BOAC

Representing from the Bay Area crew the Earthlings, BOAC, along with partner Bootleg, has released a solo debut that brings to mind the early ‘90s sound of Heiroglyphics and the Pharcyde. It’s not so much that Modern Originalus sounds the same as either of those crews, it’s mostly because BOAC and Bootleg create beats and flows that have a similar feeling to the feel-good music of that time period: happy beats that serve as backing for lyrics about skills and everyday life. Although, nothing on here is as groundbreaking as the music originally created by the Heiro crew and the Pharcyde, Modern Originalus is solid release with great production, nice West Coast flows, and a bit of humour. Even the interludes are good, especially the one where BOAC (or friend) clowns on this wanna-be rapper by pretending to be calling from a record label to offer advice on how to improve their music. Plus, there’s a bonus hidden live track that will give you a taste of the Earthlings live show. A nice release that will be hard to find but is a definite asset to any underground hip-hop collection.