In the early to mid-’90s there was a crew that brought nothing but hard rhymes and grimy beats. Collectively they were known as the Boot Camp Clik; independently, they included the likes of Black Moon, Heltah Skeltah, O.G.C., and Smif-N-Wessun.
From 1992 to 1996, they defined a sound of New York music, but once that period passed, a new, more flashy, jiggy, Puff Daddy-influenced hip hop/New York came, and the Boot Camp Clik were left behind. This did not stop them from creating music, and now the crew is back together in 2006 for The Last Stand.
Times may have changed, but the Boot Camp sound remains. An all-star production lineup mixing legends like Pete Rock, Large Professor, and The Beatminerz with new comers like 9th Wonder and Marco Polo give The Last Stand its powerful sound. The producers did a solid job capturing the Boot Camp style of witty street rhymes.
Ruck and Rock of Heltah Skeltah stand out on the mic, and Buckshot of Black Moon adds his usual steadiness. This is another record that will probably go largely ignored because it is the epitome of street music instead of the phony imagery of larger acts like G-Unit.
– Mike LaCroix
(Duck Down Records)