MC's Act Like They Don't Know

"MC's Act Like They Don't Know"
Single by KRS-One
from the album KRS One
B-side	"Represent the Real Hip Hop"
Released	August 28, 1995 (1995-08-28)
Recorded	1995
Studio	D&D Recording
Genre	East Coast hip hop hardcore hip hop
Length	4:44
Label	Jive
Songwriter(s)	Lawrence Parker Chris Martin
Producer(s)	DJ Premier
KRS-One singles chronology
"Return of the Boom Bap" (1994) "MC's Act Like They Don't Know" (1995) "Rappaz R. N. Dainja" (1995)
Music video
"MC's Act Like They Don't Know" on YouTube

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

"MC's Act Like They Don't Know" is a hardcore hip hop song written and performed by American rapper KRS-One. It was released on August 28, 1995 via Jive Records as the lead single from his second solo studio album KRS One. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios in New York. Production was helmed by DJ Premier.

Its lyrics deal with how many rappers who achieve positive chart positions and other commercial awards cannot perform well live.

In the United States, the song peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 35 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number 59 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, number 9 on the Hot Rap Songs, and topped the Dance Singles Sales charts. It also made it to number 84 on the UK singles chart and number 12 on the UK Official Dance Singles Chart.

Track listing

12" Vinyl

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"MC's Act Like They Don't Know" (LP Version)	Lawrence Parker Chris Martin	DJ Premier	4:44
2.	"MC's Act Like They Don't Know" (Instrumental)		DJ Premier	4:44
3.	"Represent the Real Hip Hop (Street Version)" (featuring Das EFX)	Parker Andre Weston William Hines	Showbiz	3:20
4.	"Represent the Real Hip Hop (Clean Version)" (featuring Das EFX)	Parker Weston Hines	Showbiz	3:20
5.	"Represent the Real Hip Hop" (Instrumental)		Showbiz	2:50

Sample credits

• Tracks 3 to 5 contains a sample of "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" written by Acklins Khaliyl Dillon, Harold Lee, Jamahl Hanna and Ali Shaheed Muhammad and performed by Da Bush Babees.

Personnel

• Lawrence "KRS-One" Parker – vocals
• Christopher "DJ Premier" Martin – producer & mixing (tracks: 1, 2)
• Norty Cotto – engineering (tracks: 1, 2)
• Andre "Krazy Drayz" Weston – vocals (tracks: 3, 4)
• Willie "Skoob" Hines – vocals (tracks: 3, 4)
• Rodney "Showbiz" LeMay – producer (tracks: 3-5)
• Gordon "Commissioner Gordon" Williams – engineering (tracks: 3-5)
• Tom Brick – mastering
• Maria Valencia – design
• Ron Croudy – design
• Scott "DJ Scott La Rock" Sterling – overseen by

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[2]	84
UK Dance (OCC)[3]	12
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	57
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[5]	35
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[6]	59
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[7]	9

References

1. "MC's Act Like They Don't Know [EP] - KRS-One | Album |". AllMusic. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
2. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
3. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
4. "KRS-One Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
5. "KRS-One Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
6. "KRS-One Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
7. "KRS-One Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2024.

External links

• "MC's Act Like They Don't Know" at Discogs (list of releases)