Although Brooklyn, New York lyricist Big Daddy Kane has retired from battle rap, he revealed that he would be willing to take part in a battle against fellow artist Rakim if the price was right. After being asked if he would battle Rakim for half a million dollars, Big Daddy Kane replied, “Sure I would do it.”
He then detailed the time he almost battled Rakim back in 1989 at a Pay-Per-View event. According to Kane, he was recruited to take part in a Pay-Per-View event called Rap Mania by Van Silk. He says that battles between LL Cool J and Kool Moe Dee, The Furious Five and Cold Crush, and others were confirmed for the event.
Big Daddy Kane explained that prior to the event he received a phone call from Van Silk informing him that there were issues with Eric B and Rakim. He then called Eric B to confirm that they were on for the battle. Despite receiving confirmation from Eric B, Kane says the event and his rap battle with Rakim were ultimately canceled.
“Actually, I was supposed to battle Rakim back in ’89,” Big Daddy Kane said during an interview with Vlad TV. “What happened was there was this Pay-Per-View event called Rap Mania. And they televised it in ’88 and it made a lot of money. They made great numbers. So, the guy Van Silk was financed again to do it the following year. So, that year he chose to do rap battles instead. So, he had Sparky D versus Roxanne Shante confirmed. Furious Five versus Cold Crush. And LL told him that he would be willing to battle Kool Moe Dee if he could confirm the Kane and Rakim battle. To my understanding we were gonna do it. And then Van Silk asked me can I talk to Eric and Ra because he said they were having a problem.
“I talked to Eric, he said it’s going down,” he added. “And then a few days later Van Silk called me back and was like ‘I don’t think it’s Eric. Is it any possibility you could call Rakim?’ And I was like ‘I don’t know dude like that. I don’t have his number and I don’t know dude. You gotta work that out on your own.’ And then they upped the ante. Cause it was like for 50,000 apiece. And then they upped it to like 75. But it never happened…They ended up cancelling the whole thing.”
Big Daddy Kane also spoke on today’s battle rappers during his interview with Vlad TV. He named Goodz Da Animal, Aye Verb, Loaded Lux, and Conceited as his favorite battle rappers before stating that battle rap today is “a lot simpler” than it was during his time.
He also explained why he believes battle rappers have such a hard time making songs.
“I think that a lot of battle rappers have a difficult time making songs because they don’t know how to do a song format,” he said. “They’re so stuck in that whole battle rap mentality that really all they want to do is just kick rhymes. Bragging about how dope they are, how great an emcee they are, how they’ll crush anybody in a battle. They’re not really good at maybe like having a song about a woman or having a song about love. Having a story about getting involved or having a story about a struggling woman trying to raise a child. They don’t really know how to go in different areas. And then a lot of them don’t really understand format, you know? They’re so focused on the rhyme that they don’t really care about the hook. Some don’t even care about the beat.”
RELATED: Big Daddy Kane Recalls Kool Moe Dee Declining To Battle
Kane, much respect to you but stay in your lane fam, what do you mean a half a million it could’ve of been a billion or $100.00 and you still wouldn’t win, you wouldn’t even have battled Rakim and your prime and you want to now?? GTFOHWTBS
I hear you..but I’m not listening……Kane vs Rakim would be dope….not worth 500k though.
I’ve always said that if I had to rank rappers, I’d put Rakim as #1, closely followed by Kane as #2, but I would actually bet on Kane taking Ra down in a battle. I have no doubt that they still got it, and I would gladly pay a fair sum of money to see it happen.
kane has stingers yall. I’m telling you. Rakim is smooth, but kane is smoove. I ain’t lyin. It would be good
The Watched II verse proves Rakim would take out BDK
So far as battling, Kane probably could have won and probably still can.
Rakim and Kane are my 1 and 1A favorite MC’s of all-time. With as great as Rakim’s lyrics were, I don’t consider him a “battle” MC. Kane had specific battle lyrics, Rakim spoke in more of an ethereal prose.
I agree 100%.
niggas would come back from the dead for some money when they are broke
Rakim back from the dead
start walking with the dead cunt
So who’s broke?
Although I wouldnt want to see the “battle” 1ne another. Cmon man, that would be like watching Jordan and Drexler playin 21. LOL!!! But I wouldnt mine watching them in a sit down. Have Sway interview both of them and discuss the greatest battle that never happened. And at the end, have them kick the rhyme that each one had for the other. Im sure we already heard a majority of it in Wrath of the Kane and Lyrics of Fury. But that would be dope.
I’m agreeing with that though. I wouldn’t personally want to see them battle, because they’re both icons. But that would be great for someone to interview them like the post Nas/Jay Z beef.
personally i would, well it would be a great idea for them to make a record to see who’s pen is mightier. thats all heads ever wanted. If Kane and dolemite can go at it i’m sure rakim and kane can get down the same way.
lol all these broke niggas nowadays wanna battle
LOL
maybe 24 years ago
who gives a f*ck how many years ago, it’s entertainment
somebody call marshall and make this happen
How about a collaboration album?
Both were big but I don’t see a lot of people paying for Pay Per View for it.
Rakim’s ducked a few people who have challenged him and been credible. It’s one of many reasons I could never consider him the G.O.A.T over someone like LL Cool J, Ice Cube or KRS-One
Tech N9ne blasted Rakim on wax a few years ago because Ra pulled some diva shit at a show refusing to go on before Tech, just check out the song “Blown Away” by Tech N9ne it was definitely worthy of response and LL Cool or Ice Cube wouldn’t of let that slide just because their legends and he isn’t just ask Canibus…
who is going to pay that much to see 2 irrelevent old washed up hasbins that the mainstream population aside from hipsters do not even know exists. These scrubs are better of shining drakes shoes for that money
I guess you already took the job sucking Drake’s dick, huh DRR?
Dream on Kane.