1992 to 1996
Black Moon was the first to record, debuting in 1992 with their underground hit single "Who Got Da Props?". Their debut album Enta Da Stage followed in late 1993, featuring production from DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz, and featured appearances from Mobb Deep's Havoc, Smif-N-Wessun and Duck Down Records Co-head Dru-Ha. Smif-N-Wess' dropped their debut single "Bucktown" in 1994, followed by their full-length debut Dah Shinin' in early 1995. The album was produced by Beatminerz members DJ Evil Dee, Mr. Walt, Baby Paul and Rich Blak. The album featured appearances from the entire Boot Camp Clik. Later in 1995, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C. teamed up to form The Fab 5, and released their debut single "Blah b/w Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka". "Leflah" was included on Heltah Skeltah's 1996 debut Nocturnal. The album featured a more expanded list of producers, including Brand Nubian's Lord Jamar, Tha Alkaholiks E-Swift, Shaleek, Shawn J. Period, as well as Boot Camp members such as DJ Evil Dee, Mr. Walt, Baby Paul, Buckshot, and Supreme. The album also featured debut appearances from Representativz and Illa Noyz. O.G.C. followed up later in 1996 with their debut Da Storm. Production was handled by Baby Paul, Shaleek, Mr. Walt, Supreme, DJ Evil Dee, DJ Ogee, Buckshot, Lord Jamar, E-Swift and Madlib. Guest appearances came from Brand Nubian's Sadat X, Representativz, M.S., Sean Black, and Rock of Heltah Skeltah. Furthermore, in 1996 Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun and others began collaborating on numerous songs with 2Pac. These were to be used on an upcomming compilation entitled "One Nation." Though various bootleg tracks surfaced, the album was never released in its entirety.
These four albums are now hailed by many as 1990s Hip-Hop classics.
1997 to 1999
In 1997, the whole Camp came together for their first group album For the People. They abandoned their Beatminerz production crew and left behind their signature, grimy, sample-heavy basement sound, instead choosing to rap over beats with live instrumentation. The album received lukewarm reviews and mediocre sales. Their work over the next two years was met with declining sales and interest. Smif-N-Wessun [Now the Cocoa Brovaz due to a lawsuit with Smith & Wesson firearms] were the first to return, with 1998's The Rude Awakening, which, compared to the other albums soon to come, did pretty well critically and commercially. Heltah Skeltah met some harsh reviews for their 1998 second album Magnum Force, accused of abandoning their grimy street work for a more commercial sound. Despite a hit single, "I Ain't Havin' That", they weren't producing the sales they hoped for, and soon split up. Black Moon returned, after a lengthy legal battle over their name, in early 1999 with War Zone. The album did pretty well critically, but couldn't match the sales of their debut. O.G.C.'s 1999 second album The M-Pire Shrikez Back almost completely missed the radar commercially, but received mostly good reviews. 1999 also saw the debut album from Boot Camp affiliates Representativz, with "Angels of Death", and a Duck Down Records compilation Duck Down Presents: The Album.
2000 to present
The Camp was largely missing from the Hip-Hop scene between 2000 and 2001, besides a Boot Camp Greatest Hits compilation titled Basic Training: Boot Camp Clik's Greatest Hits in 2000. The Camp (minus Heltah Skeltah's Rock) returned with another group album in 2002, titled The Chosen Few, their first on an independent label. Sales were pretty strong for an independent album, reaching around 60,000. The album received a 4 1/2 star rating from All Music, as well as other strong reviews from Hip Hop magazines. In early 2003, Duck Down Records released a compilation album entitled Collect Dis Edition, featuring a number of singles released during their MIA period. Black Moon returned in 2003 with Total Eclipse. The album was very well received, and featured the underground anthem "Stay Real". In 2005, Duck Down released their "Triple Threat" campaign, featuring the solo debut from Sean Price, Monkey Barz, a collaboration between Buckshot and Little Brother's 9th Wonder, Chemistry, and a new album from Smif-N-Wessun, Tek N Steele: Reloaded. In early 2006, Duck Down released a DVD titled Video Surveillance, featuring over thirty of the Camp's music videos. In July 2006, the Camp released their third group album, entitled The Last Stand, featuring the return of Heltah Skeltah. The first track and music video released from the project was "Trading Places", which was also featured as the B-Side to the first official single "Yeah". On January 30, 2007, Sean Price will release his second solo album, titled Jesus Price Supastar.
The Chosen Few
Boot Camp Clik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Hey yo, I remember Paula, a female baller
We hit down south, I would call her
She was lonely, strippin, had a job at the Shoneys
The only one who showed me the real from the phoneys
Stayed hangin out with her best friend Tony
Eyes stayed red with a head full of pony
Always jokin sayin she wish she could clone me
[ VERSE 2: Louieville ]
Then she told me for me and Foul to come OT
You know me, baby girl, show me the money
Doin 90 down 95 South
If we don't move it out, then the town'll have a drought
Pushin, pedal to the metal
Once we get there the worries'll get settled
Chillin, fallin back for the week with
Money that counts and shorty bop's a freak
Toast to the dogs in the war
The one's who've been there, through rich and the poor
This bitch gotta twist up and hit
Aiin't that some shit, I gotta ask, ain't that a bitch
But a nigga gotta keep the shit rollin
Keep the shit potent, Hennyville stay smokin
And a nigga ain't crackin no jokes
Smackin up your folks
Cause a nigga know broke
[ VERSE 3: Sean Price ]
Hey yo, I rhyme all day, I rhyme all night
I got to sleep, wake up, and rhyme some more
Starvin like Marvin, niggas screamin, "I'm so poor"
Hit records, bangin videos but I'm so poor
Yo, can I hold somethin? I'm fucked up, duke
You can tell by my jeans and my scuffed up boots
In the meantime, smoke a Newport down to the green line
Leave mine alone in the zone tryin to feed mine
Know y'all hope Sean fall with the words
Fuck you pa, Pope John, call him the Third
Follow the god, bitches want to swallow the god
Hit my man off worse than you can polish the god
[ Tek ]
I told you to walk with me
You want to lose your money, gamble with me
But if you all about your paper, hustle with me
Then come on
Come on
Listen
Listen
[ VERSE 4: Tek ]
All I need is one night, one whore, one million dollar score
Tell God to look out for one more
Matter of fact maybe more than one
So I can kick my feet up and sit down my gun
Just gimme one line, one role, complete with one lick
And one motion, collect it all from 1-6
This a painting of the barrio I'm givin to you
Readin a lifestyle a Harry-O see in his views
I'm tatted, only God can judge me, I know that I'm ugly
Who's my enemies and who don't love me?
My young'uns and my family all know that they could
Call the crib, same number, same hood, it all good
[ VERSE 5: Buckshot ]
I say it now like I said it back then
Bucktown's the state of mind that I'm trapped in
So I walk with the mind of many
My mind is designed to put rhymes in lines combined with semis
Spray any, plus I got the brain of a soldier
My son started but I stay till it's over
We click-click-click, it's Hamburger Hill
And saving Private Ryan out this bitch
I'm tryin to chill but we dyin quick
So my tactic to survive is a practice
Killin gus with my eyes, so how real am I?
And even if I'm finna fly I don't look the part
Cause in my hood we separate the ballers and the crooks apart
[ VERSE 6: Steele ]
Ghetto livin, parallel to prisons
Cursed soul, from hell I've risen
We rebel from the system, Bloomberg cuttin millions from children
So we resort to the streets, I walk with my peeps
OG's responsible for my speech
Co-D's make me comfortable enough to preach
Tony Montana was deep, we all follow the script
Recipe to turn powder to bricks
Devour the script, the game the same, the players change
Homie, you gotta maintain if you want to remain
Let God give guidance, may the hood provide us
With the necessities to get by this
Niggas fallin victim to mirages
We rep the hardest but the sweat gon' drip regardless
Behind enemy lines we chargin
The traget: gettin at all you niggas in the market
Got trees, spark it, got be 's, then park it
Bucktown, where all the d's like to hawk us
Walk what you talk and gotta stay focused
Beware of this rap industry and the hocus pocus
Many are called, few are chosen
I choose to die for a cause and ride with my soldiers
Many are called, few are chosen
I choose to die for a cause and ride with my soldiers
[ all ]
We live for this, we die for this
Since some for die for this, we ride for this
The first verse of Boot Camp Clik's The Chosen Few tells the story of Starang Wondah meeting a woman named Paula while down south. She was a stripper and worked at Shoneys, and became the only one who showed him the real from the phonies. He hung out with her best friend Tony, and always joked that she wished she could clone him. He hooked her up with Henny, and when she told him and Foul to come OT, they traveled down 95 South doing 90mph. Once they got there, they spent a week with money and a woman that counts. They toast to the dogs in the war, those who have been there through rich and poor. Starang Wondah ends the verse asking if being with her wasn't some sh\*t.
The second verse, portrayed by Louieville, speaks to a continuation of their time in OT with Paula. They drank and smoked Hennessy, and Louieville needed to keep it smoke potent as he smacks people up. He talks about being so broke that he is begging for money often, but has hit records and banging music videos. Additionally, he explains that he knows y'all hope he falls with his words, but he retaliates by calling him the third Pope John.
The third verse switches to Sean Price's perspective. Sean Price rhymes all day and all night. He wakes up and goes to bed rhyming. He's also broke despite being successful. He states that he only wants someone to give him a little bit of money. He wears scuffed up boots and has holes in his jeans. He smokes a Newport down to the green line while trying to feed himself.
The fourth verse, by Tek, speaks on his desire to get one million dollars, one role, and one lick. He also gives a painting of the barrio layout or neighborhood structure. Tek is tatted and believes that only God can judge him. He is aware of people who don't love him, but his family and kids still do. Tek believes that the recipe to turning powder to bricks is well-known to Tony Montana and is widely followed.
Buckshot's verse has him still "trapped in Bucktown's state of mind." His mind is designed to put rhymes in lines combined with semis. He states that he has the brain of a soldier and his son started the practice. Buckshot fights for Hamburger Hill because he is following the script that Tony Montana created. He knows that the game is the same, but the players change, so you have to maintain to remain.
Finally, Steele speaks to ghetto living and how it is parallel to being in prison. The soul is cursed, and Bloomberg cuts millions from the children. Many in the hood speak with Steele's style because of his OGs' and Co-Ds' influence. Steele follows the recipe of turning powder to bricks, and his approach to life is that you must maintain to remain. He is behind enemy lines when charging the game, so his focus is getting at all the people in the market. He warns people to be aware of the rap industry and the hocus pocus that comes with it. Steele chooses to die for a cause and ride with his soldiers.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vedran MariΔ
1. (00:00) - Yo Boot Camp! (Intro)
2. (01:20) - And So
3. (05:11) - Let's Get Down 2 Bizness
4. (09:31) - Let's Roll
5. (14:22) - Welcome to Bucktown USA
6. (19:47) - That's Tough (Little Bit)
7. (24:29) - Yeah What Eva (Skit)
8. (25:45) - Had It Up 2 Here
9. (30:28) - Whoop His Ass
10. (34:33) - Daddy Wanna
11. (39:49) - Ice Skate
12. (44:30) - Just Us
13. (49:54) - Think Back
14. (54:29) - The Chosen Few (Live for This)
15. (59:38) - Word's From Tek (Outro)
RaeRae Jeru
If it wasn't for Wu-Tang, i'd say BCC is the best hip-hop group to ever come out. For me, Wu-Tang take the crown by a tiny tiny fraction!!!
Dray Hudson
Word
Nevob Millz
I agree
DUCK DOWN 4 LIFE
Wu Tang got some rappers...but Boot Camp got some rhymers.....
Duck Down 4 LIFE...R.I.P. Sean Price!!!!
Frankie Miller
Factz
A.K.A. The Rugged Manchild
Wu Tang and Boot Camp 4 da crown!
RaeRae Jeru
' And So ' is one of my favorite BCC tracks ever!
john douglas
I know that was one of my favorites when It came out still is.
Z Block
One of the best rap albums of the early 2000s no question real rap....
JUAN2 WARTOWNTHUGGISSYTHERZEE
Classic I'm happy we are with the Boot Camp Click Thanks You My Fams DAM #RIP Ppppppppπ’π’π―π―π₯π₯π₯ππππππ