Appearing on store shelves this week is "Violator: The Album," a heavy-hitting hip-hop compilation assembled by Violator Management/Violator Records' Mona Scott and Chris Lighty.

Names attached to the 20 tracks include Busta Rhymes, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, L.L. Cool J, Noreaga, Mobb Deep, Fat Joe, and Big Pun, as well as Q-Tip, whose "Vivrant Thing" is the first single off the CD (see [article id="1426773"] "Q-Tip, L.L. Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott Down For 'Violator' Compilation"[/article]).

MTV News recently caught up with the former A Tribe Called Quest frontman and asked him for his definition of "vivrant."

[article id="1449560"]"'Vivant'... is French for 'living,' but it's not an English word, so... I kind of made it up,"[/article] Q-Tip explained to MTV News. [article id="1449560"]"So it's... like a feeling, just like a breath of fresh air, kind of, like, spunky. Poppin', zest, and all that there." [RealVideo][/article]

Among the other poppin' names on "Violator" are Cru, the Beatnuts, Noyd, Eightball, Mase, and the Hot Boys.

There hasn't been any word of shows in support of the compilation just yet, but many of the featured artists will be on hand for the 1999 Source Hip-Hop Music Awards taking place on August 18 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. For a complete list of nominees, see [article id="1426769"] "Puffy, Stoute Come Together To Announce Source Award Nominees; DMX Leads Pack"[/article].

"Violator: The Album" is in stores now.