Widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers during the 'golden age' of hip hop (1986β1993), Kane's experimentation with R&B beats and his alignment to the Five Percent faction drew criticism. Later albums, such as Looks Like a Job For..., were acclaimed, but he was never able to return to the commercial and artistic success of It's a Big Daddy Thing. However, he still tours extensively and is involved in several upcoming projects. He recently featured in Morcheeba's hip hop trip song 'What's your Name'.
During 1996, before the murder of 2Pac, it was said that Pac intended to start his own label, Makaveli Records, featuring promintently East Coast acts; one of the artists he intended to sign was Kane, and the two even recorded a song before the rapper's death, entitled Wherever U Are.
Big Daddy Kane has posed for Playgirl and Madonna's Sex book. As an actor, he debuted in Mario Van Peebles' western, Posse.
Big Daddy Kane is famous for his pimp persona that is portrayed in his lyrics. He is famous for the title of his song, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy". The backronym "King Asiatic Nobody's Equal," is often applied to his moniker.
Recently (especially as of 2002), Big Daddy Kane has been increasingly doing collaborations with underground/alternative hip hop artists (ie. Little Brother, The Alchemist and DJ Babu from the Beat Junkies) and Kane has mentioned that he is not intending to release another solo album as he is looking towards a career in acting.
Discography
1988 Long Live the Kane (Cold Chillin')
1989 It's a Big Daddy Thing
1989 Back on the Block
1990 Taste of Chocolate
1991 Prince of Darkness
1993 Looks Like a Job For...
1994 Daddy's Home (RCA)
1998 Veteranz Day (Blackheart)
2002 The Man, The Icon (Landspeed)(Produced by Alchemist and DJ Babu on 2002's "Duck Season Vol. 1"
2003 Any Type of Way (Landspeed)(12" single produced by DJ Premier)
2003 Parts of the Process Morcheeba
Smooth Operator
Big Daddy Kane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
Well, excuse me, take a few minutes to mellow out
Big Daddy Kane is on the mic and I'ma tell about
A minimum length, of rhymes of strength
And power, so listen to the man of the hour
Flow and go to a slow tempo and you know
Will go on, as I perform
Transformin' on stage like a Decepticon
But I'm not animated like a cartoon
I'm for real, shootin' lyrics like a harpoon
Across the crowd, to listeners and spectators
So let's groove with the smooth operator
'Cause I'm so smooth
'Cause I'm so smooth
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
The B-I-G, D-A-double-D-Y-K-A-N-E
I'm good and plenty, servin' many and any
Competition, wishin' for an expedition
I'm straight up dissin' and dismissin', listen
Rappers act so wild, and love to profile
Frontin' hard but ain't got no style
I give nightmares to those who compete
Freddy Kreuger, walkin' on Kane Street
Confuse and lose, abuse and bruise the crews
Who choose to use my name wrong, they pay dues
Destruction from the exterminator
But in a calm manner, 'cause I'm a smooth operator
'Cause I'm so smooth
'Cause I'm so smooth
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
Now girls, step up to this
One simple kiss, and it's over, miss
Sold to nice dreamers, high as the price seem
Girlfriend, you been scooped like ice cream
So just swing or fling a gathering, try to cling
'Cause It's a Big Daddy Thing
And I'm lovin' 'em right, word is bond
So just play Marvin Gaye and let's get it on
I make it real good like Dr. Feelgood
To make sure that my point is understood
That when it comes to this, there's none greater
Sincerely yours, the smooth operator
'Cause I'm so smooth
'Cause I'm so smooth
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
Now ain't that the pot callin' the kettle black
Sayin' I'm a new jack, you need to be smacked
The smooth way I say 'em and the way I display 'em
To make them sound different in a way that's gifted
And hey, I'm makin' sure every lyric is done fine
And I make one line bright as the sunshine
Attackin' like Robitussin on a cough
If you know like I know, step off
Competition, I'ma get rid of
You can't get a bit of, so just consider
A break or rest, vacation, hibernation
And make way for my smooth operation
I'm a smooth operator
'Cause I'm so smooth
I'm gonna give it to you
'Cause I'm so smooth
I'm gonna give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
I'm gonna give it to you, give it to you, give it to you, give it to you
Ah yeah, and you don't stop
Genuine for '89
And I still ain't half-steppin', peace
In Big Daddy Kane's song "Smooth Operator," the rapper introduces himself as a skilled emcee with a minimum length of rhymes of strength and power. Kane compares himself to a transformer, who transforms on stage to entertain as a performer. He boasts about his skills and his ability to shoot lyrics like a harpoon across the crowd to attract listeners and spectators. Kane is a smooth operator, confident and talented, who prides himself on serving many and any competition with his rhyming skills. He is the real deal, and his lyrics leave his audience captivated.
Kaneβs smoothness is not just in his flow, but also in his romantic approach to women. The rapper addresses the ladies, encouraging them to step up and give him a kiss. He is a βBig Daddyβ who loves them right. Kaneβs lyrics are displayed with a gift that makes them sound different and special. He is assertive in his approach, telling his competition to step off and make way for his smooth operation. Kane closes the song by reiterating his smooth operator status, stating that he's not half-stepping.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna give it to you
Repeatedly emphasizing that he has the skills to perform and deliver high-quality lyrics and performance to the listeners.
Well, excuse me, take a few minutes to mellow out
As an introduction, the artist asks the listeners to relax and enjoy the upcoming performance.
Big Daddy Kane is on the mic and I'ma tell about
The artist introduces himself as Big Daddy Kane and highlights that he possesses the skills to tell a story through his music.
A minimum length of rhymes of strength
The artist boasts that he has an abundance of strong rhymes to share and perform.
And power, so listen to the man of the hour
The artist offers to captivate the audience with his powerful and commanding performance.
Flow and go to a slow tempo and you know Sing ho, swing low, then yo, the show
The artist is providing instructions for the listeners to loosen up with his slow tempo and get involved in the show by singing along.
Will go on, as I perform Transformin' on stage like a Decepticon
The artist promises that the performance will continue and emphasizes his ability to transform on stage, matching and exceeding the expectations of his listeners.
But I'm not animated like a cartoon, I'm for real, shootin' lyrics like a harpoon
The artist emphasizes that he is authentic and not an imitation or made-up persona, delivering powerful and impactful lyrics like a harpoon.
Across the crowd, to listeners and spectators
The artist reminds the listeners that he is performing to reach and resonate with everyone in the crowd.
So let's groove with the smooth operator
The artist invites the listeners to enjoy and feel the rhythm of his music, celebrating his smooth and captivating performance style.
'Cause I'm so smooth
The artist repeats this line to create a catchy hook, emphasizing his smooth performance style.
The B-I-G, D-A-double-D-Y-K-A-N-E
The artist introduces his stage name with a playful spelling, further emphasizing his confidence and skill.
I'm good and plenty, servin' many and any Competition, wishin' for an expedition
The artist confidently boasts of his skills and ability to serve anyone in competition while highlighting that his peers hope to challenge him.
I'm straight up dissin' and dismissin', listen Rappers act so wild, and love to profile Frontin' hard but ain't got no style
The artist insists that he dismisses rappers who merely pretend to be wild and lack genuine authenticity and originality.
I give nightmares to those who compete Freddy Kreuger, walking' on Kane Street
The artist's rhymes are so strong that they intimidate his competition to a point where they have nightmares just thinking about going up against him, comparing himself to Freddy Kreuger.
Confuse and lose, abuse and bruise the crews Who choose to use my name wrong, they pay dues
The artist warns that those who misuse his name will face consequences and punishment.
Destruction from the exterminator But in a calm manner, 'cause I'm a smooth operator
The artist suggests that he is a master at destroying his competition while still maintaining his cool, confident, and smooth persona.
Now girls, step up to this One simple kiss, and it's over, miss Sold to nice dreamers, high as the price seem Girlfriend, you been scooped like ice cream
The artist suggests that he can easily attract women and bring them back to reality with a simple kiss, comparing them to folks who buy overpriced dreams, and boasting that he effortlessly wins them over like scoops of ice cream.
So just swing or fling a gathering, try to cling 'Cause It's a Big Daddy Thing
The artist encourages listeners to get involved in his performance by engaging with the music and reminding everyone that it's his show and his style.
And I'm lovin' 'em right, word is bond So just play Marvin Gaye and let's get it on
The artist boasts that he knows how to treat women the right way, alluding to the famous song by Marvin Gaye and suggesting that he can deliver it just as well.
I make it real good like Dr. Feelgood To make sure that my point is understood
The artist compares his skills to that of a doctor by saying he can make 'it' feel good, emphasizing his ability to deliver lines with precision and making sure it resonates with the listeners.
That when it comes to this, there's none greater Sincerely yours, the smooth operator'
The artist concludes by asserting that he is the 'greatest' and delivers his finishing signature phrase, 'smooth operator.'
Now ain't that the pot callin' the kettle black Sayin' I'm a new jack, you need to be smacked
The artist mocks anyone who calls him a new jack or inexperienced, implying that it's a laughable notion that proves their hypocrisy.
The smooth way I say 'em and the way I display 'em To make them sound different in a way that's gifted
The artist takes pride in his ability to say and display rhymes differently and masterfully, emphasizing that his unique sound and style are gifts.
And hey, I'm makin' sure every lyric is done fine And I make one line bright as the sunshine
The artist suggests that he pays very close attention to his lyrics and that he makes every line stand out in his performance, aiming to make them shine as bright as the sunshine.
Attackin' like Robitussin on a cough If you know like I know, step off
The artist continues to assert his prowess and warns any would-be challengers by comparing his attack on the mic to Robitussin against a cough, suggesting that he is deadly serious about his rhymes and not to be tested.
Competition, I'ma get rid of You can't get a bit of, so just consider A break or rest, vacation, hibernation And make way for my smooth operation
The artist concludes by warning the competition that he will get rid of them, leaving them with no opportunity to compete against him, suggesting that everyone should take a break and let him operate smoothly.
Ah yeah, and you don't stop Genuine for '89 And I still ain't half-steppin', peace
The artist tells his listeners that he is the real deal in 1989, confidently stating that he has not slacked off or taken it easy, leaving his audience with a 'peace.'
Lyrics Β© CAK MUSIC PUBLISHING, INC
Written by: Antonio Hardy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wajok Bill
I just wanna say to all of you who are still listening to this in 2021. You have an amazing taste in music.
Ray-mond
this is my first time hearing this
Dere Omiebi
I'm here for studies.. but enjoyable..
d_score_p_yo
Without no Kane, there's no HOV...gotta respect the game...LONG LIVE THE KANE
Goddess Hathor
Well Thank you..
Thomas karlsen
Ditto my friend π
whosajigaya
The gold chains, the hair, the cloths, the style, the dancing, the lyrics... the entire way things were back then, oh man I wish I could have been around then
E.M.P. 339
Man same. I'm 15 and the late 80s and 90s seem awesome as hell.
Best Of Drake
@E.M.P. 339 ikr man
RAYjon H
Hip hop back them was so broad and different. No one sounded alike