Synopsis
Lord Finesse and guests Grand Puba, Large Professor, and Sadat X deliver a tightly staged posse cut in an enclosed New York performance setting. The camera moves between the four MCs and a loose band setup, giving the clip the feel of a live hip-hop session rather than a narrative video. Familiar faces from the Bronx and New York rap scene appear around them, reinforcing the track's central idea: these artists are presenting proven skills, established reputations, and genuine crew chemistry.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in 1996, with a listed US release date of May 20, 1996. It was filmed in Chelsea, Manhattan.
- "Actual Facts" was a hidden track on Lord Finesse's 1996 album *The Awakening*. It was not printed on the original CD or vinyl jacket track listings, although promotional stickers identified it as a bonus track.
- The song pairs Lord Finesse with three prominent New York lyricists: Brand Nubian members Grand Puba and Sadat X, plus Large Professor. The collaboration helped make the track a notable posse cut from the mid-1990s underground rap scene.
- The clip includes appearances by several connected figures from the era, including Fat Joe, KRS-One, Diamond D, Big L, and Fatman Scoop.
- Lord Finesse later explained that he wrote the scripts for the videos connected with *The Awakening*. He specifically preferred the more enclosed approach used for "Actual Facts" because it allowed him to be himself instead of performing an exaggerated tough-guy persona.
- The single was released as part of the "Gameplan"/"Actual Facts" pairing and reached number 37 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart in 1996.
- The track runs for approximately five minutes and nine seconds. The production is credited to Lord Finesse, with Jesse West also associated with the co-production.