Soundbombing II

By the late 1990s, Rawkus Records established itself in the underground hip hop community, with the releases such as Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, and the first Soundbombing compilation album. Following the success of the label's albums, Rawkus signed a few more artists and planned to release several albums in 1999. Soundbombing II was meant to be the foundation for the future releases.[1]

In 1998, DJ Babu and J Rocc of Beat Junkies worked in a record store in Los Angeles. Rawkus artists Mos Def and Talib Kweli frequently visited the store. Eventually, Rawkus' founders Brian Brater and Jarret Myer approached Babu and J Rocc, asking them to help with mixing of Soundbombing II.[2]

Soundbombing II was released on May 18, 1999, by Rawkus Records.[3] Funded by James Murdoch,[1] the son of billionaire Rupert Murdoch and a university friend of the label's founders,[4] Rawkus was able to afford more promotion for the album than other underground hip hop labels. Apart from the full-page ads in music magazines, Rawkus also shot a music video for the track "1-9-9-9", DJ Babu and J Rocc made a special promo snippet mixtape, and BET's Rap City aired a special episode dedicated to Soundbombing II.[1]

With all the promotion, Soundbombing II sold far greater than the label expected.[1] The album charted on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number 30,[5] and on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, where it peaked at number 6.[6] The single "One-Nine-Nine-Nine" reached number 10 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles,[7] a 25-position extension to the Billboard Hot 100, number 41 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[8] and number 4 on Hot Rap Songs.[9]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
Entertainment Weekly	A–[11]
The Independent	[12]
Robert Christgau	A–[13]
RapReviews	9/10[14]
Rolling Stone	[15]
Spin	7/10[16]

Soundbombing II was praised by music critics. Matt Conaway of AllMusic called the album a "quintessential Rawkus project", commending the album's accessibility for both underground and mainstream listeners, while simultaneously criticizing Beat Junkies' mixing.[10] The A.V. Club's Nathan Rabin applauded the album for being an "exceptional project", recognizing the mid-album intros as a minor flaw.[17] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Will Hermes praised DJ Babu and J Rocc, calling them "[t]urntable surgeons", and described Soundbombing II as forward-looking.[11] Tim Perry of The Independent called the album an improvement over the original Soundbombing and proclaimed it the soundtrack of 1999's summer.[12] RapReviews also described it as an improvement over the original, claiming that the album's lyrics are some of the best lyrics of the year, and that "every other compilation out there pales in comparison".[14] Matt Diehl of the Rolling Stone magazine named Soundbombing II the year's most vital hip-hop compilation and compared it to a rocket that will take underground hip hop to "overground".[15] In a review for Spin magazine, Neil Drumming complimented the album for its "high concepts", while criticizing the "go-nowhere battle hymns".[16] The Wire magazine praised Soundbombing II, calling it an "invaluable [snapshot] of an area of music currently overflowing with ideas", highlighting the album's transformation into "one long funk-flow".[18] Vibe magazine's author Noah Callahan-Bever applauded the album, noting the evolution of the label's artists, who went "from raw and unpolished to solid, skilled artists poised to give chart-topping rappers a serious run for their money".[19]

Since its release, Soundbombing II has continued to rise in popularity.[20] Matt Welty of Complex magazine called it an "early 2000s essential",[21] while Pitchfork's Jeff Weiss said that the album "banged incessantly in dorm rooms across America and England".[22] Over the years the album attained a classic status.[1][23][24] Tom Breihan of Stereogum said that Soundbombing II "codified the underground rap universe".[25] HipHopDX named it "possibly the best full-bodied encapsulation of the era".[26]

Several publications placed Soundbombing II on their lists of the best albums. Rolling Stone placed it at number 181 on their list of the 200 greatest hip hop albums of all time, naming it "the greatest hip-hop compilation ever".[27] Fact magazine placed Soundbombing II at number 8 on their list of the 100 best indie hip hop records of all time, stating that it was a "lesson in the art and science of putting together mixtapes" and "the best and most definitive compilation of the era".[28]

Rapper Danny Brown named Soundbombing II as one of his favorite albums, saying it had a major influence on him, as he wanted to rap just as skillfully as the rappers on the album and that it was the first time he saw that "the better rappers could be guys [he] didn't see on MTV all the time".[29] Among others who have praised the album are actor Jonah Hill and comedian Eric André.[30][31]

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[32]

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[32]

• Soundbombing II at Discogs (list of releases)