Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2

Recording information: Absolute Audio; Base Line; Battery; Chung King; Cutting Room; D&D; D-LO Studios; Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY; Lyricist Lounge Studios; Mirror Image; Rezonant Productions; Rick N' Reel; Right Track; Sound Castle; Sound on Sound; Studio A; Tree Sound.
Photographers: Michael Schreiber; Willo.
From its humble beginnings in 1991 as an open-microphone night, the Lyricist Lounge helped launch the careers of such hip-hop heavyweights as Mos Def, Eminem, Foxy Brown, Rah Digga, and the late Notorious B.I.G. LYRICIST LOUNGE 2, a stellar compilation record, features both mainstream and underground hip-hop talent.
Commencing with a live freestyle from Biggie Smalls, and then heading into a thumping cut from Mos Def, Pharoache Monch, and Nate Dogg called "Oh No," the album never looks back. No watered-down, commercial radio-friendly bubble gum rap here, LYRICIST LOUNGE 2 is pure hip-hop. Other big names are Q-Tip ("Makin' it Blend"), Erick Sermon ("Battle"), and Redman ("W.K.Y.A"), while a sampling of the many killer tracks includes "The Legendary Street Team" from Kool G Rap and M.O.P., "Ms. Fat Booty 2" from Mos Def and Ghostface Killah, and "Sharp Shooters" from Talib Kweli and Dead Prez. LYRICIST LOUNGE 2 is everything you could want in a gritty, hot beat, slick lyric compilation.