Rakim Explains Ending His Beef With Big Daddy Kane

    Golden Era Hip Hop fans will likely remember an unofficial, yet implied, simmering beef between Big Daddy Kane and Rakim. The two New Yorkers enjoyed both commercial and critical success for the better part of the 80’s and 90’s, and they are widely regarded as two of Hip Hop’s greatest emcees. While they never had an outright battle like KRS-One and MC Shan, Rakim did confirm that the pair weren’t exactly on the best of terms.

    “With “Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em,” I ain’t gonna say the whole song was for Kane, but it was about three or four bars I put in there for Kane,” Rakim explained during a short viral he filmed with R.A. The Rugged Man. “Kane heard it, and my man Ant Live—Eric B’s brother—played it for him and gave Kane the number. Kane called my crib while I was sitting at the crib.”

    Rakim added that Big Daddy Kane helped diffuse the situation, and the two emcees hashed out their differences. Based on their conversation, and the dynamic of knowing each other but still remaining professional rivals, Rakim said he removed three or four bars that referenced Kane from the song. While he says the pair haven’t spoken in a while, Rakim maintains that everything remains cool between them. In past interviews, Rakim has reiterated that both Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap kept him on his toes and were “measuring sticks.” Rakim’s full interview with R.A. The Rugged Man is below.

    RELATED: Rakim Announces New Album, “Paid In Full” 25th Anniversary Edition

    58 thoughts on “Rakim Explains Ending His Beef With Big Daddy Kane

    1. Glad it never manifested…..they are #2 (Ra) & #3 (Kane) on my personal ‘GOAT’ list, just behind the Blastmaster ofcourse

      1. I think this would’ve have been something epic had it happened. Kane might’ve actually needed it to keep him from falling off like he did and continuing with that rap’s Marvin Gaye sh*t. Would’ve put the battery in his back like what “Takeover” did to/for Nas.

    2. It must be a peaceful retirement for both of them, knowing that MMG and it’s leader and visionary, Rick Ross, keeps dropping qyality, real hip hop albums and mixtapes. Golden Age is def not over.

      1. CO-SIGN. Not funny at all, fuck outta here compairing a CO to two of Hip Hop’s Pioneers……I swear Im ready to give up on this genre of music…..

      1. Not true – like he said, it helped Kane and Him keep their game, and in turn, the fans were given quality rap.

        Not like beef a few years on, for money, where people died, and the seemingly fabricated Young Money/Jay-Z/Kanye beef where the only ones who lose out are the fans.

      2. Rakim told this story years ago, so it’s not like he’s just now telling it to keep his name out there.

      1. Y’all niggas deal with emotions like bitches
        What’s sad is I love you ’cause you’re my brother
        You traded your soul for riches
        My child, I’ve watched you grow up to be famous
        And now I smile like a proud dad, watchin his only son that made it
        You seem to be only concerned with dissin women
        Were you abused as a child, scared to smile, they called you ugly?
        Well life is harsh, hug me, don’t reject me
        or make records to disrespect me, blatant or indirectly
        In ’88 you was gettin chased through your buildin
        Callin my crib and I ain’t even give you my numbers
        All I did was gave you a style for you to run with
        Smilin in my face, glad to break bread with the god
        Wearin Jaz chains, no tecs, no cash, no cars
        No jail bars Jigga, no pies, no case
        Just Hawaiian shirts, hangin with little Chase
        You a fan, a phony, a fake, a pussy, a Stan
        I still whip your ass, you thirty-six in a karate class
        You Tae-bo hoe, tryna’ work it out, you tryna’ get brolic?
        Ask me if I’m tryna’ kick knowledge
        Nah, I’m tryna’ kick the shit you need to learn though
        That ether, that shit that make your soul burn slow
        Is he Dame Diddy, Dame Daddy or Dame Dummy?
        Oh, I get it, you Biggie and he’s Puffy
        Rockefeller died of AIDS, that was the end of his chapter
        And that’s the guy y’all chose to name your company after?
        Put it together, I rock hoes, y’all rock fellas
        And now y’all try to take my spot, fellas?
        Philly’s hot rock fellas, put you in a dry spot, fellas
        In a pine box with nine shots from my glock, fellas
        Foxy got you hot ’cause you kept your face in her puss
        What you think, you gettin girls now ’cause of your looks?
        Ne-gro please
        You no mustache havin, with whiskers like a rat
        Compared to Beans you wack
        And your man stabbed Un and made you take the blame
        You ass, went from Jaz to hangin with Kane, to Irv, to Big
        And, Eminem murdered you on your own shit
        You a dick-ridin faggot, you love the attention
        Queens niggas run you niggas, ask Russell Simmons
        Ha, R-O-C get gunned up and clapped quick
        J.J. Evans get gunned up and clapped quick
        Your whole damn record label gunned up and clapped quick
        Shaun Carter to Jay-Z, damn you on Jaz dick
        So little shorty’s gettin gunned up and clapped quick
        How much of Biggie’s rhymes is gon’ come out your fat lips?
        Wanted to be on every last one of my classics
        You pop shit, apologize, nigga, just ask Kiss

    3. Ra ain’t fucking with kane, i say that because ra is on every bodys alist.

      And you shortys better do some home work before giving your two cents on you version of Rap

    4. “and in turn, the fans were given quality rap”

      It didn’t help them make truckloads of money or achieve that crossover success, so like I said, get a life Rakim. Dre gave you the opportunity to really blow and you dropped the ball like TO will this season with the Seahawks.

      1. ^^^ Typed by someone with much less of a life than Rakim so how much of a girl are you?? Haha yeah don’t waste the keystrokes lil bitch…

      2. You obviously young and don’t even know that they came out at a time where cats were only out to outrhyme each other, if the money came good, if not no big deal, since it wasn’t the focus just rhyming, scratching or making beats, think of them as the cats doing the math before calculators you can’t hate because rap wasn’t even around 15 yers when they were in their prime. Actually even your favorite rapper would slap the taste out your mouth for your comment.

      3. Weren’t out to make money? Is that why Rakim and Eric B were in a St Ides commercial you delusional faggot?

      4. @doja Like I said earlier if the money good, if it didn’t no big deal, and if the money came their vision wasn’t beyond a nice apartment, truck jewels and a 190Benz. Yeah they got commercial deals but they really were out to have the best flows. No delusion here bruh it was how skateboarders just fall into endorsements tho they care more about the illest trick they can invent.

    5. Nobody told you to click the page link or comment punk. Ignore it just like the rest of the nation ignores the Seahawks.

    6. 5 reasons why Kane is better than Rakim:

      1: He’s got compound rhymes
      2: He can rhyme fast
      3: He’s got a Grammy
      4: He’s handsome
      5: He’s from Brooklyn

      1. What, uhh, yo
        Just when things seemed the same, and the whole scene is lame
        I come and reign with the unexplained for the brains ’til things change
        They strain to sling slang, I’m trained to bring game
        History that I arranged been regained by King James
        Go to practice, with tactics, when the track hits, theatrics
        Women that look like actress the status of Cleopatra’s
        Stacks of mathematics to feed yo-asiatics
        As I find out, what the facts is, for geographic
        No time to sip Mo’s with hostess, never mind what the total gross is
        I rip shows, stay focused, and split cheese, with soldiers
        While you hit trees and coast I spit flows that be ferocious
        And with these explosives, I split seas for Moses
        Shine permanently only my mind’s concernin me
        Fire burns in me eternally time’s eternity
        Followers turn on me they’ll be in a mental infirmary
        Determinely advance technology better than Germany
        Since the first days you know of, till the last days is over
        I was always the flow-er, I made waves for Noah
        From a compound, to the anatomy, to the breakdown of a atom
        Some of my rap patterns, still surround Saturn
        From the ancient hieroglyphics, to graffiti painted pictures
        I study I know the scriptures but nowaday ain’t it vicious
        Date back I go beyond, check the holy Qu’ran
        To speeches at the autobahn, now we get our party on
        So being benificent, I bless em with dialogue
        They expectin the next testament, by the God
        I roam through battlezones with chrome for chaperone
        Blast beat with saxophones one of the baddest rappers known
        Every country city and borough, sidestreet and ghetto
        Isle and alley and meadow, theories thorough enough to echo
        When it was one mass of land, with one nash’ of man
        And the whole mass was ran under one master plan
        Since the world’s metamorphis, and the plan is kept in orbit
        Turntables we spin awkward but needles never skip off it
        Rhythms we expressin similar to our ancestors
        It’ll answer your questions if you understand the message
        From the days of the slave choppers, to the new age of prophets
        As heavy as hip-hop is I’m always ready to drop it
        From the mind which is one of Allah’s best designs
        And mines’ll stand the test of time, when I rhyme

      2. 5 reasons why you are a bitch

        1) you sound like a bitch
        2) you act like a bitch
        3) you look like a bitch
        4) you smell like a bitch
        5) you think like a bitch

    7. two of the best mc’s ever. today you have only faggots who think they are dope like: lil wayne, drake, 50 cent and rick ross but they all garbage.

    8. NOBODY GIVES A FUCK ABOUT THESE TWO OLD ASS CLOWNS, RETIRE, PLEASE, BOTH OF YOU

      RAKIM WAS WORSE THAN THE ALL SLAUGHTERHOUSE MEMBERS AND KENDRICK LAMAR PUT TOGETHER, I CAN’T EVEN EXPRESS IT HOW WACK IT WAZ

      TAYLOR GANG YMCMB SODMG MMG OVO FOREVER

    9. GM Caz and Mele Mel is to Rakim and Kane to Jay and Nas just like what Larry Bird and Magic is Jordan and Barkley is to Lebron and Kobe all great, respect.

    10. “Typed by someone with much less of a life than Rakim”

      I C I struck a cord. Now go dust off your cassette singles and come back when you can handle an opinion.

      1. What makes your opinion better than theirs? You offer zero insight on the topics at hand, and I can tell when you comment.

    11. “the money came good, if not no big deal”

      Imagine if Jay had thought that way. If you ain’t in it for the presidents, then don’t even bother picking up a mic.

      1. It’s bitches like you that deserve to get lynched. For real. Ask any MC from the 70’s if he was doing it for the $. Rap music got fucked once corporates got involved with it.

    12. man everybody will tell you, it was done for partying. white folks got on it with sugar hill and the disco vibe. rakim and kane called each other before the shit even got started. that’s what i say that the next gen is getting confused. don’t imitate art. be a man, be talented and stay focused. even jay z doesn’t have roots anymore. hell even country music is crossing over. but the pioneers like willie nelson congratulate the newcomers. they don’t diss them….rap music is trying too hard to imitate art. just live life. and if you’re talented, don’t let any record company water down your sound. thats easier said than done though, from what i’ve experienced

    13. i wish kane never called ra and squashed the beef cz that shit would of been the greatest battle in rap history

    14. “What makes your opinion better than theirs”

      Mine is laced with fact. They react with emotion, which is hilarious considering this is a blog site, not real life.

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