Definitive Jux Presents II
| Definitive Jux Presents II | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compilation album by various artists | ||||
| Released | February 5, 2002 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop | |||
| Length | 50:58 | |||
| Label | Definitive Jux | |||
| Producer |
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| Definitive Jux chronology | ||||
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Definitive Jux Presents II (alternatively Def Jux Presents 2) is the second full-length compilation album by American hip-hop record label Definitive Jux. Released in 2002, it serves as the sequel to 2001 compilation EP Def Jux Presents. Production was handled by El-P, Aesop Rock, Cryptic One, Insight, Mondee, Przm, RJD2 and Rob Sonic. In the United States, the album peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| Muzik | 5/5[2] |
| Pitchfork | 7.8/10[3] |
| RapReviews | 6.5/10[4] |
| The Village Voice | [5] |
AllMusic's Nic Kincaid called it "the most legit hip-hop compilation out in 2002 on the label most important to watch".[1] Brad Haywood of Pitchfork wrote: "if Def Jux could be defined by any single musical element, it would be the beats",[3] he continued: "the beats on DJP2 are dark, jagged, and intriguing, and not a single one of them could in any way be deemed 'danceable'".[3]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Same as It Never Was" (performed by The Weathermen) | El-P | 5:46 | |
| 2. | "Dead Pan" (performed by Aesop Rock) | Ian Matthias Bavitz | Aesop Rock | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Sneak Preview" (performed by Mr. Lif and Murs) | El-P | 3:07 | |
| 4. | "Hold the Floor" (performed by Camu Tao) | T. Smith | Przm | 4:02 |
| 5. | "F.U. for Failure Ugly" (performed by Rob Sonic) | Rob Smith | Rob Sonic | 4:02 |
| 6. | "I Really Like Your Def Jux Baby Tee" (performed by RJD2) | Ramble Jon Krohn | RJD2 | 4:34 |
| 7. | "Paper Maché" (performed by Masai Bey) | Bey | El-P | 4:32 |
| 8. | "Fulcrum (Insight Mix)" (performed by Mr. Lif and Opio) |
| Insight | 3:26 |
| 9. | "Dr. Hell No and the Praying Mantus" (performed by El-P and Vast Aire) |
| El-P | 4:38 |
| 10. | "Mic Molest" (performed by Atoms Family) |
| Cryptic One | 6:03 |
| 11. | "Freak Show" (performed by Yak Ballz) | Yashar M. Zadeh | Mondee | 3:15 |
| 12. | "Stepfather Factory" (performed by El-P) | Meline | El-P | 4:10 |
| Total length: | 50:58 | |||
Personnel
- Jaime "El-P" Meline – vocals (tracks: 1, 9, 12), producer (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 9, 12), executive producer
- Theodore "Vast Aire" Arrington – vocals (tracks: 1, 9, 10)
- Tero "Camu Tao" Smith – vocals (tracks: 1, 4)
- Masai Bey – vocals (tracks: 1, 7)
- Jeffrey "Mr. Lif" Haynes – vocals (tracks: 3, 8)
- Ian "Aesop Rock" Bavitz – vocals & producer (track 2)
- Robert "Rob Sonic" Smith – vocals & producer (track 5)
- Ian "Cryptic One" Goldberg – vocals & producer (track 10)
- Peter "Copywrite" Nelson – vocals (track 1)
- Nicholas "MURS" Carter – vocals (track 3)
- Opio Lindsey – vocals (track 8)
- Tim "Alaska" Baker – vocals (track 10)
- G. "Jestoneart" Calliste – vocals (track 10)
- Ian "Windnbreeze" McMullin – vocals (track 10)
- Yashar "Yak Ballz" Zadeh – vocals (track 11)
- Christopher "Przm" Sheffield – producer (track 4)
- Ramble "RJD2" Krohn – producer (track 6)
- Andre "Insight" Todman – producer (track 8)
- Armando "DJ Mondee" Torres – producer (track 11)
- Paul "DJ Pawl" Iannacchino – scratches (track 3)
- Fred "Fredones" Sepulveda – scratches (track 5)
- DJ Cip One – scratches (track 10)
- Emily Lazar – mastering
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[6] | 37 |
References
- ^ a b Kincaid, Nic. "Definitive Jux Presents, Vol. 2 - Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- ^ Ashon, Will (March 2002). "Various Artists: Def Jux Presents II (Def Jux, USA)". Muzik. No. 82. p. 97.
- ^ a b c Haywood, Brad (March 12, 2002). "Various Artists: Definitive Jux Presents II". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- ^ "Various Artists :: Definitive Jux Presents Vol. 2 – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. August 6, 2002. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (March 5, 2002). "2001 Gets Better". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 21, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- ^ "Top Independent Albums". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 10. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 9, 2002. p. 75. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
External links
- Definitive Jux Presents II at Discogs (list of releases)