Get out your raincoats, Wellington boots, and all-terrain Columbia jackets people ? the Weathermen crew is coming through with monsoons and tsunami waves of that straight uncut hip-hop. Yak Ballz, Flushing Queens MC, Weatherman, and underground fixture for the last five years debut LP, has finally dropped his debut LP, My Claim, and industry heads better take notice.

     The album starts off in a straight-up offensive blitz with the first 4 tracks showing the superb chemistry Yak and his DJ/producer Mondee have developed over the years. Tracks like the head-nodding, piano-laced “Giddy Up” and the syncopated string concoction of “Skywalker’s Here” prove without a doubt that Yak is definitely ready for the prime time. Yak’s wordplay isn’t exactly complex, but he comes strapped with trunk loads of braggadocios lyrics and shit-talking for anyone that wants some. And whatever he lacks in his content or subject matter, he makes up with the sheer fluidity and fury of his delivery. Mondee handles production for 13 of the 15 tracks on the album, and for the most part, he does a laudable job of whipping synth effects, bumping base lines, and Wu-reminiscent strings into some very dope beats. However, the LP does suffer a little bit from the lack of variety in production - this deficiency shows up most in the middle act of the disc with a grouping of about four cuts that tempt you to hit that forward button and hear what’s up next.

     The album picks up heat again in the third stanza starting with the title cut, “My Claim” which leads into two other aurally satisfying tracks “Moving On” and “Spy on You.” The LP’s crowning jewel however turns out to be the already released track “The Drill”. On this one, Mondee freaks a cascading bass line with sick-sounding strings and strategically placed bells to create an instant banger. Yak comes off especially nice on this track with verses that cover the entire scope from street epics to 9/11 nostalgia. Two members of the Weathermen crew show up on the album as well – Cage on “Pimped Out”, and Tame One on the DJ Mighty Mi  produced “O.D.E.”. Both guest emcees rip the microphone lovely and their appearances definitely enhance the overall quality of the album.

The Conspiracy mixtape released last year got heads buzzing about the Weathermen crew. My Claim is sure to take that buzz factor up a few more notches.