is, for a couple of years now. Overall, the show became an immediate success, and there were some who decided to swear off ESPN as a result. Cam & Ma$e's show was a lot more authentic, and without a network breathing down their necks, they could say whatever they wanted.
That said, the show ultimately created a market for Cam'ron's thoughts on all things sports, and some networks were looking to cash in. Recently, Cam even admitted that he had conversations with Stephen A. Smith about joining the network a couple of years ago. Smith had promised the legendary rapper a time slot on Fridays. This would have been a huge look, and could have been extremely lucrative from a monetary point of view.
However, things did not work out as planned. ESPN ultimately cut the deal at the last minute. Why? Well, it all has to do with Cam's now infamous CNN interview. If you remember, Cam was brought on CNN to talk about Diddy. When the interview went left, he was ultimately blacklisted from the network.
Cam'ron Lost Out Big Time
As Cam explains, the bosses over at ESPN ended up seeing the interview and decided that he was not the right fit for the network. Stephen A. Smith relayed this information to Cam, explaining how he had spoken to the higher-ups, and they were no longer interested.
Whether or not this was a good thing for Cam is something that can be debated. However, given his off-the-cuff style, it is probably for the best that he remained independent. Now, he can say whatever he wants, without having to worry about the consequences.
Furthermore, he can own his platform and not have to worry about the financial splits. At the end of the day, It Is What It Is remains a powerhouse, and that isn't going to change anytime soon.
