Boot Camp Clik

The Hip Hop Music History of Boot Camp Clik


Hip hop music simply known as rap or more popularly known as rap music emerged in the United States during the middle of the 1970's. It was one of the styles of popular music which became a big part of the modern pop culture in the 80s. There are two components of hip hop music. One is the rapping or MCing and scratching and audio mixing or DJing. Along with break dancing or hip hop dance and graffiti or an inspired urban art composes the 4 hip hop elements, a cultural group emerged initiated by many African Americans inner-city youth of New York City during the early 70s.

Hip hop music typically consist of an intense rhythmic lyrical form. Techniques such as rhyme, alliteration, and assonance are abundantly used. Instrumental track or beat created by instrumentalists or producers, or performed by DJs usually accompany the rappers. The beats make use of samples from percussion breaks of a song which is either a soul or funk recording. Moreover, other sounds can be also sampled, performed, or synthesized.

Hip hop music unites the members of Boot Camp Clik. Boot Camp Clik is a hip hop group of renowned people that originated from Brooklyn, New York. The members of the group include:

- Smif-N-Wessun or Cocoa Brovaz which is a hip hop duo of Tek and Steele.

- O.G.C. or Originoo Gunn Clappaz consists of American rappers Starang Wondah, Louieville Sluggah, and Top Dog.

- Buckshot from the group Black Moon known as the famous underground rapper and the leader of Boot Camp Clik.

- Heltah Skeltah is also a hip hop duo with members Rock and Sean Price.

Although Boot Camp Clik's commercial success has eluded them, still they have gained large followers within the underground rap society. They are known principally for the hardcore contents of their music. But later on, they began to add personal and social aspects in their lyrics and even became the first rap groups to infuse reggae elements in their music. Buckshot together with the group Black Moon helped in establishing the backpacker scenes within underground hip hop.

Boot Camp Clik reached their popularity heights during the mid-90s. They have released the 4 acclaimed albums, Enta Da Stage of Black Moon, Dah Shinin of Smif-N-Wessun, Nocturnal of Heltah Skeltah, and Da Storm of O.C.G. These are greatly spawned with several underground rap hits such as "I Got Cha Opin (Remix)" and "Who Got Da Props?" by Black Moon, "Sound Bwoy Bureill" and "Bucktown" by Smif-N-Wessun, "Operation Lock Down" and "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" by Heltah Skeltah, and "No Fear" by O.C.G.

Sad to say, despite their acclaimed albums as well as the minor successes of their singles, they were not able to achieve Gold level sales. Nevertheless they continue to pursue their careers in the music industry even when their popularity started to decline. It even lead to lengthy breaks from the hip hop scenes.

However, Boot Camp Clik independently returned in 2002 able to regain their popularity in the underground hip hop music. They were again able to release several acclaimed underground hits. From then on, they also incepted affiliates including Da Beatminerz and Representativz.

Well, it just emphasizes that genre of hip hop music will remain throughout history since it gained a lot of audiences all over the world mostly young people. That is why it continues to invade the music industry.