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The Awakening
The Awakening
Studio album by Lord Finesse

Released

February 20, 1996

Recorded

October 1994 - September 1995

Studio

Chung King Studios
(Manhattan, NY)
Soundtrack Studios
(New York City, NY)
Giant Studios
(New York City, NY)
Power Play Studios
(Long Island City, NY)

Genre

Hip hop, East Coast hip hop, Hardcore rap

Length

51:43

Label

Penalty Recordings

Producer

Lord Finesse (also exec.), Jesse West, Neil Levine (exec.), Myke Loe

Lord Finesse chronology

Previous

Return of the Funky Man (1992)

Next

From the Crates to the Files ...The Lost Sessions (2003)

The Awakening is the third studio album by American hip hop musician Lord Finesse. It was released on February 20, 1996, through Penalty Records. Recording sessions were held at Chung King Studios, Soundtrack Studios, Giant Studios and Power Play Studios in New York City from October 1994 to September 1995. Unlike his first two albums, The Awakening features a large number of album guests and is predominantly produced by Lord Finesse himself. The album includes six interludes featuring spoken guest vocals by artists such as Doo-Wop, O.C., MC Lyte, Akinyele, Showbiz and Kid Capri. Rapped appearances are supplied by rappers such as O.C., KRS-One, A.G., Marquee, and Diamond D. The album features the hit singles "Hip 2 da Game", "Gameplan". The posse cut "Actual Facts" featuring Grand Puba, Large Professor and Sadat X is a hidden track on the CD release.

Track listing[]

No. Title Performer(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Time
1. "Da Sermon (Intro)" - - Lord Finesse 2:16
2. "Time Ta Bounce" Doo-Wop - Lord Finesse 1:22
3. "True and Livin'" Lord Finesse Hall Lord Finesse 4:42
4. "O' Lord" O.C. - Lord Finesse 1:22
5. "Brainstorm/P.S.K. (No Gimmicks Remix)" O.C., Lord Finesse, KRS-One Credle, Hall, Parker Lord Finesse 4:46
6. "Taking It Lyte" MC Lyte Hall, Moorer Lord Finesse 1:06
7. "Gameplan" Lord Finesse Hall Lord Finesse 5:10
8. "Words from da Ak" Akinyele - Lord Finesse 1:34
9. "Flip da Style" Lord Finesse Hall Lord Finesse 3:43
10. "Showtime" Showbiz - Lord Finesse 1:04
11. "Speak Ya Peace" Lord Finesse, Marquee, Diamond D, A.G. Barnes, Ferguson, Hall, Kirkland Myke Loe 4:55
12. "Food for Thought" Lord Finesse Hall Lord Finesse 4:05
13. "Da Kid Himself" Kid Capri - Lord Finesse 0:45
14. "Hip 2 da Game" Lord Finesse Hall Lord Finesse 4:03
15. "No Gimmicks" Lord Finesse, KRS-One Hall, Parker Lord Finesse 5:47
CD bonus track
16. "Actual Facts" Sadat X, Large Professor, Grand Puba, Lord Finesse Dixon, Hall, Mitchell, Murphy Myke Loe, Jesse West 5:09

Samples[]

Time Ta Bounce

  • "Hydra" by Grover Washington, Jr.

True and Livin'

  • "Nobody Beats the Biz" by Biz Markie
  • "Fool Yourself" by Little Feat
  • "Tramp" by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas
  • "Funky President (People It's Bad)" by James Brown

O Lord

  • "Lifetime Monologue" by Lou Rawls

Brainstorm/P.S.K. (No Gimmicks Remix)

  • "A Divine Image" by David Axelrod
  • "Ironside" by Quincy Jones
  • "Cannon Raps" by The Cannonball Adderley Quintet

Taking It Lyte

  • "Stefanie" by James Moody

Gameplan

  • "San Juan Sunset" by Deodato
  • "E.V.A." by Jean-Jacques Perrey

Words From da Ak

  • "Safari" by Frank Walton

Flip Da Style

  • "Green Green Grass of Home" by Johnny Robinson
  • "Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson
  • "Outside Love" by Brethren

Showtime

  • "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band
  • "Diggin' In the Crates" by Showbiz & A.G.

Speak Ya Peace

Food for Thought

  • "Cannon Raps" by The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
  • "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" by Big Daddy Kane
  • "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines
  • "Go Stetsa I" by Stetsasonic
  • "Remind Me" by Patrice Rushen

Da Kid Himself

  • "Who's Making Love" by Lou Donaldson
  • "Fly, Fly, the Route, Shoot" by If

Hip 2 Da Game

  • "You're Getting a Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds
  • "Dream of You" by Oscar Peterson

No Gimmicks

  • "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band
  • "Bronx Tale" by Fat Joe

Actual Facts

  • "The Smile" by David Axelrod
  • "Turbulence" by Eddie Harris
  • "Lifetime Monologue" by Lou Rawls
  • "Fly, Fly, the Route, Shoot" by If
  • "Just Rhymin' With Biz" by Big Daddy Kane feat. Biz Markie
  • "Move the Crowd" by Eric B. & Rakim
Lord Finesse
Studio albums Funky TechnicianReturn of the Funky ManThe Awakening
Singles "Baby, You Nasty" • "Strictly for the Ladies" • "Return of the Funky Man" • "Party Over Here" • "Hip 2 da Game" • "Gameplan"
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