Acting Hard
Kool Keith Lyrics


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[Kool Keith: voice lowered]
Report to the Commi$$ion, yeah!
The motherfucker's in the house
Black mask... knahmsayin long coat... trench~!
Bitch rapper female rapper or male rapper I don't give a fuck

[vocal sample:]
Far as gangsta rappers man I'm not feelin that
It's hard for me to turn around and feel anybody that front like they a gangsta
Y'know I y'know I put some unnecessary work out there
From 69 all the way to 85 a little past that
Y'knahmean so it be hard for some guy to come in the 80's
Talkin 'bout he a gangsta, they all need to turn around and come together
And quit actin like lil' ol' broads
Act like lil' ol' broads and shit like this here, and leave all this stuff alone
If you gon' make music, y'know c'mon, bring it on home
Y'know when a nigga turn around advocatin all that
Y'know kinda shit like they so hard and shit
It makes a real soldier know man that you nothin but a whore

[Keith: voice lowered]
Whore, I got the Halloween streets
I can deal with the toughy rought niggaz, actin like they own these streets
Spittin on gay producer tracks
Everybody's fans all shrimp
Niggaz, dress hard and act grimy
But they rap on top of Vagisil cream beats
I refuse to get on yo' shit
Pull my pants down, and shit on whatever you spit
I love the agony, you fucked up! With the dragon B
Tail fifteen feet long, fuckin with dragon B
Like Spot under the stairs, blowin fire at Herman
Aunt Lily makin peach cobby
Watch Dennis Roddy rebound over the green gobby
Fryin people with Mazola corn oil is my hobby
Fuck females rappin rugged with hair on they face
Chicks need Cortizone 7 motherfucker you ain't fly
But your stomach is sloppy, I'm in the streets catchin sales
Out the ass they call me Shoppy McGroppy the best hip-hoppy
Fuck your shoes and your socky, dinner table reserved
Appointment to eat I cancel my order
Pickin in your nose you wipin on it with the skillet you fuckin creep
Ugly bitch with an elephant booty
Thought she prolly knew me

[vocal sample:]
Far as gangsta rappers man I'm not feelin that
It's hard for me to turn around and feel anybody that front like they a gangsta
Y'know I y'know I put some unnecessary work out there
From 69 all the way to 85 a little past that
Y'knahmean so it be hard for some guy to come in the 80's
Talkin 'bout he a gangsta, they all need to turn around and come together
And quit actin like lil' ol' broads
Act like lil' ol' broads and shit like this here, and leave all this stuff alone
If you gon' make music, y'know c'mon, bring it on home
Y'know when a nigga turn around advocatin all that
Y'know kinda shit like they so hard and shit
It makes a real soldier know man that you nothin but a whore

[Keith: lowered]
Spend the winter workin out with Milwaukee, let me call Bry-an
Turn off the faucets, let me talk to your girl, with dry hands
I'm more fascinatin than 600 live bands
I don't want your Viper I'm searchin on the web over, Pontiac demands
When you perform only I see three hands
You make four to add to the collection, I ship rappers




Ground transport, wrong place, here your zip code correction
Fuck your selection... BITCH~!

Overall Meaning

In Kool Keith's song "Acting Hard," he speaks about his disliking towards rappers pretending to be gangsters, especially females with rough faces who rap tough. Keith states that he dealt with actual tough guys and is not impressed with rappers who put on a facade of being hard. He compares them to lil' old broads and encourages them to stay true and make good music. Keith mentions his abilities to deal with these tough guys and refuses to rap on beats that sound like Vagisil cream. He also speaks about his love for agony and how he would rather shit on someone's music than work with them. He includes an interesting line about frying people with Mazola corn oil as his hobby. He concludes his verse by refusing to order dinner and insulting someone for picking their nose and using a skillet to wipe it.


There are a few samples mentioned throughout the song, including a soundbite from Dr. Dre, who speaks about how hard it is to believe anyone pretending to be a gangsta. Another sample played on repeat is a speech about how it's hard for anyone to come into the rap industry claiming to be a gangsta since the rapper speaking has done unnecessary work from 1969 to 1985. The sample encourages everyone to come together and make good music instead of trying to act hard. The song's music video features Keith in various outfits and locations, including scenes from a baseball game and a construction site, with additional shots of Keith standing in front of a green screen.


Some interesting facts about the song "Acting Hard" include that it's featured on Kool Keith's album "Black Elvis/Lost in Space" and was released in 1999. The song includes scratches by DJ Eclipse and was produced by KutMasta Kurt. Keith has stated that the song partially inspired his later album "Diesel Truckers." Additionally, the song's instrumental was used by underground rapper Aesop Rock for his song "Babies With Guns." The music video for "Acting Hard" was directed by J. Smoov and was shot in Los Angeles. The song has been performed live by Keith at various shows, including the Vans Warped Tour in 2001. Keith has stated that he wrote the song as a way to criticize rappers trying to act hard and make them realize that they should focus on making great music instead of trying to put on a persona. The song has received positive reviews from various critics, with some praising Keith's honesty and rawness in his lyrics. Lastly, the song has been sampled in other songs, including Largo Prodz's "Still Hustlin" and C-N-N's "I Luv U."


Chords: Unfortunately, we were unable to find any information about the song's chords.


Line by Line Meaning

Report to the Commi$$ion, yeah!
Addressing his audience, Kool Keith invites them to listen to his words as he refers to himself as part of a higher power, the 'Commi$$ion.'


The motherfucker's in the house
Kool Keith is announcing his presence and affirming his position as an authority in the music industry.


Black mask... knahmsayin long coat... trench~!
Kool Keith describes his attire, which is meant to emphasize his darker and more mysterious persona.


Bitch rapper female rapper or male rapper I don't give a fuck
Kool Keith is expressing his disregard for an artist's gender or the harshness of their lyrics, as he values authenticity above all else.


Far as gangsta rappers man I'm not feelin that
Kool Keith isn't a fan of rappers who pretend to be gangsters and use it as a marketing tool. He values originality and honesty in music.


It's hard for me to turn around and feel anybody that front like they a gangsta
Kool Keith is skeptical of artists who try to portray themselves as tough or street-smart, and he finds it difficult to relate to such a persona.


Y'know I y'know I put some unnecessary work out there
Kool Keith is referring to his past experiences on the street and the various challenges he had to overcome, implying that he doesn't need to pretend to be anything he's not.


From 69 all the way to 85 a little past that
Kool Keith is referencing his formative years, when he was active on the streets and honing his skills as a rapper, establishing his credibility as an artist.


Y'knahmean so it be hard for some guy to come in the 80's
Kool Keith is saying that it would be challenging for anyone to step into his shoes and replicate his experiences in the music industry.


Talkin 'bout he a gangsta, they all need to turn around and come together
Kool Keith is calling out other rappers who pretend to be tough, suggesting that they should instead focus on unity and an honest approach to music.


And quit actin like lil' ol' broads
Kool Keith is using the expression 'lil' ol' broads' to imply that rappers who pretend to be gangsters are acting like women, in a way that is degrading and unmanly.


If you gon' make music, y'know c'mon, bring it on home
Kool Keith invites other artists to stay true to their roots and make music from a place of honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity.


Y'know when a nigga turn around advocatin all that
Kool Keith is criticizing rappers that talk about violence and toughness as a way of trying to appear cool or dominant, instead of being true to themselves.


It makes a real soldier know man that you nothin but a whore
Kool Keith is saying that real tough guys can see through the façade of these fake gangster rappers and discern that they are nothing but attention-seekers.


Whore, I got the Halloween streets
Kool Keith is using the term 'whore' as an insult aimed at fake gangster rappers, and suggesting that he is the true embodiment of the Halloween streets - a place that is dark and dangerous.


I can deal with the toughy rought niggaz, actin like they own these streets
Kool Keith is saying that he can handle the real tough guys who actually live the life they talk about in their music, as opposed to the posers who pretend to be gangsters.


Spittin on gay producer tracks
Kool Keith is using the term 'gay' to refer to something he finds unimpressive or lame, and suggesting that he can do better than those producers' tracks.


Everybody's fans all shrimp
Kool Keith is using the term 'shrimp' as an insult, implying that the other rappers' fans are weak and insignificant compared to his own.


Niggaz, dress hard and act grimy
Kool Keith is criticizing other rappers who try to look tough or intimidating with their clothing and overall appearance, while in reality, they don't live the lifestyle they portray.


But they rap on top of Vagisil cream beats
Kool Keith is using the term 'Vagisil cream' to suggest that the other rapper's beats are soft, soothing, and unimpressive.


I refuse to get on yo' shit
Kool Keith is saying that he is not interested in collaborating with artists whose music and style he finds unimpressive or inauthentic.


Pull my pants down, and shit on whatever you spit
Kool Keith is using crude language to say that he has no respect for other artists' music and that he is willing to go to great lengths to criticize and reject it.


I love the agony, you fucked up! With the dragon B
Kool Keith is saying that he enjoys hearing other artists fail or make mistakes, and he enjoys exposing them as posers and fakes.


Tail fifteen feet long, fuckin with dragon B
Kool Keith is referencing his own persona as 'Dragon B' and using the image of a long tail to suggest that he is powerful and intimidating.


Like Spot under the stairs, blowin fire at Herman
Kool Keith is using obscure cultural references to make himself seem mysterious and enigmatic, and to suggest that he has special powers that he can use against his enemies.


Aunt Lily makin peach cobby
Kool Keith is using obscure cultural references to create a surreal and confusing atmosphere, and to suggest that his persona is multifaceted and unpredictable.


Watch Dennis Roddy rebound over the green gobby
Kool Keith is referring to basketball player Dennis Rodman and using the image of a bouncy ball to suggest that he is agile, quick, and unpredictable.


Fryin people with Mazola corn oil is my hobby
Kool Keith is using the image of frying people with corn oil to create a surreal and absurd atmosphere, and to suggest that he enjoys causing pain and suffering to his enemies.


Fuck females rappin rugged with hair on they face
Kool Keith is criticizing female rappers who try to act tough and portray themselves as male, using coarse and inappropriate language.


Chicks need Cortizone 7 motherfucker you ain't fly
Kool Keith is using the term 'Cortizone' to refer to a medication that relieves skin irritation, and suggesting that female rappers need to calm down and be more honest about themselves.


But your stomach is sloppy, I'm in the streets catchin sales
Kool Keith is using the term 'sloppy' to criticize female rappers' physical appearance while suggesting that he is a successful and authentic street hustler.


Out the ass they call me Shoppy McGroppy the best hip-hoppy
Kool Keith is using the term 'Shoppy McGroppy' as a self-referential nickname, and suggesting that he is one of the best hip-hop artists around.


Fuck your shoes and your socky, dinner table reserved
Kool Keith is using crude language to say that he doesn't care about other rappers' style or possessions, and that he is more interested in his own success and power.


Appointment to eat I cancel my order
Kool Keith is suggesting that he is too busy and too important to keep his dinner appointments and that he can change his plans without any consequences.


Pickin in your nose you wipin on it with the skillet you fuckin creep
Kool Keith is using crude language to criticize other rappers' personal hygiene while suggesting that he is more civilized and refined than they are.


Ugly bitch with an elephant booty
Kool Keith is using crude language to criticize women's physical appearance, relying on sexist and inappropriate language.


Thought she prolly knew me
Kool Keith is saying that this ugly woman probably thinks she knows him or has some sort of relationship with him, implying arrogance and a sense of self-importance.


Ground transport, wrong place, here your zip code correction
Kool Keith is using the language of a postal worker to say that other rappers are in the wrong place and need to be corrected or punished in some way.


Fuck your selection... BITCH~!
Kool Keith is using crude language to dismiss other rappers' selection of music and implying that his own is superior and more authentic.




Contributed by Hailey L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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@dawn4204

Best rapper of all time

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