Act | 5ive Songs

1. YUNGBLUD, “acting like that”

Ft. Machine Gun Kelly

💿 weird! • 🏷 Locomotion Recordings / Interscope • 📅 2020

“You’re way too hot to be acting like that / Acting like that, acting like that…” Freaking catchy for sure! 🎵 “acting like that” appears as the 11^th track on 💿 weird!, the 2020 sophomore album by nonconformist British standout 🎙 YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison). The punk-driven record is fittingly produced by 🎛 Travis Barker. Of course, that means we get pummeling drums, including those renowned drums runs by Barker.  Can you say heaven?

Expectedly, YUNGBLUD is a force on his own (“And I don’t think today is the last time / That the bright lights hit the dark side / I can see that look in your eyes”), but he doesn’t appear until the second verse! the first part of “acting like that” is actually dominated by 🎙 Machine Gun Kelly, who’s definitely 🔒-in here, and definitely “Back on [his] bullshit.”

2. City Girls, “Act Up”

💿 Girl Code • 🏷 Quality Control Music / Motown / Capitol • 📅 2018

“Act up, you can get snatched up / Dirty-ass nails, baby girl, you need to back up.” 🎙 City Girls – 🎙 JT and 🎙 Yung Miami – are chocked-full of attitude.  Their hit single, 🎵 “Act Up,” which appears on 💿 Girl Code (2018), has no shortage of attitude, edginess, or badass-ness.  Over the course of three verses, JT and Yung Miami make it clear that they are the ‘head bitches in charge.’

JT asserts, “I ain’t got time for you fake-ass hoes / Talkin’ all loud in them fake-ass clothes / Fake-ass shoes match that fake-ass gold / I’m the realest bitch ever to you snake-ass hoes.” Yung Miami, she’s not outdone: “I bet your lil’ sister wanna look like me (Lil’ bitch) / I bet your lil’ brother wanna fuck on me / Hood bitch, good pussy, I ain’t average.” “Act Up” was tailor made for twerkers.

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3. John Legend, “Actions”

💿 Bigger Love • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2020

“La-da-da-da-da, here I go again / With another love song that I wasted / Just another love run out of patience…” Ah those 🎵 “Actions” – they do truly speak louder than words 🎙 John Legend! The retro-soul standout appears on his 🏆 Grammy-nominated, 2020 album, 💿 Bigger Love. Short but incredibly sweet, “Actions” is produced by 🎛 Oak, who masterfully captures a classic sound, assisted by two awesome samples: 🎵 “The Edge” (🎙 David McCallum) and 🎵 “The Next Episode” (🎙 Dr. Dre).

As always, Legend is the ‘star of the show,’ singing like an absolute champ.  He never forces things, sounding naturally compelling, nuanced, and potent.  The focus is L-O-V-E, with Legend placing emphasis on showing as opposed to telling, best exemplified on the action-filled chorus (“Actions, speak louder than, speak louder than, speak louder than love songs”). Surefire winner!

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4. Rick Ross, “Act a Fool”

Ft. Wale

💿 Port of Miami 2 • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2019

After surviving a fight for his life, 🏆 Grammy-nominated rapper 🎙 Rick Ross returned with his tenth studio album, 💿 Port of Miami 2, in 2020.  Port of Miami 2, of course, serves as the sequel to his 2006 debut, Port of Miami.  Ross kicks things off with our song at hand, banger 🎵 “Act a Fool.”  “Tell me right now, nigga, whatchu wanna do?” he asks on the chorus, continuing, “20 billboards in the city, who the fuck is you? / I DM all of your bitches when I’m in the mood.” Okay…

“Act a Fool” doesn’t reinvent the wheel for Ross by any means, but it sounds malicious in regard to production (🎛 Beat Billionaire), is chocked-full of braggadocio, and finds 🎙 Wale providing the assist on the third verse.  All in all, it’s typical Rick, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

5. Action Bronson, “Actin’ Crazy”

💿 Mr. Wonderful • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2015

“Opportunity be knockin’, you gotta let a motherfucker in,” 🎙 Action Bronson asserts on 🎵 “Actin’ Crazy,” later asking the question, “Why you think I’m out her actin’ crazy?” “Actin Crazy” marks one of the best moments from his 2015 album, 💿 Mr. Wonderful, even if he is indeed crazy.

There are numerous colorful moments on this 🎛 Noah “40” Shebib and 🎛 Sidney “OMEN” Brown production. “All I do is eat oysters / And speak six languages in three voices,” is definitely intriguing, as is the fact he “feel(s) so alive, I think I shit myself.” Yeah, I don’t know exactly how to react to that!