Big Daddy Kane is an American rapper and hip-hop artist from New York, New York. He was born on September 10, 1968 in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.http://www.officialbigdaddykane.com/ His real name is Antonio Hardy, but his stage name of Kane is an acronym for King Asiatic Nobody's Equal.http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/kane_big_daddy/bio.jhtml

After taking a break from the studio to pursue acting, Kane is still making music today, but on a more underground level. His last studio album "The Man: The Icon" was released in 2002 and he does most of his performances today on small circuit tours. He was recognized by the VH1 Hip Hop Honors awards show in 2005.http://www.officialbigdaddykane.com/

He got his start in the rap industry when he met fellow artist Biz Markie in 1984. After becoming friends, Kane went on to write some of Markie's songs and became a part of the Juice Crew led by producer Marley Marl. In 1987 he became an artist under the record label Cold Chillin and released his first album "Long Live the Kane". His follow-up album "It's a Big Daddy Thing" was released in 1989 and showcased his work with new producer Teddy Riley.http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/kane_big_daddy/bio.jhtml

Big Daddy Kane's style separated him from many of his fellow artists of the time. He was a renowned freestyle rapper, but despite his lyrical talent, his persona on his records usually reflected a smooth, ladies' man style. In his lyrics, Kane usually boasted of his superiority in the rap game. In one of his most popular songs "Ain't No Half Steppin'", he said to his competitors, "The name is Big Daddy, you know, as in your father, so when you hear a def rhyme, believe that I'm the author."http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/b/big_daddy_kane/aint_no_half_steppin.html His influence was responsible for creating the archetype that would be co-opted by the many rapper including such legends as Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G.