The Awakening (Lord Finesse album)

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The Awakening is the third and final album from Hip Hop artist Lord Finesse, released four years after his second album Return of the Funky Man. Unlike his first two albums, The Awakening features a large number of album guests, including Doo-Wop, O.C., KRS-One, MC Lyte, Marquee, Akinyele, Showbiz, Diamond D, A.G., Kid Capri, Large Professor and Brand Nubian's Grand Puba and Sadat X. The album features the single "Hip 2 Da Game" and the hidden track "Actual Facts".

Music videos

There have been music videos for the tracks "Hip 2 Da Game", "Actual Facts" & "Gameplan". Gameplan features a cameo from Big L.

Track listing

#	Title	Featured Performer(s)
1	"Da Sermon (Intro)"	-
2	"Time Ta Bounce"	Doo-Wop
3	"True and Livin'"	-
4	"O Lord"	O.C.
5	"Brainstorm/P.S.K. (No Gimmicks Remix)"	O.C., KRS-One
6	"Taking It Lyte"	MC Lyte
7	"Gameplan"	Marquee
8	"Words from Da Ak"	Akinyele
9	"Flip Da Style"	-
10	"Showtime"	Showbiz
11	"Speak Ya Peace"	Marquee, Diamond D, A.G.
12	"Food for Thought"	-
13	"Da Kid Himself"	Kid Capri
14	"Hip 2 Da Game"	-
15	"No Gimmicks"	KRS-One
*	"Actual Facts" (Hidden track)	Sadat X, Large Professor, Grand Puba

Samples

Time Ta Bounce

• "Hydra" by Grover Washington, Jr.

True and Livin'

• "Fool Yourself" by Little Feat
• "Nobody Beats the Biz" by Biz Markie
• "Funky President" by James Brown

O Lord

• "Lifetime Monologue" by Lou Rawls

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

• "Cannon Raps" by Cannonball Adderley
• "Ironside" by Quincy Jones
• "Come On" by The Notorious B.I.G.
• "A Divine Image" by David Axelrod
• "The Basement" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Taking It Lyte

• "Stefanie" by James Moody

Gameplan

• "E.V.A." by Jean-Jacques Perrey
• "Dreams" by Ramsey Lewis
• "Outside Love" by Brethren
• "Kama Part 1" by Michał Urbaniak
• "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" by Les McCann
• "San Juan Sunset" by Eumir Deodato

Words from Da Ak

• "Safari" by Frank Walton

Flip Da Style

• "Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson

Showtime

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

Speak Ya Peace

• "Naima" by Tom Scott & the California Dreamers
• "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" by Les McCann
• "The Basement" and "On and On" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Food for Thought

• "Cannon Raps" by Cannonball Adderley
• "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

Hip 2 Da Game

• "Dream of You" by Oscar Peterson
• "Tramp" by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
• "You're Getting a Little Too Smart" by Detroit Emeralds
• "My Thang" by James Brown

No Gimmicks

• "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band

Actual Facts

• "The Smile" by David Axelrod
• "Just Rhymin' With Biz" by Big Daddy Kane
• "Move the Crowd" by Eric B. & Rakim
• "I Wanna Be Down (Remix)" by Brandy Norwood

Charts

Album

Chart (1996)	Peak position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	36

Singles

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Hot Rap Singles	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1995	"Hip 2 Da Game"	36	42
1996	"Actual Facts"	37	32