Fans across the country can get a taste of the atmosphere that gave rise to rappers like the Notorious B.I.G., Foxy Brown, and Mobb Deep as the Lyricist Lounge has taken its show on the road.

Last week marked the kick off a 12-city tour of the Lyricist Lounge where signed artists, such as Slick Rick, De La Soul, Big Pun, and KRS-One shared a stage with local unsigned talent.

Initially I was introduced to Lyricist Lounge when we were trying to get on... It was the only outlet for unsigned artists to bump heads with artists who already had deals," remarks Black Thought of The Roots. "It was kind of like a battle ground so to speak cause it was the only vessel.

Co-founders Danny Castro and Anthony Marshall started the Lyricist Lounge back in 1991 in a small studio with a few mics and a cassette player. In a relatively short time the Lounge has grown and features well known, signed artists as hosts and performers at local events around New York City. Posdanous

of De La Soul has hosted and attended many events and feels that those involved with the Lyricist Lounge "have been very pure in thought and in mind with the intentions with this thing we call hip-hop... I'm just happy to be a part of it.

The blending of young fans and the more famous acts that some of the aspiring MC's look up to work like a pendulum as the energy swings between the two.

It's constantly introducing new styles and new approaches to the art form, and by holding things like this it keeps a lot of MC's on their toes," says Tony Touch, DJ for Lyricist Lounge in New York.

Kid Capri, another New York DJ agreed, saying, "Shows like this are giving a chance to let people who are on a bigger scale that don't get to see this get a chance to see it now.

The opening night last Wednesday in New York featured Slick Rick, an MC with both commercial and indie credentials. The artist, who is expected to release an album later this year,

was excited to be a part of the "open mic" because as he says, "The Lyricist Lounge opens up the doors for new talents....That's how I got introduced to Doug E. Fresh." [600 Audio]

As Blue Davis, one member of the Lounge staff words it, "Lyricist Lounge is like the WWF of hip-hop right now.

Rah Sun, an artist featured on a Lyricist Lounge double-CD compilation released this year, feels noted, "There's mad people out there with talent. They're getting their chance to shine." A main feature of the Lyricist Lounge album is the fact that it is dominated by unsigned artists and artists with independent record deals. A.L., an artist on the compilation, notes "[The Lyricist Lounge] gets cats that are unsigned to get on and they got signed artists like KRS-One doing songs with the Last Emperor who is unsigned.

Co-founder Danny Castro said that aspiring rappers hoping to get a shot at the Lounge should, "Just

send a tape with at least three songs on it and make sure it's tight!" The staff at Lyricist Lounge listens to all the tapes and decides on six to seven performances per night to show off their lyrical skill.

That's not to say that every artist has what it takes to be a stage performer.

Pumpkinhead, an artist on the Lyricist Louge album advises, "Keep your stage show tight, have good clarity on the microphone, and presence. That's what it's all about, as MC you control the crowd.

The Lyricist Lounge will continue its tour through October with big name talents and as artist Common calls it, "Raw, uncut, pure hip-hop.

As Metaphor, performer on the Lyricist Lounge album, stated, "It keeps the real lyrical type skills alive.

If you want to step into the Lyricists Lounge, here's where to look (all dates feature performances by: Rah Sun, Infamous Syndicate; select dates include performances by: Natural Elements, Defari, Dead Prez,

Pace One, Sporty Thievz, Eminem, & The Last Emperor):

• 8/19 - New York, NY @ Tunnel w/ Slick Rick, The Roots
• 8/16 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues w/ Common, Big Pun
• 8/28 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora w/ Fat Joe, Big Pun
• 9/15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Pompeii w/ De La Soul, Black Eyed Peas
• 9/16 - San Francisco, CA @ Maritime Hall w/ De La Soul, Black Eyed Peas
• 9/17 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues w/ De La Soul, Slick Rick
• 9/20 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club w/Buckshot, KRS-1
• 9/24 - Miami, FL @ Liquid w/ De La Soul, Black Star
• 9/25 - Boston, MA @ Avalon w/ De La Soul, Black Star
• 9/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory w/ De La Soul, KRS-1
• 10/1 - Detroit, MI @ State Theater w/ Common, Big Pun/Queen Pen
• 10/3 - Atlanta, GA @ Roxy w/ TBA