A lot of hip-hop purists would consider it blasphemy to place Big Daddy Kane this high up on the list due to his influence on today's hip-hop legends like Jay Z, Nas, and the Notorious B.I.G. Big Daddy Kane was able to balance the flashiness of being a mainstream hip-hop artist of the '80s and the lyricism that many in the culture need in order to call a particular figure one of the greatest.
As one of the members of the legendary Juice Crew, Big Daddy Kane released his debut album Love Live the Kane which widened the eyes of many young people wanting to be MCs. His hits 'Ain't No Half Steppin' and 'It's A Big Daddy Thing' contributed to what many might consider the real Golden Age of hip-hop and to this very day, Big Daddy Kane is performing his classics internationally.