8

SATURDAY

He was responsible for a slew of legit hiphop classics, but when Big Daddy Kane tried to merge braggart rap and sappy R&B, he sabotaged a once mighty career. Kane went from Brooklyn stoop-ruling boasts such as “Ain’t No Half-Steppin’” to syrupy pillow talk almost overnight—unacceptable pre-P. Diddy behavior. And when Kane was joined by Barry White on 1990’s “All of Me,” his duet with the burly baby-inducer brought yelps from rap fans and marked a steady erosion of his street cred. For the past decade, Kane’s tried to grab it back by nixing a wardrobe of white suits in favor of sweats and hoodies. A blazing turn on Jurassic 5’s latest disc earned new followers, and gritty tracks with beatsmiths such as the Alchemist show that the tenacious Daddy ain’t done yet. Big Daddy Kane plays with Killah Priest and Bazaar Royale at 6:30 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $10. (202) 393-0930. (Craig Smith)