On the latest episode of “Drink Champs,” N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN were joined by alumni Big Daddy Kane to discuss his upcoming documentary, hip hop’s 50th anniversary, and Biz Markie, among other topics.
Born Antonio Hardy, Kane emerged in the late 1980s as one of the pivotal figures in the golden era of hip hop. His debut album, 1988’s Long Live the Kane, is often hailed as one of the genre’s greatest of all time, yielding the classic singles “Ain’t No Half-Steppin'” and “Raw.” The LP’s lyrical patterns and groundbreaking production from Marley Marl set a benchmark in the industry.
Kane continued his success with the 1989 release of It’s a Big Daddy Thing, which featured hits like “Smooth Operator” and “I Get The Job Done.” The record was RIAA-certified and landed No. 4 on the Billboard U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Throughout the 1990s, Kane maintained a consistent presence in the music industry, releasing albums including Taste of Chocolate and Prince of Darkness. Currently, he’s gearing up to release a documentary titled Words I Manifest, which the rapper originally announced in 2021.
REVOLT compiled a list of nine facts we learned from Big Daddy Kane’s “Drink Champs” interview. Check them out below, and watch the full episode here.
1. On hip hop’s 50th anniversary
This year is being widely celebrated as the jubilee of hip hop. However, several fans of the genre took issue with brands using the recognition to capitalize on merchandise and other collaborative efforts. Kane shared his thoughts and addressed opposing opinions on hip hop’s age.
According to the musician, “If it’s giving flowers, and paying homage and putting money into artists’ pockets, I don’t see that being a major problem. As far as the timeline thing, I think the issue comes from other people that basically did something for hip hop… There are other people that did things before [Kool] Herc, [like] DJ Hollywood and Eddy Cheba. These guys was rapping before ‘73.”
2. On his Verzuz match against KRS-One
In October 2021, KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane went head-to-head for Verzuz. Initially, the latter was supposed to face off with Rakim, but The Blastmaster was a worthy second pick. The pair brought out special guests, including Roxanne Shanté, Eric B., Mad Lion, Das EFX, and more.
He explained, “That was my dream come true. Back when KRS came out with ‘The Bridge Is Over,’ the way he timed it with [MC Shan’s] ‘Down By Law,’ I’m like, ‘This is a battle MC.’ He’s a battle MC that knows the art of combat. I would love to go up against him, but that was my dude, though.”
3. On Biz Markie and missing out on “Just A Friend”
Once rivals, Biz Markie and Kane were close friends and frequent collaborators before the former passed away due to health-related issues involving Type 2 diabetes in 2021. Kane co-wrote and contributed to several of the late rapper’s most popular records, including “Vapors,” “Nobody Beats the Biz,” and “Biz Is Goin’ Off,” among others. During the interview, the Brooklyn MC provided more insights into Markie’s death and missing out on the opportunity to be featured on “Just A Friend.”
“He had lost a lot of weight from a diet, and he was looking good. Feeling good. Looking energetic. From my understanding, because of him being so in shape, he wasn’t taking his diabetes medicine,” Kane shared.
Regarding Markie’s “Just A Friend,” he continued, “There was a lawsuit going on, and Biz dropped out of it. I was upset about that, so when [Cool] V asked me to write it, I was like, ‘Nah.’ But I wish I would’ve, though.”
4. On running into publishing issues with Prince
Appearing on Long Live The Kane, “I’ll Take You There” was a standout cut produced by Marley Marl. It sampled The Staple Singers’ classic of the same name, which, as Big Daddy Kane explained, was the first time he ran into publishing issues due to Prince owning their discography.
As told by Kane, “When I went to Marley crib that day to record ‘Nobody Beats the Biz,’ he made a beat off of The Staple Singers’ ‘I’ll Take You There.’ That’s when I recorded the song ‘I’ll Take You There’; it’s on my first album. Fly Ty wanted to put it out, and Prince owned The Staple Singers’ publishing, and he wasn’t digging hip hop then, so he wouldn’t clear it.”
5. On hip hop legends selling out arenas while the younger generation struggles
Earlier this year, it was speculated that Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo, and Lil Durk canceled several tour dates due to low ticket sales. Meanwhile, mainstays with more skin in the game — like 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, and Drake — have all had their show runs sold out, which painted a stark contrast to newer acts. Kane offered his take on the situation, urging for more legendary artists to embrace the youth.
“We’re cemented, and we have a solid fan base that’s going to love and respect us like Charlie Wilson fans, Ronald Isley fans,” Kane stated. “We do need to connect with the youth, so that they can gain staying power and they learn how to be artists. I don’t think we should look at it like, ‘Haha, I’m packing shows and you not.’”
6. On his personal picks at the 2023 BET Awards
In June, the 2023 BET Awards took place in Los Angeles. The lineup for this year’s ceremony included Lil Uzi Vert, Jeezy, Fat Joe, and Doug. E Fresh, to name a few. However, the performers that stood out to Kane were Lola Brooke, who presented a rendition of “Don’t Play With It,” and Migos members Quavo and Offset.
Kane revealed, “The Migos and Lola Brooke, they did not let me down. I thought that Lola and the Migos gave amazing performances. That’s the type of s**t I like to see,” the living legend said. “Even with [Takeoff’s death] being a factor, when it was time to get it on… [Then], to see Lola Brooke actually really spitting and then jumping back with her dancers and s**t, she went in.”
7. On interviewing Eminem for his documentary
Initially teased in 2021, Kane interviewed Eminem for his upcoming documentary, Words I Manifest. The “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” hitmaker also revealed on social media that J. Cole would be joining the lineup, which is already slated to feature JAY-Z, Common, and more.
“Em showed love. When we reached out, he said, ‘Yeah.’ He showed love, and he made it [to] where we wouldn’t have no problems, and it was okay using his likeness. He showed love and showed up with a Big Daddy Kane shirt to do the interview. The craziest thing is he told me stuff about myself that I never even thought about,” the emcee noted.
8. On Vanilla Ice’s downfall in hip hop
Once one of the hottest names in hip hop thanks to “Ice Ice Baby,” Vanilla Ice faded out of popularity in the 1990s. He found himself in several controversies, including not clearing samples and Suge Knight allegedly dangling him off a balcony. Unlike other white rappers such as MC Serch and Eminem, Kane believed that Ice’s demise came as a result of him trying to imitate Black artists.
“I don’t think that the music was bad. I don’t have a problem with him making commercial hip hop. I think some of the things he said in interviews was bad,” Kane shared. “Just be this successful hip hop artist that’s winning in the commercial market. Just be him. I think that would’ve worked much better for him. It’s just the backlash got the better of him.”
9. On “Young, Gifted and Black”
Appearing on It’s a Big Daddy Thing, Kane’s “Young, Gifted and Black” sampled Nina Simone’s “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” The record came about while doing a WBLS promo for another track titled “Raw Attitude” with Antoinette that producer Marley Marl also gave away to MC Shan. Later in the interview, Kane explained how he got “Young, Gifted, and Black.”
According to Kane, “I took the floppy disk and hid that s**t in [Marley’s] R&B stash. When the time came, it was like, ‘Yo, you owe me a beat. I need something [from] you.’ He got ready to play some stuff, and I was like, ‘No, no. I already know what I want,’” Kane explained. “The beat was really for [MC] Shan.”