Boot Camp Clik

The last time the Boot Camp Clik put out a collaborative album, 1997's For The People, it was a move to capitalise on the dedicated following the crew had developed with its members' other groups, Black Moon, Heltah Skeltah, Smif N Wessun (now known as the Cocoa Brovaz) and OGC. The ill-fated decision to forgo their patented gritty production in favour of smoothed-out beats is a move they've been trying to recover from ever since, making this effort a reclamation project of sorts. By reuniting with Da Beatminerz for some production on The Chosen Few, the Clik addresses the crucial lacking ingredient of For The People. Da Beatminerz and the Boot Camp Clik have always gone together like butter and popcorn, and although the chemistry is now different, the reminiscing on "Think Back" and the family-oriented "Daddy Wanna" are better off for it. Notable board work is also provided by Hi-Tek ("Ice Skate"), Coptic ("Welcome To Bucktown USA") and Curt Cazal ("And So"), while the MCs, led by the hungry flows of Buckshot, stick to the blue-collar street level lyrics that made their name. While you won't find anything matching the classic material of Black Moon's Enta Da Stage or Smif N Wessun's Dah Shinin' here, there's enough evidence to show that the Boot Camp Clik is getting back on track.