Remember how the Rawkus Records' Lyricist Lounge album was underground and the second one was commercial? Same story for the transition from Soundbombing 2 to 3. There are so many problems with this album. First, what are Missy, Kandi of Xscape, and Noreaga doing on a Soundbombing record?
Released May 18, 1999 Recorded 1998–1999 DJ Mighty Mi Lee Stone Capital the Crimelord DJ Spinna Smitty Steve Bosston Nick Wiz chronology (1998) Soundbombing II (1999) (2000) Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating RapReviews.com 9/10 Soundbombing II is the second installment in ' Soundbombing compilation series. Track listing No. Title Producer(s) Length 1.
'Intro' 1:58 2. 'Any Man' (Intro) 1:03 3. 'Any Man' Da Beatminerz 2:53 4. 'B-Boy Document '99' (High & Mighty, and ) DJ Mighty Mi 4:07 5. 'WWIII' (Intro) Beat Junkies 1:01 6. 'WWIII' (Shabaam Sahdeeq and ) Lee Stone 3:29 7.
'Stanley Kubrick' Capital the Crime Lord 3:32 8. 'A Message from & ' (Interlude) 0:49 9.
'Crosstown Beef' (Intro) Beat Junkies, 0:48 10. 'Crosstown Beef' (Medina Green, Mos Def and DCQ) 4:30 11. '7XL' (Intro) Beat Junkies, 0:57 12.
'7XL' (Sir Menelik, and ) DJ Spinna 3:50 13. 'Chaos' ( and ) 4:12 14.
'Soundbombing' ( and ) 3:04 15. 'Brooklyn Hard Rock' , Smitty Steve Bosston 1:25 16. 'Mayor' (Pharoahe Monch) Lee Stone 3:28 17.
'Patiotism' (Intro) Beat Junkies 0:38 18. 'Patriotism' 5:08 19. '1-9-9-9' (Intro) Beat Junkies, 1:22 20. ' ( and Sadat X) Hi-Tek 4:10 21.
'When It Pours It Rains' 2:03 22. 'A Message from the Beat Junkies' (Interlude) Beat Junkies 1:07 23. 'Next Universe' (Mos Def) Hi-Tek 3:06 24. 'Every Rhyme I Write' (Intro) Beat Junkies 0:43 25.
'Every Rhyme I Write' (Shabaam Sahdeeq and ) Nick Wiz 3:56 26. 'On Mission' (Reflection Eternal) Hi-Tek 4:16 27. 'Outro' 3:58 Album chart positions Year Album Chart positions Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 1999 Soundbombing 2 #30 #6 Singles chart positions Year Song Chart positions Hot Rap Singles 1999 '1-9-9-9' - #41 #4.
If you into true hip hop then it was hard to hate on Rawkus records at the time. These guys were what the essence of the Underground backpack rap scene truly was and this album was Rawkus at their peak. That same year They also put out classic albums from Mos Def, Pharaoh Monch, and built momentum from first Blackstar album.
The lineup that they had at the time was incredible! Artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharaoh MOnch, Shabaam SaDeeq and plenty of others have helped shaped Rawkus to become one of the best if not the best Indie Underground Labels at the time. The Previous Sound-bombing Compilation was alright at best. It had some bangers up there but there was something really missing to keep steady interest. Sound-bombing II proves to be not only a much better compilation than the last one but also one of the best Mix Tape/CD compilations to drop in 1999. J Rocc and BaBu from the BeatJunkies do a nice job of hosting the CD and blending the tracks together thus making every track fit into place. This Compilation is packed of more Underground stars than the previous, Everyone from Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, CocoBrovaz, Sadat X, Pharaoh Monch and even Eminem(although he wasn’t as Underground being that Slim Shady was blowing up) have all made memorable appearances on here.
During that time, There were doubters that Eminem has lost his hunger or sold out because he went platinum. On the track Any man, He silenced all of those critics because he still sounded as hungry as ever. Any Man use to get heavy burn in underground radio stations at the time and still showed that Eminem can hang lyrically with the best of them.
The Compilation also features standout performances from Rawkus’s then newest artist Pharaoh Monch, Monch straight up murders WW III proving himself to be one of the most hottest slept on emcees in the underground scene in 1999. My personal favorite track on Sound-bombing was the other Pharohah Monch track titled the Mayor where Monch is playing an Assassin trying to kill the Mayor of NYC which was also heavily sampled on Ghostface’s Supreme Clientele.
Another emcee that also killed all of his appearances on this compilation was Mos Def. His solo track titled The Next Universe where Mos blesses the track with his amount of intelligence showing that smart guys can also rap and not sound corny and definitely killed his spots on Crosstown Beef with Medina Green, A very hot track that deals with beef’s from cross town among different borough.
It was great storytelling from both emcees which painted vivid pictures of what happens when beef gets serious. The whole Sound-bombing II album flowed fluently like water without forcing you to attempt a skip button. The 2nd half of the album that possess another Vic favorite and possibly one of the best songs of 1999. The album’s first single 1-9-9-9 which features Sadat X and Common has Common coming through with one of the best performances in his Career. He literally resurrected into Common Sense for this track and shows that he didn’t go soft.
After listening to this track, It makes you wish that Common would quit with the weirdo gimmick and come back to earth. Sadat X is just as underrated as they come and he did a nice job with his verse as well. My other favorite from the Second half of the album next to Every Rhyme I write featuring Shabamm SahDeeq and the CocoBrovaz(aka Smff and Wesson). This is a very dope joint that has alot of street appeal and doesn’t come off sounding like some of the corny Underground material I’ve heard in the past. What makes the track even dope is the classic Mobb Deep sample from Shook One’s Part II with Havoc going “From Every Rhyme I write is 25 to Life”. The album’s only mishaps come courtesy of R.A.
The Rugged Man Stanley Kurback and Company Flow’s Patriotism. The Ruggman track isn’t too bad but it doesn’t sound as dope as the previous tracks I’ve mentioned and That Company Flow Track can be just annoying to a point.(Their style isn’t for everyone but it may grow to me) But nevertheless This was one of the best albums/mix cds to have dropped in the 1-9-9-9, Reflection Eternal, Dilated Peoples, Tash, and Thirstin Howel III also make nice contributions to the project as well. This album was perfectly put together and represented what hip hop was truly meant to be about. Dope DJing, blending, beats and rhymes. If you love hip hop then you need to definitely add this to your collection Vic Rating 10 outta 10.