Big Daddy Kane

While every rapper who’s ever spit is in effect an artist who writes lyrics there are more than a few rappers who truly earn the term “lyricist”. In the same way that Nick Cave are Leonard Cohen are famous for their making their lyrics true poetry while Luke Pritchard of The Kooks is most definitely not, some rappers transcend pop music and create a poetry of their own. Right up there with the legends is Big Daddy Kane, a man rated by everyone from Kool Moe Dee to The RZA as one of the greatest ever. To the extent that there’s a persistent rumour that Rakim, widely thought to be the greatest rapper of the eighties, turned down the chance to take on Kane in a rap battle.

Kane’s first appearance in the spotlight was as part of the Juice Crew, a hip-hop collective based in Queensbridge, New York City. The crew had already been together since 1983 when Kane and his mate Biz Markie (“the human beatbox”) joined three years later. However it wasn’t until 1987, that his solo career really started to take off. He signed to Cold Chillin’ Records and his first single “Raw”, was a big hit in the underground scene, the year after his first record came out, and “Long Live The Kane” remains one of the benchmark rap debuts to this day.

It was ecstatically received at the time and was a mild commercial success as well. In a time when rap was only just proving itself to be more than a fad that was a lot to hope for, but the best was yet to come. 1989 was the same year that Markie had his massive (and utterly hysterical) hit “Just A Friend”, and Kane went on to release “It’s A Big Daddy Thing” a record that might not have been quite as succesful at the time, but it’s still considered to be one of the greatest rap records of all time, so y’know, swings and roundabouts.

Since then, his work has given way to a generation of MCs enamoured with his work, and was even one of Jay-Z’s early patrons, taking him on tour in the early 90’s. It’s a testament to his influence that he was able to stop making records in 1998 and to this day his name is still spoken with respect and admiration. He can also still put on a show to remember and his records, even the ones released nearly three decades ago, hold up against anything released today. For that reason alone it’s a pleasure and a privilege to still have him around. Highly recommended.