Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2 [Explicit Lyrics]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Biggie is back again--freestyling like only a dead man can on the intro to this second volume culled from the archives of NYC's Lyricist Lounge. You have to wonder why hip-hop can't let the man rest in peace? Must be something to do with the papers. Same could be said of this record's transparent attempt to keep a franchise alive and help push the Rawkus label further into mainstream consciousness. Aside from the aforementioned intro and Q-Tip's "live" outro, there's precious little evidence that the Lyricist Lounge is, in actuality, a freestyle forum with a monthly live event in New York City. The pairings of established and lesser MCs are suitably uninspired: Big Noyd and Prodigy's "The Grimy Way" and Royce Da 5'9"s "Let's Grow" even sound as if they're retreading 1980s retro-synth soundtracks. And, predictably, Mos Def (Rawkus's would-be prophet and biggest seller) is all over the record. He pairs up first with Ghostface Killah (on the previously released "Ms Fat Booty" remix), then with Pharoahe Monch and Nate Dogg (on "Oh No"), and cameos on the Gang Starr remix of Macy Gray's "I've Committed Murder." It seems that the only people that really get it are Last Emperor and RZA, whose resurrected creature-feature "He Lives" performs radical psychic surgery on this comp's rotting corpse. --Chris Campion

Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2,Various Artists,Priority Records,Alternative Rap,Christmas,East Coast Rap,Hardcore Rap,Hip-Hop,Holiday,Pop,Rap & Hip-Hop,Rap Collections,Southern Rap,Underground Rap,West Coast Rap

Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2 [Explicit Lyrics]

Tracks:

16 Bars - Notorious B.I.G.
Oh No - Mos Def/Pharoache Monch
Makin' It Blend - Q-Tip/Words
Get Up - Cocoa Brovaz
Get That Dough - Beanie Sigel
Let's Grow - Royce Da 5'9in
Ms. Fat Booty 2 - Mos Def/Ghostface Killah
W.K.Y.A. - Saukrates
Sharp Shooters - Talib Kweli/Dead Prez
Lengendary Street Team - Kool G Rap/M.O.P.
The Grimy Way - Big Noyd/Prodigy
Battle - Erick Sermon
Da Cipha Interlude
Still Here - Big L
Right And Exact - Dilated Peoples
Watcha - Master Fuol
I've Committed Murder (Gang Starr Remix) - Macy Gray
Outro Live At The Lounge - Q-Tip
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Bonus Track

Amazon.com

Biggie is back again--freestyling like only a dead man can on the intro to this second volume culled from the archives of NYC's Lyricist Lounge. You have to wonder why hip-hop can't let the man rest in peace? Must be something to do with the papers. Same could be said of this record's transparent attempt to keep a franchise alive and help push the Rawkus label further into mainstream consciousness. Aside from the aforementioned intro and Q-Tip's "live" outro, there's precious little evidence that the Lyricist Lounge is, in actuality, a freestyle forum with a monthly live event in New York City. The pairings of established and lesser MCs are suitably uninspired: Big Noyd and Prodigy's "The Grimy Way" and Royce Da 5'9"s "Let's Grow" even sound as if they're retreading 1980s retro-synth soundtracks. And, predictably, Mos Def (Rawkus's would-be prophet and biggest seller) is all over the record. He pairs up first with Ghostface Killah (on the previously released "Ms Fat Booty" remix), then with Pharoahe Monch and Nate Dogg (on "Oh No"), and cameos on the Gang Starr remix of Macy Gray's "I've Committed Murder." It seems that the only people that really get it are Last Emperor and RZA, whose resurrected creature-feature "He Lives" performs radical psychic surgery on this comp's rotting corpse. --Chris Campion

Customer Reviews:

I'm confused about something.......2005-10-19

This is basically adding on to what Adrian said earlier. I have had this CD for years and never noticed this. The back of the CD is not named right. I do understand that there is that He Lives song by RZA and that is track 15, but on the back of the CD it says 15 is Dilated Peoples. The version I have has Still Here and He Lives, but does not have Right and Exact on it.

Solid compilation album.......2005-08-06

A lot more known and accredited rappers are on this one and it makes for a better album from start to finish, but you still get some undergrown less known lyricits on it but not as many as Volume 1. Packed with 18 songs (1 is just a remix with a dfferent beat so it's 17 total songs), it has 2 classics, 1 almost classic, 4 I skip, 2 ok songs, and the others are good or great songs. Production is on point on most tracks as well, and a bunch of different producers get behiond the boards on this one. Hi Tek does 3 songs, Erick Sermon & ALChemist do 2 each, and Rcokwilder, DJ Roddy Rod, Ayatollah, DJ Roddy Rod, DJ Mighty Mi, Mad Lib, Prince Paul DJ Premier and Scott Storch all do 1. A good labum to have for fans of real hip hop and lyrics.

#1 - 10 (CLASSIC acapella freestyle from 1993 by the great: Notorious B.I.G. {R.I.P}
#2 - 9.5 (mos Def, Pharaohe Monch, Nate Dogg -- great beat)
#3 - 5 (Q-Tip & Words)
#4 - 8 (Cocoa Brovaz)
#5 - 8.5 (Beanie Sigel)
#6 - 8.5 (Royce da 5'9 -- nice beat)
#7 - 8.5 (Mos Def & Ghostface Killah - -nice beat)
#8 - 8 (Saukrates & Redman)
#9 - 5 (talib Kweli & the always $h!++y Dead Prez)
#10 - 9 (M.O.P. & Kool G Rap - hardcore song w/ nice beat to go with it)
#11 - 10 (CLASSIC -- Big Noyd f/ Prdogy -- GREAT BEAT)
#12 - 8 (Erick Sermon & Sy Scott)
#13 - 6 (Punch, Guilty, Phil da Agony, Cobra Red, Planet Asia)
#14 - 8 (Big L {R.I.P.} & C-Town)
#15 - 7.5 (Dilated Peoples -- great beat)
#16 - 6.5 (Master Fuol, Pastor Troy, JT Money)
#17 - 1.5 (macy Gray & Mos Def)

***there's a big gap from track 18 to track 38****

#38 - 8 (M.O.P. & Kool G Rap -- same lyrics as #10 but a different beat)

Check all my reviews

Pretty Nice.......2005-06-01

I bought this album for one song, Oh No with Mos Def and Phraoh monche and ended up liking the majority of the album. My BIGGEST beef is the large number of empty tracks between 17 and 38...what the heck is that about? I'm really glad the album showcases some of the lesser known artists like Words(worth), Consquence and Menace, and Saukrates. My favorite beat is from the Alchemist on Right and Exact, the oriental sound is ON FIRE. Pick up this album is you have some extra cash and want some hot beats and a nice mix of artists

underground trying to surface (don't worry we can see you).......2003-11-15

First of all i would like to point out there are two versions of this album. Nothing major, but the copy i own, has a track with big L & C-town (called Still Here) in the place of The Last emporer. Both tracks are worthy of the cd yet the big l is doper.

With that being said the album itself is bangin, some commercial heads are featured which is okay since we all got to make money, but this is dope hip hop and you should buy it, not only is it mad cheap used, the album is worth every cent of that four dollars.

lyricist lounge.......2002-12-25

first of all i never heard the whole cd, i've just heard the sampler which is great. this is why i've gave it only 4 stars, i don't know that the rest of the songs are great, so i only gonna give you a review of the songs i've heard. "w.k.y.a." has a nice beat, "oh no..." is a great song, "makin' it blend" has a pretty commercial beat but it's listenable, "get that doe" is great, "sharp shooters" is nice, "the legendary street team(remix)" is better then the normal one. "he lives" has some great story-telling, "right & exact" is a pure dilated peoples song. i've also heard the remix of "i've commited murder" which is one of my favorite songs.