Antonio "Big Daddy Kane" Hardy was born in Brooklyn, New York. In high school, he met DJ Mister Cee and later became friends with Biz Markie. In the mid-1980s, Kane and Biz joined Marley Marl's Juice Crew, and Kane signed to Prism in 1987. That same year, the rapper released his debut single, "Raw," produced by Marl. "Get Into It" was also released later. Daddy Kane and Biz Markie's singles were so successful that the label decided to focus primarily on hip-hop and changed its name to Cold Chillin' Records.
The youngster, who took his moniker by combining the name of the television character Caine in the TV series "Kung Fu" (1972-75) and that of the film character Big Daddy in the film "Beach Party" (1963), was noted for his ability to syncopate over faster-than-usual hip-hop rhythms and became known as one of the pioneers and masters of delivering fast rhymes, despite having asthma. In 1988, Big Daddy Kane released his debut studio album.
The production was credited entirely to Marley Marl who was credited with building the set of beats, a fact that raised protests from the rapper: while Kane claims that some songs were already complete before reaching the hands of the producer, who often only added the drums, Marl claims that without his contribution, the Juice Crew artists, including Kane, would not have achieved the boom bap sound that characterizes their records. In particular "Set It Off" is a song produced by The 45 King for Biz Markie that Kane asked for and obtained from the producer and which ends up on his album with a beat credited entirely to Marley Marl.
The record is opened by a fresh rhythm, skinny beat, simple and syncopated, minimal drum machine, sample from The Meters' "Here Comes the Meter Man", fresh and flowing delivery by Big Daddy Kane. Hook left in the beat after the break and cut scratched almost everywhere by DJ Mister Cee. The "Raw" remix follows: simple, tight raw and hard beat, simple and minimal drum machine, smoothness and technically clean, fast delivery of Daddy Kane in one of the best lyrical tune here. Scratched hook with good sample from Taurus Boyz' "You Are the One". Simple skinny beat also on the third cut, "Set It Off", tight and minimal rhythm thanks to a sample from James Brown's "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved", frenetic and minimal drum machine in the background, extravagant bridge on the hook, excellent smooth and clean, crisp delivery. "The Day You're Mine" has a minimal and syncopated drum machine, skinny, ballad rhythm, regular and light delivery of Daddy Kane, almost spoken; then his hook sang slightly, long hook, this is one of the weak points of this classic record.
"On the Bugged Tip" has an another simple typical '85 production, syncopated and minimal drum machine, syncopated and velvet delivery. Kane asks to stop the beat and delivers other bars on a lighter, almost imperceptible rhythm, minimal and light skeletal drum machine, extravagant background with some varied shouts. Scoob Lover is the first guest of the effort in this tune. "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" has an exceptional sample from The Emotions' "Blind Alley", minimal skinny beat, syncopated and minimal drum machine, excellent smoothness and clean delivery by Kane, rhythm playing on a dope piano keys, strings and that sample, hook scratched with female chorus and various samples, excellent track. The seventh choice features a nice soulful female sample looped for the hook, skeletal and syncopated drum machine, Daddy Kane's regular delivery and dope. A crazy cut follows with Biz Markie and his funny lines: hard and skinny, simple rhythm, minimal and skeletal drum machine, long intro, then light delivery. The penultimate piece has a fresh production, light and minimal drum machine, scratched hook with sample, sliding delivery by the emcee. The last track sees a hook scratched with sample, minimal and syncopated drum machine, Kane's crystalline velvet delivery.
Released by Cold Chillin with Warner Bros. distribution, the album is welcomed positively by fans and critics, peaking #5 in the rap chart, and gaining gold certification in 1989. Big Daddy Kane spends a lot of time bragging about his skills and does so with a fresh and effective style of execution that will be copied by practically everyone with a energetic, determined, confident rapping style and with a rhyming scheme more complex than the average of his time, comparable to Rakim, internal rhymes and spitting excellent bars in a fast and powerful way. Overall, it's a fantastic album, it carries a heavy legacy and is dropped by one of the best rappers of the eighties: it's an almost classic debut, the ballad "The Day You're Mine" makes it fall from that status and "I'll Take You There" doesn't help. In retrospect, it's considered a masterpiece and one of the most influential albums ever in hip-hop.
Rating: 8.8/10.
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