The Dilated Peoples are one of Hip Hop's best groups period! No east coast or west coast affiliation needed to justify that statement.

DJ Babu shows his worth in the group, hosting and mixing Soundbombing volume 2 with J-Rocc and recently on his own album series Duck Season. The first volume was a hit with original music and beats and some of the games best rapping on, rapping strong.

Volume 2 is in the same frame with some of Hip Hop's best coming to play and Babu doing most of the beats. Your not going to hear no club tracks here, just hard beats and lyrics. You know that underground shiznit.

As with the first Babu's four year old son introduces the album, talking smack only a father could love. It is followed by Talib Kweli on "Raise The Bar". The horn syruped beat by Babu, Kweli has fun spitting lines like " I'm supposed to give payola, man I don't even know that broad!" The beat uses a sample of "I'm On The Sideline" to perfection and the cut is a definite hand clapper.

"Street" performed by A.G. is typical Andre The Giant, showoff lyrics and weed talk to make your eyes water. Diggin In The Crates is still going strong as long as A.G. has breath. The piano laced track produced by Funky DL shows one of Hip Hop's underrated at his best. You can even hear Party Arty in the back.

"Do For Self" performed by Chace Infinite of Self Scientific challenges people to get and do thing for themselves instead of waiting for others to help them out. Babu does the guitar looped beat wickedly complete with a huge climax.

"The Official" by Jaylib features the tag team of Jay Dee (or Jay Dilla) and Madlib and is from their Champion Sound album just released. The beat is crazy, typical of what you'd hear with someone who has worked with Slum Village, A Tribe Called Quest, and Common as Jay Dee has. The lyrics on the other hand could be more. The horns pump and the bass thumps as Madlib shows his skill in production.

"Ends To Means" by Rakaa of Dilated Peoples uses a old phrase Rakaa said and makes a song out of it with a Jake One bass guitar beat. Evidence adds his voice as a hook as Rakaa tells where he is from and the difficulties around the way.

"Elevate, Build and Create" by Phil Da Agony shows the Los Angeles MC's true stripes as a aggressive MC who has no problem letting you know he will assault you - verbally that is, if you try to test him.

"Serious" by 1st Infantry featuring Prodigy of Mobb Deep is also from the Mobb Deep Free Agents album and it talks about a terrifying subject: AIDS and the dangers it causes. Produced by the Alchemist this song uses the classic line from" The Message" to add flavor to the song.

"Behold My Life (Remix)" by Defari featuring Dilated Peoples originally on the first Duck Season LP this one was remixed for a High Time compilation and is even better. The beat has more highs and lows and the lyrics are to the point and updates. All the MCs hold their own and Evidence comes through with a line to make you say damn: "Take a pages from history, and turn them into fact, Bush is back now we at war with Iraq."

"Right or Wrong" by Planet Asia is a track where the Philly native lets people know the all to common struggle to do right when wrong is all in your face. Survival or doing what is right. Sometimes it's a life or death decision.

"Think Fast" by the Infamous Mobb is your basic Mobb track but done by Babu. Littles does his thing best, murky voice over a beat with scratches and piano keys.

"Deadly Habitz" by Gangstarr is a cut off Gangstarr's latest album and Guru tells of those habits that could lead to deadly reprecussions if not dealt with.

"The Song" by Krondon is a introduction to the man Krondon complete with a heavy hook and smart ass rhymes. He is a funny MC and this one is one to keep you laughing.

"Da Underground" by KRS One is the blastmaster sounding off on what is real and what isn't. The definition of underground is hanging in the balance and KRS is the judge.

This album while not as good as the first it is a close second. The beats are mostly original and the list of MC's is a good as your going to get lyircally. It was a little shorter (I didn't list all the tracks)than the last one but the premises is the same: underground personified. Babu keeps rollin on the scene with his crew intact and ready to battle! Are the rest of the MC's trying to battle? Not without picking up their weight first.

I'll give the LP four globes. A very solid effort, you can listen to the whole LP and not be disappointed.

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