
Today, Sept. 10, is the birthday of Brooklyn rapper Big Daddy Kane.
Kane—whose real name is Antonio Hardy—is one of the most successful and revered MCs from the 1980s. Kane’s buttery flow, hard-hitting rhymes and smooth “player” persona is often credited as a seminal influence on his fellow Brooklyn MCs including The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay Z. His 1988 debut, Long Live The Kane, is widely considered one of a genre classics and remains one of the most important LPs in 1980s hip-hop.
Happy Birthday, Big Daddy Kane!