Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2

1	16 Bars / The Notorious B.I.G. Live At The Lyricist Lounge, 1993 1:03
2	Oh No / Nate Dogg 3:59
3	Makin' It Blend / Q-Tip 3:54
4	Get Up / Cocoa Brovaz 3:52
5	Get That Dough / Beanie Sigel 4:03
6	Let's Grow / Royce Da Five Nine 3:46
7	Ms. Fat Booty 2 / Ghostface Killah 3:28
8	W.K.Y.A. / Redman 4:30
9	Sharp Shooters / Talib Kweli 4:17
10	Legendary Street Team / Kool G Rap 4:03
11	The Grimy Way / Big Noyd 4:10
12	Battle / Erick Sermon 3:57
13	Da Cipha Interlude / Phil Da Agony 2:05
14	Right And Exact / Dilated Peoples 3:52
15	He Lives / RZA 3:46
16	Watcha / Pastor Troy 4:33
17	I've Committed Murder / Mos Def Gang Starr Remix 4:13
18	Live At The Lounge (Outro) / Q-Tip 0:53
19	[Untitled Track] 0:05
20	[Untitled Track] 0:30
21	[Untitled Track] 0:04
22	[Untitled Track] 0:04
23	[Untitled Track] 0:04
24	[Untitled Track] 0:04
25	[Untitled Track] 0:04
26	[Untitled Track] 0:04
27	[Untitled Track] 0:05
28	[Untitled Track] 0:04
29	[Untitled Track] 0:04
30	[Untitled Track] 0:04
31	[Untitled Track] 0:04
32	[Untitled Track] 0:04
33	[Untitled Track] 0:04
34	[Untitled Track] 0:05
35	[Untitled Track] 0:04
36	[Untitled Track] 0:04
37	[Untitled Track] 0:04
38	[Untitled Track] 4:27

Barnes & Noble

Underground hip-hop enthusiasts have come to expect great things from the Lyricist Lounge franchise. What started as an ambitious open-mike night that hosted then-fledgling newcomers such as the Notorious B.I.G., Rah Digga, and Eminem has since spawned the disc Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1, a national concert tour, and a sketch comedy show on MTV. The latest installment in the Lounge legacy is Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2, an all-star compilation featuring seasoned MCs such as Q-Tip and Beanie Sigel, as well as bubbling-under talents such as Dilated Peoples and Royce the 5'9. The album's first single, the pulsating club-thumper "Oh No," teams East Coast rappers Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch with West Coast G-funk singer Nate Dogg. Other highlights include the head-nodding "Sharp Shooters," which partners politically conscious rappers Talib Kweli and Dead Prez, and the humorous "WKYA (Will Kick Your Ass)," featuring Redman and Saukrates. By giving hungry newcomers a shot at the big league and keeping rap veterans on their toes, Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2 helps maintain hip-hop's thriving competitive and collaborative spirit. Abby Addis

All Music Guide

The second installment of the Lyricist Lounge compilation takes on a decidedly different direction then its predecessor. While the first segment catered towards breaking new, less-familiar talent, names like Prime, Mike Zoot, and Sarah Jones have been phased out and replaced by Erick Sermon and (gasp) JT Money. Yet, the transition is a fairly smooth one, and considering that the Lyricist Lounge has expanded from its open-mike night roots into a successful MTV comedy show, this revision is not entirely surprising. Though not without filler material, LL 2 achieves what most compilations promise but never deliver -- a satisfactory LP that will appease both the chest-beating backpacker and the bling-bling tunnel faction. The quest in trying to meet this goal is really half the fun, as some interesting collaborations unfold; fellow Detroit natives Royce 5'9" and Jay Dee hook up on the autobiographical "Let's Grow," and Talib Kweli and Dead Prez revitalize the pro-black ideology over Hi-Tek's spaghetti western guitar riffs on the eye-opening "Sharp Shooters." However, the closest example of what LL 2 aspires to be is captured on Redman and Saukrates' "WKYA" (Will Kick Your Ass), as the easily accessible but fiery rhymes of Red and Sauk are truly universal in their flavor. Though LL 2 may not portray the idealism or spirit that the Lyricist Lounge was initially founded on, it does successfully represent the differing tastes of all hip-hop fans. That in itself is this compilation's biggest accomplishment. Matt Conaway