Lyricist Lounge 2
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Album Summary
Lyricist Lounge 2 came together at the turn of the millennium, dropped in 2000 on the legendary Rawkus Records — that same independent New York imprint that had been holding down the underground like a stone pillar while the mainstream was busy chasing something else entirely. This second installment in the Lyricist Lounge compilation series brought together a deep and diverse roster of New York's finest lyrical architects, with boom-bap production that felt like a love letter to everything the city's indie rap scene had built through the late 1990s. Where the first volume introduced the world to what Lyricist Lounge was capable of, this sophomore offering arrived with the confidence of a movement that knew exactly what it was — a carefully assembled showcase of raw, uncompromising hip-hop talent rooted in the tradition of lyrical excellence that New York had always championed.
Reception
- The album continued the strong reception of its predecessor, reinforcing Rawkus Records' standing as the premier home for underground hip-hop at the dawn of the new decade.
- Hip-hop publications and critics responded favorably, praising the compilation's consistent quality and the depth of its assembled roster as a testament to the vitality of the indie rap scene.
- The album charted on the Billboard 200, a notable achievement for an underground-focused compilation that made no concessions to mainstream commercial trends.
Significance
- Lyricist Lounge 2 stands as a time capsule of the late 1990s and early 2000s New York underground hip-hop movement at its absolute apex — a scene defined by lyrical density, independent spirit, and boom-bap production that pushed back hard against the era's commercial currents.
- The compilation served as a genuine launching pad, giving artists a platform that carried real weight in the culture, with the Lyricist Lounge name functioning as a seal of lyrical credibility that opened doors for emerging voices in the indie rap world.
- By centering complexity, wordplay, and raw artistic integrity over commercial accessibility, the album exemplified the philosophical divide between underground and mainstream hip-hop that defined the era — and made Rawkus Records the spiritual home of that resistance.
Tracklist
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A1 16 Bars —
1:03
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A2 Oh No —
3:59
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A3 Makin' It Blend —
3:54
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A4 Get Up —
3:52
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A5 Get That Dough —
4:03
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B1 Let's Grow —
3:46
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B2 Ms. Fat Booty 2 —
3:28
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B3 W.K.Y.A. —
4:30
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B4 Sharp Shooters —
4:17
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C1 Legendary Street Team —
4:03
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C2 The Grimy Way —
4:10
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C3 Battle —
3:57
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C4 Da Cipha Interlude —
2:05
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D1 Still Here —
3:52
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D2 Right And Exact —
3:46
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D3 Watcha —
4:33
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D4 I've Committed Murder (Gang Starr Remix) —
4:13
Artist Details
Here's the thing about Various, baby — this artist burst onto the 1980s rock scene like a force of nature, blending raw energy with a sound that was somehow both timeless and perfectly of its era. Various carved out a reputation for delivering tracks that hit you right in the chest, the kind of music that made you pull over your car just to let the song breathe. With a catalog that speaks for itself, Various remains one of the most compelling figures to come out of that decade of big hair, bigger riffs, and even bigger feelings.
