Vol. 1-Lyricist Lounge

New York City's Lyricist Lounge parties are to hip-hop what the Apollo Theater was to soul: the place where young, hungry talent goes to be discovered. This double-disc set features some of the best and hungriest young rappers of 1998, along with some old-timers and ringers--KRS-One, sure, but Rage Against the Machine's Zack De La Rocha?--coming along to egg on the kids and preserve their cred. The hit is Mos Def's "Body Rock," with Q-Tip doing his best Urkel act; elsewhere, there's a lot of Wu worship. But the acts that have the most to prove--Jurassic 5 (who somehow recall a psychedelic-era Temptations), Rah Digga, Indelible MCs--make the most of their five minutes. The genuine MCs (De La Soul on the first disc, Kool Keith on the second) add to the fun. --Douglas Wolk