Taste of Chocolate 1990 Album

Big Daddy Kane

After revisiting BDK's first two albums, hitting play on this one feels like a breath of fresh air. The shift into the '90s definitely works in its favour. The best moments in the first half remind me of my favourite BDK album, 'Daddy’s Home'. The first six tracks all stand out, each bringing a distinct vibe. However, Gamilah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, should have stayed off the mic on 'Who Am I'. The song itself is solid, but her weak performance does it no favours. From 'All of Me' onward, the album takes a different turn. I love Barry White and have gone deep into his vast discography, but 'All of Me'—released as a single—just sounds like a weaker-than-average Barry White track. And BDK doesn’t even rap on it; instead, he tries to out-Barry White Barry White. That said, it’s not bad and still an improvement over the slow love songs from his previous albums. 'Put Your Weight on It' brings it back to the old-school, with BDK spitting over nothing but three drum breaks in succession. Then there’s 'Big Daddy Vs. Dolemite', where the two titular figures go head-to-head in a battle of rhymes. If you’re unfamiliar, Dolemite was a comedian and actor known for the kind of wordplay that drives this track. All in all, the album is solid, but it dips after the first half. It starts off feeling very much of its era before shifting back toward the '80s, with the production becoming less engaging as it progresses. Beats: ★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★ Hooks: ★★★ Best Tracks: Cause I Can Do It Right, It's Hard Being the Kane, No Damn Good