From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Buckshot (born Kenyatta Blake in Brooklyn, New York) is an underground rapper, famous as the leader of Hip Hop group Boot Camp Clik, and the group Black Moon. He has released one solo album, two with producer 9th Wonder, three albums with Black Moon and three albums with the Boot Camp Clik.
[edit] Enta Da Stage of the Buckshot Shorty
Buckshot made his debut as Buckshot Shorty with Black Moon in 1992, releasing the single "Who Got Da Props?". The song became a Billboard Hot 100 hit in early 1993 and landed the group a label deal with Nervous Records. They released their debut album Enta Da Stage in late '93, featuring appearances from Mobb Deep's Havoc and later Boot Camp members Smif-N-Wessun. Along with "Who Got Da Props?", the album featured three other underground hits, "How Many MC's...", "Buck ’Em Down" and "I Got Cha Opin [Remix]", the latter became their second Hot 100 hit in 1994. The album has become one of the most heralded New York Hip Hop albums of the mid-90's, and is hailed as an underground classic. Buckshot was praised for his original flow and delivery and became one of the leading underground voices in rap. Early in '94, he dropped the "Shorty" from his name and began going simply as Buckshot. Also in early '94, he and former Nervous Records employee Dru-Ha established Duck Down Management and signed Tek and Steele of Smif-N-Wessun, Rock and Ruck of Heltah Skeltah and Starang Wondah, Louieville Sluggah and Top Dog of O.G.C.. Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C. formed the group Boot Camp Clik, which became one of the most prominent underground rap crews of the 90's. Later in 1994, he became a member of the group Crooklyn Dodgers with Masta Ace and Special Ed, and released the single "Crooklyn", which was featured in Spike Lee's movie of the same name. The track peaked at #60 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year.
[edit] Prominence of the Clik
Buck saw over Smif-N-Wessun's 1995 debut Dah Shinin', which became another underground hit. After this release, he and Dru-Ha created Duck Down Records, which released both Heltah Skeltah's and O.G.C.'s debut albums in 1996, Nocturnal and Da Storm, two more heralded underground releases. In the summer of '96, Tupac Shakur invited Buck, Dru-Ha and Smif-N-Wessun to join him at his house in California to record an album titled One Nation. The album was intended to squash the supposed East/West beef in Hip Hop, but was never released, due to Tupac's death on September 13. The track "Military Mindz", featuring Buckshot, Tek and Steele, was later remixed and included on the posthumous 2Pac album Better Dayz. In 1997, the entire Clik came together to release their first group album For the People. The album received mixed reviews and mediocre sales, and began the decline of the Boot Camp's prominence. Also in 1997, Buckshot released his first solo single, "No Joke" b/w "Follow Me" (the former being a remake of the Eric B. & Rakim classic "I Ain't No Joke"), which were featured on Funkmaster Flex's The Mixtape Vol. 2.
[edit] Independent's Day
After Duck Down Records formed, Black Moon began a lengthy legal battle over their name, which was licensed to their former label Nervous Records. In 1998, they were able to license the name through Nervous and recorded their second album. War Zone was released in early 1999, receiving strong reviews and fairly strong sales. Buck released his first solo album later in '99, titled The BDI Thug, a moniker given to him by 2Pac. The album received pretty harsh reviews and weak sales. After several Boot Camp related releases, Duck Down Records was dropped from Priority Records, leaving Buck and the crew largely missing from the Hip Hop scene between 1999 and 2001. The Boot Camp Clik returned independently in 2002 and released their critically successful second album The Chosen Few. In late 2003, Black Moon returned with their third group album Total Eclipse, another acclaimed effort, backed by the single "Stay Real". Duck Down Records returned strong in 2005, with their "Triple Threat" campaign, featuring the first Sean Price solo album, a collaboration album from Buckshot and Little Brother's 9th Wonder and a new Smif-N-Wessun album. 9th Wonder produced the whole of the Chemistry album, leaving the rhyming to Buck, with guest appearances from fellow Boot Camp and Justus League members. Buckshot and the Boot Camp Clik reunited once again in 2006 for their third group album, The Last Stand, which was released on July 18, 2006. Buckshot and 9th Wonder are also recording the follow up to Chemistry, which will be called The Formula, scheduled for release on March 18, 2008.
Recently, Buckshot did an interview with a show called "The Breakdown" on ItsHipHop.tv where he dicussed his longevity in the Hip Hop Industry and his life as an independent rapper.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Black Moon albums
[edit] Boot Camp Clik albums
[edit] Collaboration albums
[edit] External links
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Black Moon |
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| Buckshot · 5ft · DJ Evil Dee |
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| Albums |
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| Buckshot albums |
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| Singles |
"Who Got da Props?" · "How Many MC's..." · "I Got Cha Opin" · "Buck 'em Down" · "Black Smif-N-Wessun" · "How Many Emcees (DJ Evil Dee Remix)" · "War Zone" · "Showdown" · "Two Turntables and a Mic" · "Worldwind" · "Annihilation" · "Jump Up" · "Stay Real" · "That'z How It Iz" · "Why We Act This Way"
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