The second volume in Rawkus' Lyricist Lounge series finds the popular New York rap label trimming their compilation down to a single disc and recruiting a higher-profile roster of rappers and producers. For these reasons, it's a much stronger album than its predecessor, featuring nothing but talented performances by artists who fit the classic East Coast mold. So this album is pretty much strictly freestyling MCs and proven producers who stick almost strictly to the beats with a few samples here and there. Highlights include Talib Kweli and Dead Prez freestyling over Hi Tek's beats ("Sharp Shooters"), Mos Def and Ghostface Killah laying down their lyrics over an amazing Ayatollah beat ("Ms. Fat Booty 2"), and Hi Tek's stunning sample-driven beats on his collaboration with Cocoa Brovaz ("Get Up"). There are a few artists here who aren't bred New Yorkers, such as producer Jay Dee (Detroit) and rappers Royce Da 5'9" (Detroit), Dilated Peoples (West Coast), JT Money (South Coast), and Pastor Troy (South Coast) -- most, though, are traditional East Coast MCs, and even these non-East Coasters tend to emulate the classic New York style. Few albums are able to sum up the East Coast sound with as much scope and consistency as this album. And those that savor straight-up MCing without theatrics and simple yet effective beats perfect for MCing should find this an ideal listen. [The "clean" version removes any moments of profanity or vulgarity.] ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide