Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop.
The name Big Daddy Kane came from a variation on Caine, David Carradine's character from the TV show Kung Fu (1972-1975), and a character called "Big Daddy" Vincent Price played in the film Beach Party (1963). Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs".