The Awakening
With his third album, Lord Finesse representing D.I.T.C. (Diggin' in the Crates crew) brought together some of the finest rappers of the moment for an album almost entirely produced by Finesse himself. Known as producer and rapper, Finesse is gifted in metaphorical rhyming like other well-known MCs such as Big L or Chino XL, and again produces a great record deserving of any rap fan's archive. Guests like Akinyele, KRS-One, MC Lyte, O.C., AG, Diamond D., and Kid Capri make up the all-star cast. Topping it all off as a hidden bonus cut are verses by Large Professor, Grand Puba, and Sadat X on arguably one of hip-hop's finest tracks ever, entitled "Actual Facts." Contains the standout singles "Hip 2 Da Game" and "Gameplan". “...the beats more than hold their own against the work of hot producers of the moment... heavy on the drum kick, perfectly suited to an MC getting his flow on... ‘The Awakening’ is a welcome joint from a man who has long personified Hip Hop's favorite mantra: `True to the game.” -The Source (February 1996) “...Throughout every song, Finesse's permeating Hall of Fame punch lines are brought to that ass like room service... he made his well-deserved chump change the old fashioned way, he earned it.” -Rap Pages (January 1996) “...Acknowledged by many of his peers as quite simply the best MC in the world... raunchy-but-serene lyrical skills... spooky-sounding production... Though Lord Finesse may never create a pop hit, he continues to live up to his name.” -Vibe (April 1996)