Classic Music: Antlife's Top 25 Hip Hop Albums of All-Time #13 (Big Daddy Kane "It's a Big Daddy Thing") (1989)

Awww, yeah...

Being a kid in the 80’s was the shit! We all know the toys were incredible, television too, but the music was what made the decade so dope! Being influenced by so much of what went on musically, most notably in Hip Hop, was just somethin’ one couldn’t even begin to explain. Music was something I had to go out and discover back then, Hip Hop especially, because it wasn’t everywhere like it is today. Certain people stood out, though it seemed like every damn rapper back then had at least one classic track. But Big Daddy Kane stood above many who were doin’ their thing in 1989. Even as just kids, this guy epitomized what “cool” was to us. He was our Miles Davis, our Charlie Parker, Lee Morgan. He had a totally different demeanor from the other MC’s that we used to idolize at the time. He was calm, never seemed to change his expression. But he could switch over to dancing like it was nothin’, without any hint of being excited about any of it at all. He rivaled Ice Cube’s poker face with his, and showed no sign of being vulnerable at all. That was cool to us back then, and we thought this dude was a god amongst men. 

When he dropped It’s a Big Daddy Thing that year, I was too young to even know that he had an album before that (1986’s Love Live the Kane). While both easily classics, it was his sophomore joint that hit my friends and I the most. One thing about Kane that was dope, was he was always able to go from stylin’ on you, to just teaching you so effortlessly. And you’d listen! He’d be talkin’ about pimpin’ chicks one minute and motivating people to get jobs and progress the next. This is what classic albums were back then, a variety of approaches and lessons being taught. Imagine being a kid listening to these albums. Your standard for what a classic should be, would be incredibly high! And releases like this album definitely raised the bar, as to what to expect from a great MC and album.

We all know that “Smooth Operator” was ridiculously dope, and probably one of his best known joints. But the album had great tracks from front to back. A few of my favorites were “Another Victory”, “Young, Gifted & Black”, “Calling Mr. Welfare”, “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy”, “I Get The Job Done”, “Warm It Up, Kane”, & “Mortal Combat”. I’m sure I forgot a track or two, because I really used to listen to this joint from the first track to the last. It really was a seriously complete album, which we kinda don’t see much of anymore these days. Not only was this mad influential to me musically and lyrically, but it’s just one of those albums that you MUST have in your collection. If you don’t, run out and cop it, it’s undeniably one of Hip Hop’s best ever!

Be chill..

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