Act Like You Know

by Alex HendersonThough highly respected in rap's hardcore, MC Lyte was never a platinum seller. Atlantic Records no doubt encouraged her to be more commercial on her third album, Act like You Know -- a generally softer, more melodic and often R&B-ish effort than either of her first two LPs. But even so, the album is far from a sellout -- Lyte's music still has plenty of bite, substance and integrity. Like before, she's at her best when telling some type of story instead of simply boasting about her rapping skills. Especially riveting are "Eyes Are the Soul" (a poignant reflection on the destruction caused by crack cocaine), "Lola at the Copa" (a warning about how a one-night-stand can lead to AIDS); and "Poor Georgie," which describes a young man's life and death in the fast lane. Lyte's change of direction proved to be short-lived -- with her next album, Ain't No Other, she returned to hardcore rap in a big way.