Big Daddy Kane

Born on September 10, 1968, in Brooklyn, New York City, USA, Antonio Hardy (known as Big Daddy Kane) is an American rapper, producer, and actor recognised for his significant contributions during the golden age of hip-hop. Hardy’s journey began in 1986 as a member of the New York City hip-hop collective, the Juice Crew, which he departed in 1987, inking a deal with the Cold Chillin' record label after adopting the moniker Big Daddy Kane. His debut album, Long Live The Kane, hit the shelves in 1988, featuring hit singles like "Raw," "Ain’t No Half-Steppin’," "Set It Off," and"I’ll Take You There." The album achieved gold certification, selling over 500,000 copies and reaching number 5 on the charts. The subsequent year saw the release of his sophomore album, It’s a Big Daddy Thing, repeating the success of the first record, propelled by the chart-topping single "Smooth Operator." Throughout his career, Kane dropped several albums including Taste Of Chocolate (1990) which peaked at number 10, Prince of Darkness (1991) (featuring hit track "Groove With It") and Looks Like a Job (1993) which spawned the single "Very Special" featuring DJ Spinderella, which charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, his first and only song to do so. Further releases like Daddy’s Home (1994) and Veteranz Day (1998) followed, reaching positions 26 and 62, respectively. Over the years, Kane's collaborations extended to various artists including Tupac Shakur, KRS One, MC Hammer, and A Tribe Called Quest, clinching a Grammy in 1991 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for the Quincy Jones collaborative track "Back on the Block."  After a foray into acting, Kane continued his musical journey into the next decade, collaborating with Morcheeba on the 2003 single "What's Your Name"and releasing the track "BK Mentality" in 2007. In 2013, he joined forces with the Lifted Crew and R&B singer Showtyme to form Las Supper, releasing the album Back to the Future, re-emerging in 2018 with the compilation album Ain’t No Half-Steppin’, featuring a remix of the titular single. He then dropped the non-album single "Enough" in 2020, followed by collaborations like "Fly Till I Die" (with Kool G Rap) and "Slap" (with Busta Rhymes & Conway the Machine) in 2022.