CD version of the 2 LP companion to Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. They did a good job of including a lot of amazing old school tracks (1983-1989) that maybe not everyone knows about – but should, including some that are nearly impossible to find on 12". Every track here is worth it, and most haven't been on other compilations. Tracks include "Holy War (Live)" by Divine Force, "My Mic Is On Fire" by Lord Shafiyq, "Marly Marl Scratch" by Marly Marl featuring MC Shan, "Get Retarded" by MC EZ & Troup , "Get Down Grandmaster" by Grandmaster Caz, "Step Up Front" by Positive K, "This Cut's Got Flavor" by Latee, "Droppin' It" by Bizzie Boyz, "I'm Not Playing" by Ultimate Force,"Do It! Do It!" by Alliance, "Brooklyn Blew Up The Bridge" by MC Mitchski, and "Beat Bop" (full 10-minute version) by Rammelzee vs. K-Rob. CD

Round Two features the tracks "16 Bars (Live At The Lyricist Lounge 1993)" by The Notorious B.I.G., "Oh No" by Mos Def & Pharoahe Monch featuring Nate Dogg, "Makin It Blend" by Q-Tip & Words, "Get Up" by Cocoa Brovaz, "Let's Grow" by Royce Da 5'9", "Ms Fat Booty 2" by Mos Def & Ghostface Killah, "W.K.Y.A." by Saukrates featuring Redman, "Sharp Shooters" by Talib Kweli & Dead Prez, with production by Hi-Tek, "Legendary Street Team" by Kool G Rap & M.O.P., with production by Mighty Mi, "The Grimy Way" by Big Noyd & Prodigy, with production by The Alchemist, "Battle" by Erick Sermon featuring Sy Scott, "Still Here" by Big L featuring C-Town, with production by Hi-Tek, "Right and Exact" by Dilated Peoples, with production by The Alchemist, "I've Committed Murder (Gang Starr remix)" by Macy Gray, produced by Premier and featuring Mos Def, "Outro Live At The Lounge" by Q-Tip, "Da Cipha Interlude" featuring Punch, Cobra Red, Planet Asia, Guilty & Phil Da Agony, with production by Madlib – and more. CD

Tracks include "Can I Get Open" by Original Flavor, "Lyrics To Go (Tumblin Dice remix)" by A Tribe Called Quest, "Best Kept Secret" by Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics, "Hot Potato" by Freestyle Fellowship, "The Return Of The Crazy One" by Digital Underground, "Snake Eyes" by Main Source, "93 Til Infinity" by Souls Of Mischief, "Popcorn" by KMD, "Them That's Not" by J-Live, "One Of Those Days" by Schoolz Of Thought, and more. CD

The fantastic solo debut of Pharoahe Monch – served up after a few years of guest appearances that were really raising our ears to his mighty talents! The Pharoahe returns the favor here – inviting in guest versions from Common, Talib Kweli, Canibus, Apani B Fly, Busta Rhymes, MOP, and others – all rolled into that crisply perfect production style that made Rawkus albums like this so essential at the time – and so great over the years to come. Titles include "Behind Closed Doors", "Queens", "Simon Says", "Official", "God Send", "The Next Sh*t", "Right Here", and "The Truth" – plus the great remix version of "Simon Says", with work from Method Man, Redman, and Shabaam Sahdeeq. CD

Mos Def brings a veering diversity to New Danger – his first album in five years – a record that hits on tried-and-true Rawkus flavored beats and rhyme schemes, slow-rolling, smoked out soul & blues, and Quickness era Bad Brains-esque arena rock! Of course our favorite cuts are the straight up hip hop tracks, produced by Minnesota with a percolating, synth-layered sound that works really well – giving the backdrop kind of a pulpy, cinematic sweep. Other tracks feature Mos and his soul/rock/blues outfit Black Jack Johnson. Mos clearly refuses to be roped in by anyone's expectations at this point – a quality that reminds us of Common's Electric Circus – in spirit, if not in the actual sound. Tracks include "Boogie Man Song", "Ghetto Rock", "Zimzallabim", "The Rape Over", "Blue Black Jack" featuring some straight electric blues guitar work by the one-and-only Shuggie Otis, "Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March", "Sex, Love & Money", "Sunshine", "Grown Man Business", "Modern Marvel", "Life Is Real", "War" (produced by Beatnut Psycho Les) and more. CD