His fusion band, Las Supper, has just released their debut album, Back to the Future, which is steeped in the pop-soul catalogue of Motown and Stax Records. And while Kane sparked controversy among rap purists for collaborating with R&B artists, he also crafted a blueprint for his protégé, Jay-Z.Īnd now, at 44, Kane-a father of three who resides in North Carolina-is exploring uncharted territory once again. As everyone from Slick Rick to MC Lyte reigned supreme during hip-hop's New York–centric heyday of the late 1980s and early ’90s, Kane held his own by delivering rhymes-punctuated by clever quips-that seamlessly veered from rock-the-mic braggadocio and playful romance (he dubbed himself “Dark Gable”) to sociopolitical commentary.
