Big Daddy Kane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Big Daddy Kane
|
|
|---|---|
Big Daddy Kane in 2023
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Antonio Hardy |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | September 10, 1968 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels |
|
Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), known as Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He started his career in 1986. Many people see him as one of the most important and skilled rappers in hip hop history. His song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" was ranked among the greatest hip-hop songs ever. Rolling Stone magazine called him a "master wordsmith" from hip hop's golden age. He has greatly influenced many rappers.
Contents
Early Life and Career Start
Antonio Hardy was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 10, 1968. In high school, he met Mister Cee, who later became his DJ. In 1984, Kane became friends with Biz Markie. He helped write some of Biz Markie's famous song lyrics. Both became key members of the Juice Crew, a group led by producer Marley Marl.
Joining Cold Chillin' Records
Big Daddy Kane signed with Cold Chillin' Records in 1987. He released his first single, "Raw," that same year. His stage name, Big Daddy Kane, came from two characters. One was Caine from the TV show Kung Fu. The other was "Big Daddy" from the movie Beach Party.
Music Style and Influence
Kane is known for his fast rhyming style. He could rap quickly over hip hop beats. Even with asthma, he became a master of fast rapping. His fashion sense also set trends in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These trends included high-top fade hairstyles and velour suits. His nickname "King Asiatic Nobody's Equal" is often used to describe him.
Music Career Highlights
The 1980s: Rising Star
In 1988, Big Daddy Kane released his first album, Long Live the Kane. It featured the popular song "Ain't No Half Steppin'". The next year, he released It's a Big Daddy Thing. This album was his biggest hit. It included songs like "Smooth Operator". He also had a memorable part on the song "The Symphony" in 1988. This song featured other Juice Crew members.
The 1990s: Collaborations and Awards
In 1990, Big Daddy Kane was a guest rapper on Public Enemy's album Fear of a Black Planet. He rapped on the song "Burn Hollywood Burn." In this song, he talked about how African-American characters were shown in movies. He mentioned how Black women were often given low-status roles. This message is still important today.
In 1991, Kane worked with Patti LaBelle on her song "Feels Like Another One." He also contributed the song "'Nuff Respect" to the movie soundtrack for Juice. This song showed off his fast rapping skills.
Big Daddy Kane won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1991. This was for his part on the song "Back on the Block" with Quincy Jones.
During the early 1990s, Jay-Z toured with Kane. Kane helped Jay-Z at the start of his career. Kane explained that Jay-Z would freestyle on stage when he changed outfits. Jay-Z also appeared on Kane's song "Show & Prove" from his 1994 album Daddy's Home.
Later albums like Looks Like a Job For... were well-received. However, he did not reach the same level of success as It's a Big Daddy Thing. He continued to tour and perform often. In 1998, he released his last solo album, Veteranz' Day.
The 2000s: Continued Appearances
In 2000, Big Daddy Kane appeared on Tony Touch's "The Piece Maker" mixtape. He also worked with artists like A Tribe Called Quest and Jurassic 5. He released two singles: "The Man, The Icon" and "Any Type of Way."
In 2005, Big Daddy Kane was honored at the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors. He performed "Warm It Up, Kane" with his old dancers. He also appeared in the movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party. In 2006, he performed at the Summer Jam concert. This was part of an effort to celebrate New York City hip-hop. In 2009, Kane played the role of Clay in the film Just Another Day.
The 2010s: New Projects
.jpg)
In 2013, Kane formed a band called "Las Supper" with Lifted Crew and Showtyme. They released the album Back to the Future. In 2016, he was featured on Tito Jackson's song "Get It Baby." He also appeared in the documentary Hip-Hop Evolution.
The 2020s: Addressing Important Issues
In June 2020, Kane released the song "Enough." This song talked about issues like police brutality.
Big Daddy Kane's Legacy
Big Daddy Kane is seen as one of the most important and skilled rappers from hip hop's golden age. MTV ranked him No. 7 on their "Greatest MCs of All Time" list. He is also highly ranked in books and lists by other famous rappers and music experts. AllMusic describes his best work as some of the finest hip-hop of its time. They call him "one of rap's major talents" with "near-peerless technique." Kool Moe Dee said Kane is "one of the most imitated emcees ever." Ice-T said, "Big Daddy Kane is still today one of the best rappers." He added that Kane "can rap circles around cats." His first two albums are considered hip hop classics. Music journalists have called him "perhaps the most complete MC ever." Eminem has mentioned Big Daddy Kane as an influence on his own rhyming style.
Discography
Studio albums
- Long Live the Kane (1988)
- It's a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
- Taste of Chocolate (1990)
- Prince of Darkness (1991)
- Looks Like a Job For... (1993)
- Daddy's Home (1994)
- Veteranz Day (1998)
Collaboration albums
- Back to the Future with The Las Supper (2013)
Filmography
- 1993 Posse as "Father Time"
- 1993 The Meteor Man as "Pirate"
- 2005 Dave Chappelle's Block Party as Himself.
- 2007 Dead Heist as Hunter
- 2008 Love for Sale
- 2009 Just Another Day as Clay
- 2011 Budz House as Keisha
- 2016 Exposed as Jonathan "Black" Jones
- 2018 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Ray Wallis / "Four Stroke"
- 2024 ElemenTory as Chris Cunningham
See also
In Spanish: Big Daddy Kane para niños
