Boot Camp Clik

While the "greatest hits" tag should always be approached with extreme caution, this collection from the Boot Camp Clik should not be ignored. With contributions from Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun (now known as the Cocoa Brovaz) and the Fab 5 (Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C.), and titles like "Who Got The Props" and "Sound Bwoy Bureill," the record confirms their classic '90s status. The compilation by this collective is inevitably dominated by Black Moon and follows a chronological path, retracing the groups that sprouted from that trio in their early '90s heyday. The hard yet smooth production of the Beatminerz squad, alongside the crew's languid roughneck flows, are essential listening for a veteran head or novice looking to catch the head-rush of the influential New York state of mind initiated by this crew. As with all compilations, there are some glaring omissions (Cocoa Brovaz' "Won On Won") and dubious inclusions (Black Moon's "Two Turntables and A Mic"), but overall, the solid material presented underlines Boot Camp Clik's past relevance, but leaves their future status unanswered.