Sincerely Yours… The Smooth Operator

As a friend put it, this week came in with elbows and knees swinging. It was a week and, although I feel like I accomplished a lot and got to see a lot of amazing and interesting shows, by the time Friday night rolled around, I was drained. I wanted a chill show. Something I could just sit back and get lost in. That’s not what I got from Big Daddy Kane at The Dakota. Well, it was, but in a weird kind of way.

Big Daddy Kane (born Antonio Hardy) is a legend. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew and quickly became an influential wordsmith of the hip-hop scene. He has worked with everyone from Public Enemy to Patti LaBelle, Quincy Jones to MF Doom, and continues to be at the top of many lists regarding the most influential and skilled rappers. But Big Daddy Kane is not just a rapper. Sure, he has an absolutely genius way of stringing words together and creating art with his word choice, but, as proven on Friday night, he’s more than just a rapper; he’s a performer.

I was at this show to hear him perform, but I felt like that almost took a backseat to his charisma that shone in the spotlights. Before spitting a single line of words, Big Daddy Kane addressed the audience with an amazing and genuine sense of humor. The Dakota has a supper club kind of vibe. Their food is amazing, and although people are urged to get to shows early to enjoy the delicious plates they have to offer, some wait and order as the shows start. Big Daddy Kane called this out and told people to go ahead and finish their meals; he could wait. It wasn’t snarky, but it also wasn’t a joke. He quickly started calling people out in the audience and asking them their names and other various questions. One of the first victims was a gentleman who had brought his son to the show. Upon learning that said son was just twenty-one years old, Big Daddy Kane asked this kid to name his three favorite Big Daddy Kane songs. Crickets and then laughter. I instantly saw a side of Big Daddy Kane that I didn’t expect to see at this show– the humorous, Antonio Hardy side.

Big Daddy Kane and his absolutely amazing band performed a song, and then it was quickly back to the audience. He started introducing himself to people and asking for their names, adding a personal touch that, again, you wouldn’t quite expect from a superstar like this. At one point, someone tried to get sneaky and snap a crude selfie with Big Daddy Kane in the background. This was quickly spotted, and Big Daddy Kane stopped everything and gave this patron a perfect selfie on the stage. The night went on with this, with Big Daddy Kane in the audience, making this larger-than-life musician feel more like an average Joe type (okay, that sounds harsh, but I think you know what I mean). I could feel my heart going from feelings of being thrilled to laughing to just being completely enamored by this “Smooth Operator.”

One of the staff members came up to me as I was sitting at my spot and just taking it in. “There’s a clear difference between a musician and a performer.” That’s all that needed to be said. This person had nailed it. I wasn’t just watching a world-renowned musician; I was watching a performer. Unfortunately, I wanted to see the musician side and feel like that kind of got lost in the performance of it all. It wasn’t even a performance. Scratch that. I was watching Antonio Hardy work his magic, let his charisma shine brighter than the spotlights, and although I loved every second of it, I wish I had seen more of Big Daddy Kane.

The songs that I did get to hear were flawless. Whether it was Big Daddy Kane’s smooth voice or the seamless instrumentation coming from his amazing band, everything about the music that I got to hear felt like it was of recording quality. Obviously, this is the way it should be, but I think I was just a bit surprised, as 1986 was a long time ago, and it was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this guy has been doing this for 40 years and still has it. His words flew like missiles straight to the hearts of everyone in the audience. Even if the words weren’t super deep or the song a bit more fun than serious, something about seeing such a great talent just hit everyone. I loved the way the audience went from boisterous laughter to complete silence depending on what Big Daddy Kane was doing on the microphone. It just goes to prove the sheer strength of this performer, but again, the way he connected with every single person in the club.

I went to The Dakota on Friday night for a chill show. One where I could just sit back and enjoy the legendary magic that is Big Daddy Kane. I ended up spending my night falling in love with Antonio Hardy and all of the genuine positivity and love that he brought to the room. What a way to decompress after a wacky and wild week.