The showcase quickly outgrew the studio apartment where it was originally held and was forced to move to larger sold-out venues which eventually led to a record deal for compilation CDs featuring Lyricist Lounge performers.
The Lyricist Lounge Show combined traditional comedic skits with the breakthrough concept of lyrical sketches, an innovative convergence of hip-hop music and theatrical narratives.
Farcical comedic sketches pushed the envelope of political correctness, while lyrical acts showcased the talent of the show's resident rappers, who performed humorous vignettes with rhyming dialogue and hip hop beats.
The lyrical sketches featured a variety of hip hop artists such as Q-Tip, Mos Def, Cee-Lo, Common, Tash, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Krayzie Bone, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Rawkus Records Producer, DJ Etch-A-Sketch, and a host of others.
Marty Belafsky, Tracee Ellis Ross, Heather McDonald, Mike Ricca, Dartanyan Edmonds, and Jordan Black formed the comedic side of the cast, each with their own original brand of humor.