Cam’ron told a story about meeting the later former Harlem drug kingpin Alpo Martinez on a recent episode of It Is What It Is.
While talking to his co-host Treasure “Stat Baby” Wilson about the positive response he received for portraying Martinez in the 2002 cult classic Paid in Full, he explained how he had to make to get the performance right and his chance run-in.
“I think that’s why I did a good job,” he said after Wilson talked about being so impressed that she couldn’t separate him from the character Rico. “Everybody from Harlem knows that story. If I didn’t do a good job, I would’ve had to hear it.”
Cam’ron went on to speak about the time he crossed paths with Martinez at a restaurant in New York where Alpo critiqued his performance. And while Cam admitted that he was reluctant to acknowledge him because he was “a serial killer that told” which made him “one of the most dangerous n—s in the world,” the legendary street hustler managed to get his attention to give him some insight on his acting skills. “I meant to tell you, man,” Alpo apparently said. “You did a great job in the movie, your movement was off a little bit. You wasn’t movin’ exactly how I move, but you did a good job.”
Cam took the encounter in stride and said that he told him that he appreciated the positive feedback.
Alberto “Alpo” Martinez was killed in a driving incident back on Halloween of 2021 in Harlem while he was supposed be in witness protection. Martinez was notorious for being found guilty of murdering his best friend and business partner Rich Porter in 1990. Alpo turned informant after the police caught up with him a year later in ’91 while he was dealing drugs in Washington D.C.
There story was immortalized in the Dame Dash-produced Paid in Full starring Wood Harris as Ace (loosely based on Azie Faison,) Mekhi Phifer as Mitch (loosely based on Rich Porter,) and Cam’ron as Rico (loosely based on Alpo.)
You can watch the full episode of It Is What It Is below:
