Big Daddy Kane is a revered hip-hop artist who emerged on the scene in the late early 1980s. Born and raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, Kane (real name Antonio Hardy) eventually became part of the iconic Juice Crew and went on to become a legend and one of the most beloved Brooklyn MCs of all time.
The 1980s was an exciting decade in hip-hop that saw the culture evolve and flourish. New York produced star acts such as LL Cool J, Kool G Rap and others during this period. However, one of the most impactful MCs was Slick Rick.
Known for his incredible storytelling abilities, Slick Rick (real name Richard Walters) brought a unique aesthetic to hip-hop, rocking a vast array of jewellery and his iconic eye patch in every video. That said, many lyricists have cited Walters as a source of inspiration and with anthems such as ‘La Di Da Di’, it is unsurprising.
Not only was Slick Rick of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew, but he was the third artist to sign to a brand new Def Jam Recordings in 1986. That said, although he is highly respected, he once got into a fiery altercation with Big Daddy Kane.
During a 2018 appearance on the Drink Champs podcast with Noreaga and DJ EFN to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Long Live The Kane, Hardy detailed the reason why he and Walters had an issue.
According to Kane, his run-in with Slick Rick happened backstage at a show they both performed at. Hardy explained that in 1989, he and Walters were co-headliners on the Public Enemy tour. As such, they often switched between opening and closing slots.
However, soon, Big Daddy Kane was performing only the opening slot as Rick was arriving at the shows purposely late to land the prime-time spot just before Public Enemy headed on stage.
Slick Rick’s underhand tactics angered Kane, and according to his DJ Mister Cee, in a 2015 interview on Cipha Sounds & Peter Rosenberg’s Juan Epstein podcast, when Hardy confronted Walters, he exclaimed, “Fuck that, I’m Slick Rick the Ruler.”
However, this led to a scuffle that led to the ‘Children’s Story’ lyricist pulling out a pistol. Fortunately, the confrontation didn’t go any further. In 2018, DJ EFN asked Kane to corroborate the story, to which he responded, “There might be some truth to that. [It was] about the order of the show.”
