It's A Big Daddy Thing [Us Import] [Import]

This record was great for so many reasons.

Rhymes:

Kane was a wordsmith like no other. He could spit rapid fire battle rhymes or he lay it on smooth for the ladies. In fact, Kane could combine the two! "Smooth Operator" finds Kane destroying his competition "in a calm manner" while still loving the ladies.

Beats:

The variety of sounds on this record is delight to the ears. "Young, Gifted, and Black" gives you that '70s Blaxploitation feel. The sampled horns behind Kane's rhymes takes you to another place. It's smooth, but not soft. And who can forget "I Get the Job Done"? Teddy Riley's percussion arrangement is sure to keep the head nodding back and forth.

Style:

This was one of the intangibles Kane brought to the game. In the videos Kane sported three piece suites, and slick warm up outfits. His demeanor and body language were both aggressive and smooth simultaneously. That dichotomy seems to be lost on many rappers today. Kane's bravado never overshadowed his fierce intelligence. In fact, Kane's gift was his ability to take that aggression and bravado and channel it through his incredible ability to articulate and construct with his words.

If you truly love Hip Hop, you must have a copy of this in your collection.

Just a year after his monumental arrival with "Long Live The Kane," Big Daddy came right back expanding his work from the first album. A little different approach on this one, offering 17 tracks taking up over 75 min., compared to 10 tracks on the first album. There's definitely enough material to see reason why Kane is widely considered one of the top 5 MC's all time, and enough to satisfy fans with different tastes.

Let me tell you, the first 10 tracks here are incredible, each pretty much a classic joint in their own right. Plus, there is a nice variety throughout these first 10. You get some more of his renown battle-rhymes("Mortal Combat," "Young, Gifted & Black," and "Wrath of Kane"), which might even be stronger than on his first album! You have to like Marley Marl's production on "Young, Gifted & Black," and the live recording of "Wrath of Kane" was welcome. You get a couple stories with lessons on "Another Victory" and "Calling Mr. Welfare." Casual sexual boasting is found on "I Get The Job Done." Then, he sends positive messages to his community on "Children R The Future" and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." He even just chills back on a couple tracks and drops slick rhymes, such as the title track(prod. by Prince Paul) and the memorable "Smooth Operator"(with samples of Rakim and Marvin Gaye, simultaneously). Yes, these first 10 tracks are impeccable and appealing.

The last seven aren't horrendous, but the momentum definitely dies somewhere in there. #11 is the infamous collaboration "Pimpin' Ain't Easy." As infectious as the hook is, the verses are vulgar and impossible to sit though, and this song doesn't really fit in with the first 11. He should of held off on this song until his next album. Anyways, the only songs I really like out of the last 7 are "To Be Your Man," the famous "Warm It Up, Kane," and "Rap Summary(Lean On Me remix)." Track #'s 12 & 14 are just mixes by Mister Cee, not bad, but we hear no verses from Kane. "On The Move" is a forgettable song boasting about sexual prowess, featuring his two dancers rapping their own verses. "To Be Your Man" is a sensitive, sincere spoken word love-song with singing that works nicely. More battle rhymes on "Warm It Up," but they don't really stand out from the other battle songs on the disc. "Rap Summary" is positive and uplifting, and one of the best songs despite the abundance of deejay scratches.

If you have heard his first classic, you should check Kane's second one here as well. A little filler at 17 tracks this time, but some of the work surpasses what he accomplished with the first album. Damn, his flow was just untouchable, except Rakim and his smooth delivery! Just like "Take You There"(my favorite track of "Long Live The Kane"), Big Daddy updates two classic oldies with "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" and "Rap Summary(Lean On Me)," both shining moments on the album. I appreciate that despite how much Kane has the right to brag about himself and his skills, he still shows he's a caring man and sends many heartfelt, positive messages to the listeners. He definitely wasn't one-dimensional. This would be his last album before his fetish with women and pimping took over his music, although you can argue he's the originator of that now-popular style. Every Hiphop guru should have this album, "It's A Big Daddy Thing," along with "Long Live The Kane" in their collection!

Big Daddy Kane was still RAW when this album dropped in 1989. It really was a "big daddy" thang, as he still could bring the lyrics and was rapidly becoming a sex symbol, up there with LL Cool J. This album is STILL tight, and was Kane still in his true form. Here's the review:

Album Highlights: It's A Big Daddy Thang, Another Victory, Mortal Combat, Smooth Operator, I Get The Job Done, Wrath of Kane, Lean On Me(Remix), Warm It Up, Kane, and Calling Mr. Welfare.

Production: Thumbs in the middle, leaning towards up.

Lyrics and Subject Matter: Thumbs up.

Originality: Thumbs up.

The Last Word: They should've included the ORIGINAL version of Lean On Me, but the remix is good, but not better. Overall, while NOT the groundbreaking effort like Long Live The Kane, this album is still Kane is his true form. I recommend this album.