Already 12 years deep into a career marked by genre-experimentation, BOJ dropped his fifth solo album, 12 Summers, last week. The artist’s work is marked by a distinctive sound that merges eclectic influences with a relaxed, avant-garde sensibility. Emerging from the global ascendancy of Afrobeats, BOJ is a member of the pioneer generation of the cool kids who sought to redefine the genre’s parameters. 

“Veteran” is a marquee record off 12 Summers where BOJ and Blanco reconfigure the West Coast blueprint. The track reinvents 2Pac’s “California Love” (and its precursor, Joe Tucker’s “Woman to Woman”), recontextualizing the funk of the originals to a smooth, dialed-down, laid-back tune. It is a sleek, contemporary reinterpretation that swaps out the original’s bombast for a more understated, luxurious vibe even though the beats carry echoes of classic G-funk, providing a nostalgic undercurrent to the track.

“Veteran” is a straight-up flex that drips with the self-confidence of both artists. Blanco leads with bars that boast his boss status. From the jump, the UK rapper’s spitting about being a veteran, surrounded by admirers. He’s living the ultimate VIP lifestyle and turns red flags to opportunities.BOJ breezes in, his airy vocals an interesting contrast to Blanco’s punchy bars. His vocals, as always, are a soothing counterbalance. He buffs up the subject of the song, gliding over the rhythm with a casual elegance typical of his sound.