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