The Legendary Lyricist Lounge

Lyricist Lounge Volumes 1 and 2 were some of the first hip-hop compilations that I ever laid my hands on. I think I actually received Volume 2 as a Christmas present and from listening to it non-stop headed out and got Volume 1 as quick as I could.



I guess this was the period where I began to make more time for listening to other genres other than my Slipknot, Korn and Rage Against The Machine albums.



The Lyricist Lounge idea originated from low-key open mic events in an apartment studio in the Lower East Side of New York. Despite only having the capability of hosting this night in a reduced capacity venue the two originators Danny Castro and Anthony Marshall pushed their idea to maintain a place that original talent from the 5 boroughs could exhibit. Regardless of multiple cases of negativity towards their ideas they stuck with their creation and slowly managed to build up an ever increasing fan base.



Here are some of my favourite tracks that I could find on YouTube from the 3 Lyricist Lounge inspired compilations. A lot of the best I couldn't locate.

Volumes one and two came out on Rawkus Records and the West Coast album came out on BP Metro Records.

Please feel to agree or disagree with my choices.

From Lyricist Lounge: Volume One - Released May 1998



From Lyricist Lounge: Volume Two - Released November 2000

I wanted Royce Da 5"9 'Let's Grow' but I couldn't find it. So here's the instrumental for the track by J. Dilla instead.



From Lyricist Lounge: West Coast - Released November 2002