The Brooklyn-Staten Parallel Universe
February 8th 2008 00:19
They first started promoting in 1992, as 9 emcees and a couple of producers. It took one single, the first they released, to gain the attention of the street press and, to a point, the mainstream.
Unfortunately, it would be the biggest hit they would ever release. Unlike the Wu-Tang, the Boot Camp Clik seemed to be destined to forever struggle for their art - without ever really matching the popularity of their first single.
That song was "Who got the props" by Black Moon, and it initiated a bit of a statement by the hiphop community along the lines of "Hey! We can be hippies too". Coming from where they were coming from, this was a bigger statement than Arrested Development's version of peace-loving beats and rhymes.
Over the years, it became obvious the BCC had a background that was thicker than water. 1994's "Wreckonize" became an underground hit for everyone who didn't think hiphop was about gangsterisms at the time, what with the violent side of rap starting to enter the mainstream.
While the Wu were enjoying success talking about how 'Cash Rules' the Boot Camp were solidifying their position as the foremost underground crew in Brooklyn. They owned the joint. They released music, as they called it, "For The People," as their subterrainean fame became more and more international.
It was in 1998 when Wu-Tang Clan seemed to have decided that it would be worth their weight to be some collaborations with the Clik. Raekwon did "Black Trump" with the Cocoa Brovaz around the time Method Man did "Iz U Wit Me?" with Heltah Skeltah. The two albums from which these songs came would be etched on our minds forever, at least those of us who at the time knew what was happening. It was a clash of worlds, maybe even two separate universes, separated only by money and the Wu-Tang's taste for big business.
As the nineties ended the excitement for both hiphop crews died down, although they continue to make music to this day. The Wu's music is relatively easy to find, while Boot Camp is generally another matter - especially having lost their big time distributor (Priority Records) in 2000.
They're all still at it, they're all from East New York, and they all had humble beginnings in the early '90's. They were the future of hiphop, and both sides of the Brooklyn-Staten ferry would claim they still are.
The rest of us can just relax and watch them keeping on, tireless as they are.
Unfortunately, it would be the biggest hit they would ever release. Unlike the Wu-Tang, the Boot Camp Clik seemed to be destined to forever struggle for their art - without ever really matching the popularity of their first single.
That song was "Who got the props" by Black Moon, and it initiated a bit of a statement by the hiphop community along the lines of "Hey! We can be hippies too". Coming from where they were coming from, this was a bigger statement than Arrested Development's version of peace-loving beats and rhymes.
Over the years, it became obvious the BCC had a background that was thicker than water. 1994's "Wreckonize" became an underground hit for everyone who didn't think hiphop was about gangsterisms at the time, what with the violent side of rap starting to enter the mainstream.
While the Wu were enjoying success talking about how 'Cash Rules' the Boot Camp were solidifying their position as the foremost underground crew in Brooklyn. They owned the joint. They released music, as they called it, "For The People," as their subterrainean fame became more and more international.
It was in 1998 when Wu-Tang Clan seemed to have decided that it would be worth their weight to be some collaborations with the Clik. Raekwon did "Black Trump" with the Cocoa Brovaz around the time Method Man did "Iz U Wit Me?" with Heltah Skeltah. The two albums from which these songs came would be etched on our minds forever, at least those of us who at the time knew what was happening. It was a clash of worlds, maybe even two separate universes, separated only by money and the Wu-Tang's taste for big business.
As the nineties ended the excitement for both hiphop crews died down, although they continue to make music to this day. The Wu's music is relatively easy to find, while Boot Camp is generally another matter - especially having lost their big time distributor (Priority Records) in 2000.
They're all still at it, they're all from East New York, and they all had humble beginnings in the early '90's. They were the future of hiphop, and both sides of the Brooklyn-Staten ferry would claim they still are.
The rest of us can just relax and watch them keeping on, tireless as they are.
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It would also be worthwhile searching for Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C. on Youtube. Some classic clips (and funny too) can be found there.