View source for Slick Rick

{{Short description|English-American rapper and record producer (born 1965)}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Slick Rick
| image              = Slick Rick - The Ruler.jpg
| caption            = Slick Rick performing in 2009
| image_size         = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| birth_name         = Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1965|01|14}}
| birth_place        = [[Mitcham]], London, England
| alias              = {{flatlist|
* Rick the Ruler
* MC Ricky D
}}
| citizenship        = {{hlist|United Kingdom|United States}}
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
* Rapper
* songwriter
* record producer
}}
| years_active       = 1984–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|Mandy Aragones|1997}}
| children           = 2
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| embed              = yes
| origin             = [[New York City]], U.S.
| genre              = [[Hip-hop]]
| discography        = [[Slick Rick discography]]
| label              = {{hlist|[[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]]|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]|[[Mass Appeal Records|Mass Appeal]]|7Wallace}}
| website            = 
}}
}}

'''Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters'''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Kyann-Sian |title=Slick Rick talks new album 'VICTORY': “Different generations, different energies, same respect” |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/slick-rick-interview-victory-idris-elba-giggs-rap-future-advice-3870898 |website=NME |access-date=June 21, 2025 |date=June 19, 2025}}</ref> (born January 14, 1965),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Mike|date=January 14, 2023|title=Today's famous birthdays list for January 14, 2023 includes celebrities Dave Grohl, Carl Weathers |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/01/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-january-14-2023-includes-celebrities-dave-grohl-carl-weathers.html |access-date=January 14, 2023 |website=[[Cleveland.com]]}}</ref> better known as '''Slick Rick''', is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence as part of [[Doug E. Fresh|Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew]] in the mid-1980s. His songs "[[The Show (Doug E. Fresh song)|The Show]]" and "[[La Di Da Di]]" are considered early [[hip-hop]] classics. "La Di Da Di" is one of the most [[Sampling (music)|sampled]] songs in history.<ref name="sample">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-la-di-da-di-a-b-side-from-1985-became-one-of-musics-most-sampled-songs-11558522800 |title=How 'La Di Da Di,' a B-Side From 1985, Became One of Music's Most-Sampled Songs |work=The Wall Street Journal |author=Michael Driscoll |date=May 22, 2019}}</ref>

As Slick Rick, Walters became the third artist to sign with [[Def Jam Recordings]] in 1986.<ref name="Biography of Slick Rick">{{cite web|url=http://www.ricktheruler.net/biography/|title=Biography of Slick Rick|website=Ricktheruler.net|access-date=April 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323142215/http://www.ricktheruler.net/biography/|archive-date=March 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> He debuted with ''[[The Great Adventures of Slick Rick]]'' (1988), showcasing his storytelling structure mixed with humor and complex rhymes, including his signature song, "[[Children's Story]]." Facing murder charges and incarceration, Walters released two albums: ''[[The Ruler's Back]]'' (1991) and ''[[Behind Bars (Slick Rick album)|Behind Bars]]'' (1994). After being released from prison in 1997, Walters made a comeback with his fourth studio album, ''[[The Art of Storytelling]]'' (1999).<ref name="schan"/> In 2025, he dropped ''[[Victory (Slick Rick album)|Victory]]'' on [[Mass Appeal Records]].

His music has been sampled and [[Interpolation (popular music)|interpolated]] over 1,000 times,<ref name="sample"/><ref>{{cite web |url= https://blog.whosampled.com/2014/01/28/top-10-all-time-most-sampled-records-in-hip-hop/ |title= Top 10 All Time Most Sampled Records in Hip Hop |author= Who Sampled Blog |access-date= January 29, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160420105007/https://blog.whosampled.com/2014/01/28/top-10-all-time-most-sampled-records-in-hip-hop/ |archive-date= April 20, 2016 |url-status= dead }}</ref> in songs by artists including [[Eminem]], [[Beyoncé]], [[Mariah Carey]], [[Beastie Boys]], [[TLC (band)|TLC]], [[Nas]], [[Miley Cyrus]], [[Kanye West]], [[MF Doom|MF DOOM]], [[Czarface]], [[Black Star (group)|Black Star]], [[The Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Snoop Dogg]], [[MC Ren]], [[Montell Jordan]], [[Tech N9ne]], [[Lloyd (singer)|Lloyd]], and [[Color Me Badd]]. Walters is one of the most-sampled hip-hop artists of all time, and many songs based on Slick Rick samples have become hit singles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pixelvulture.com/2015/04/top-10-most-sampled-songs-of-all-time/|title=Top 10 Most Sampled Songs of All Time|website=PixelVulture.com|access-date=April 11, 2016|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809040106/http://pixelvulture.com/2015/04/top-10-most-sampled-songs-of-all-time/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Walters was one of the first hip-hop artists to be covered when [[Snoop Dogg]] rapped Rick's lyrics from his track "La Di Da Di" almost fully on the track "Lodi Dodi," on his debut album, ''[[Doggystyle]]'', in 1993. At the time, it was uncommon for rappers to record covers of each other's material.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.29812/title.dana-dane-says-snoop-doggs-la-di-da-di-cover-completely-changed-rap#/|title=Dana Dane Says Snoop Dogg's "La-Di-Da-Di" Cover Completely Changed Rap|website=hiphopdx.com|date=July 18, 2014 |access-date=August 16, 2021}}</ref>

A [[VH1]] ''Hip Hop Honors'' honoree, [[About.com]] ranked Slick Rick {{Abbr|No.|number}}&nbsp;12 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_8.htm |title=50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987 - 2007) |publisher=Rap.about.com |date=February 15, 1999 |access-date=August 13, 2015 |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405155411/http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top50Emcees_8.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> while ''[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]'' ranked him No.&nbsp;15 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.<ref>[http://www.thisis50.com/forum/topics/the-source-s-top-50-lyricists-of-all-time-complete-list-inside "The Source's Top 50 Lyricists Of All Time ,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000719/http://www.thisis50.com/forum/topics/the-source-s-top-50-lyricists-of-all-time-complete-list-inside |date=December 31, 2013 }} Thisis50.com, July 7, 2012.</ref>

==Early life==
Walters was born in the South-West London area of [[Mitcham]] to [[Jamaicans|Jamaican]] parents.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trenchtrenchtrench.com/features/slick-rick-interview?|first=Jesse|last=Bernard|title=Slick Rick, The Mitcham Rap Legend, Is Still Deeply In Love With Hip-Hop|website=Trench|date=August 14, 2019|access-date=June 15, 2024}}</ref> He was blinded in the right eye by broken glass as an infant, which led to his signature eye patch in his career.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p97|pure_url=yes}} |first=John |last= Bush |title=Slick Rick Biography and History|website=AllMusic|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> In 1976, when Walters was 11, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in the [[Baychester]] area of [[the Bronx]].<ref name="dgonzalez">David Gonzalez, [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/nyregion/at-50-slick-rick-a-hip-hop-pioneer-still-has-stories-to-tell.html?ref=arts&_r=1 "At 50, a Hip-Hop Pioneer Still Has Stories to Tell,"] ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 8, 2015.</ref> At [[The High School of Music & Art|Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art]], he majored in visual art and met [[Dana Dane]]. The pair became close friends and formed the Kangol Crew,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphoplegacies.com/profiles/slick-rick/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427125542/http://www.hiphoplegacies.com/profiles/slick-rick/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 27, 2016|title=Slick Rick|website=Hiphoplegacies.com|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> performing in school contests, parks, and small local clubs.

Walters met [[Doug E. Fresh]] at a 1984 talent showcase.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279586/slick-rick/biography|title=Slick Rick - Biography|website=Billboard.com|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> Doug was impressed by his talent and made him a member of his Get Fresh crew. Doug's beatbox and Walters' fresh flow turned "[[The Show (Doug E. Fresh song)|The Show]]"/"[[La Di Da Di]]" into international anthems that showcased hip-hop in its early years. Walters became the launching pad for "hip-hop's greatest storyteller."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Huey |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-great-adventures-of-slick-rick-mw0000198545 |title=The Great Adventures of Slick Rick - Slick Rick &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref>

== Career ==
===Initial fame===
Walters' career began in 1985; he first gained success in the rap industry after joining [[Doug E. Fresh]]'s Get Fresh Crew, using the stage name MC Ricky D. He was featured on the single "[[The Show (Doug E. Fresh song)|The Show]]" and its even more popular [[B-side]], "[[La Di Da Di]]", which featured Walters' rapping over Doug E. Fresh's [[beatbox]]. Both tracks gained some mainstream attention, they appeared on ''[[Top of the Pops]]''<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/11mjaLQWZ6U Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150602085749/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11mjaLQWZ6U Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11mjaLQWZ6U |title=Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew -The Show Studio, TOTP |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=April 19, 2014 |access-date=July 13, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and ''[[Soul Train]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Pmp8VtJwI | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108065507/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Pmp8VtJwI&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=November 8, 2011 | url-status=dead|title=The Show - Doug E Fresh |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=February 10, 2011 |access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref> with the Get Fresh Crew. Reflecting on the single in ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, Roots drummer and ''Tonight Show'' bandleader Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson said, "Point blank: Slick Rick's voice was the most beautiful thing to happen to hip-hop culture [...] Rick is full of punchlines, wit, melody, cool cadence, confidence and style. He is the blueprint."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/questloves-top-50-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121217/doug-e-fresh-and-the-get-fresh-crew-the-show-la-di-da-di-1985-19691231|title=Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, "The Show"/"La Di Da Di" (1985) - Questlove's Top 50 Hip-Hop Songs of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>

In 1986, Walters joined Russell Simmons's Rush Artist Management and became the third artist signed to [[Def Jam Records]],<ref name="Biography of Slick Rick"/> the leading rap/hip-hop label at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/top-ten-def-jams|title=Top Ten Def Jams|website=Clash Magazine|date=May 2013 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> Collaborating with his friend, DJ Vance Wright, Walters produced his solo debut, ''[[The Great Adventures of Slick Rick]]'', which came out in 1988 on Def Jam. The album was very successful, reaching the No.&nbsp;1 spot on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s R&B/Hip-Hop chart. It also featured four charting singles: "[[Children's Story]]", "Mona Lisa", "[[Hey Young World]]", and "[[Teenage Love (song)|Teenage Love]]". The release is known for its storytelling and vocal characterizations. "With the combination of Rick's Dick Van Dyke-on-dope accent and his unique narrative style, the record was an instant classic," wrote critic Matt Weiner. "Each of Rick's songs was an amusing, enthralling story that lasted from the first groove to the last."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sabotagetimes.com/music/the-misadventures-of-slick-rick|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110192455/http://www.sabotagetimes.com/music/the-misadventures-of-slick-rick/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 10, 2011|title=The Misadventures of Slick Rick|last=Weiner|first=Matt|date=September 21, 2014|website=Sabotagetimes.com|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>

===Incarceration and subsequent albums===
In 1989, Walters' mother, Veronica, hired his first cousin, Mark Plummer, as his bodyguard. By 1990, Plummer had become a liability, trying to extort money from the artist numerous times.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2012/10/the-30-biggest-criminal-trials-in-rap-history/slick-rick|title=The 30 Biggest Criminal Trials in Rap History - 5. ''The People of the State of New York v. Richard Walters'' (1990)|website=Complex|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> Plummer was fired and, unsatisfied with his severance package, tried to rob Walters on several occasions and threatened to kill the rapper and his mother.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/music/slick-trouble-6426075|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102180411/http://www.villagevoice.com/music/slick-trouble-6426075|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 2, 2016|title=Slick Trouble|last=Reischel|first=Julia|website=Village Voice|date=January 9, 2007 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> When Walters found bullet holes in his front door, he bought guns for protection. On July 3, 1990, Walters spotted Plummer in his neighborhood and fired at least four shots. One bullet hit Plummer; another caught a passerby in the foot. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries.<ref name="auto"/>

He eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and other charges, including assault, use of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hiphop.sh/slickrick|title=Slick Rick The Ruler|website=hiphop.sh|access-date=April 11, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417060505/http://hiphop.sh/slickrick|archive-date=April 17, 2016}}</ref> The rapper called it an act of self-defense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/no-holds-barred-years-prison-slick-rick-cuts-art-storytelling-life-back-article-1.835620|title=No holds barred - after five years in prison, Slick Rick cuts ''Art of Storytelling'' - and gets his life back|website=NY Daily News|date=May 23, 1999 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> He spent five years in prison, two for the then-second-degree attempted-murder charges he received for the shooting, and three for disputes with the [[Immigration and Naturalization Services]] over his residency in the U.S. He was released from prison in 1997.<ref name="schan">Sewell Chan, [http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/governor-pardons-hip-hop-pioneer/?_r=0 "Governor Pardons Hip-Hop Pioneer,"] ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 23, 2008.</ref> In the documentary film ''[[The Show (1995 film)|The Show]]'', [[Russell Simmons]] interviewed Walters while he was imprisoned on [[Rikers Island]].<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/1shUovH_hao Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20140521234801/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1shUovH_hao&feature=related Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |date=December 2, 2007 |title=Slick Rick Interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1shUovH_hao |access-date=March 18, 2012 |work=The Show |publisher=youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

After being bailed out by Simmons, Walters recorded his second album, ''[[The Ruler's Back]]'', released in 1991. Despite peaking at No.&nbsp;29 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defjam.com/releases/the-rulers-back/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124145626/http://www.defjam.com/releases/the-rulers-back/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2022|title=The Ruler's Back - Def Jam|website=Def Jam|language=en-US|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> the album received mixed reviews and was not as commercially successful as his debut.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

Walters' third studio album (the fourth for Def Jam), ''[[Behind Bars (Slick Rick album)|Behind Bars]]'', was released in 1994 while he was still incarcerated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Slick_Rick.aspx|title=Slick Rick Facts, information, pictures on Encyclopedia.com articles about Slick Rick|website=Encyclopedia.com|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> It was met with lukewarm sales and reviews. ''Behind Bars'' peaked at No.&nbsp;11 on the ''Billboard'' [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]] chart, and No.&nbsp;51 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defjam.com/releases/behind-bars/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124130334/http://www.defjam.com/releases/behind-bars/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2022|title=Behind Bars - Def Jam|website=Def Jam|language=en-US|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Slick rick-02.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Slick Rick in 1997]]

Walters remained with the Def Jam label and released a fourth album, ''[[The Art of Storytelling]],'' on May 25, 1999. ''The Art of Storytelling'' was a comeback-album that paired him with prolific MCs like [[Nas]], [[OutKast]], [[Raekwon]], and [[Snoop Dogg]]. The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' announced it as the "triumphant return of rap's premier yarn-spinner", calling the song "2 Way Street" "a much-needed alternative to rap's misogynistic slant".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-may-23-ca-40001-story.html|title=Slick Rick Makes His Return to Rap, Ever the Storyteller|last=Baker|first=Soren|date=May 23, 1999|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref> It charted higher than any of his prior releases: No.&nbsp;8 on the ''Billboard'' 200; and No.&nbsp;1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

In June 2002, Walters was arrested by the [[Immigration and Naturalization Service]] (INS) as he re-entered the United States through [[Florida]] after performing on a Caribbean cruise ship. He was promptly told that he was being deported under a law allowing deportation of foreigners convicted of felonies. Walters was refused bail for 17 months and was released on November 7, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/04/slick.rick.ap/ |title=Slick Rick regains legal status |access-date=May 24, 2004 |agency=Associated Press |date=November 4, 2003 |work=CNN.com |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071206142745/http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/04/slick.rick.ap/ |archive-date = December 6, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1480288/20031107/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040203225843/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1480288/20031107/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2004 |title=The Great Adventures Can Resume: Slick Rick Is A Free Man |access-date=May 24, 2008 |first=Joseph |last=Patel |date=November 7, 2003 |work=MTV.com}}</ref> In October 2006, the [[Department of Homeland Security]] began a new attempt to deport Walters back to the [[United Kingdom]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/10/slick_rick_facing_deportation_again/ |title=Slick Rick Facing Deportation, Again |access-date=May 24, 2008 |first=Alexis |last=Jeffries |date=October 18, 2006 |work=Vibe |publisher=Vibe Media Group, Inc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203125624/http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/10/slick_rick_facing_deportation_again/ |archive-date=December 3, 2008 }}</ref> moving the case from the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] based in New York to the more conservative [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit|Eleventh Circuit]]. The court is based in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], but the trial was expected to proceed in Florida, where immigration agents originally arrested Walters.

On May 23, 2008, New York Governor [[David Paterson]] granted Walters a full and unconditional pardon on the attempted murder charges. The governor was pleased with his behavior since the attempted murders. Slick Rick volunteered his time to mentor kids about violence.<ref name="schan"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://abc7ny.com/archive/6161854/ |title=Hip-hop pioneer 'Slick Rick' pardoned |access-date=May 24, 2008 |agency=Associated Press |date=May 23, 2008 |work=ABC News |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203014701/http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=6161854 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Later career and life===
Walters married Mandy Aragones in April 1997, four years after the couple met at a Manhattan nightclub. The performer has two children from a previous relationship. The couple have donated about a dozen items from Walters' collection to the [[National Museum of African American History and Culture|Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]].<ref name="dgonzalez"/>
[[File:Out4Fame-Festival 2016 - Slick Rick - 2.JPG|thumb|Slick Rick at the Out4Fame Festival in 2016]]
Walters and the [[Soul Rebels Brass Band]] collaborated on June 21, 2012, in Washington, D.C. at the historic [[Howard Theatre]], which re-opened in April 2012.<ref name="Howard Theatre">{{cite web|title=Soul Rebels at the Howard Theatre|url=http://thehowardtheatre.com/show/2012/06/21/slick-rick/|publisher=Thehowardtheatre.com|access-date=April 7, 2012|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807041927/http://thehowardtheatre.com/show/2012/06/21/slick-rick/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Walters received the Mixx Cares Humanitarian Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latinmixx.com/latinmixx2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=336:mixx-cares-humanitarian-award-recipient&catid=9:featured&Itemid=43|title=Mixx Cares Humanitarian Award Recipient|website=Latinmixx.com|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>

On April 15, 2016, Walters was granted U.S. citizenship, remarking, "I am so proud of this moment—and so honored to finally become an American citizen."<ref name="tmz.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2016/04/15/rap-legend-slick-rick-u-s-citizen/ |title=Rap Legend Slick Rick Becomes a U.S. Citizen! |website=TMZ.com |date=April 15, 2016 |access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name="citizenRollingStone">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/slick-rick-granted-u-s-citizenship-after-decades-long-battle-20160415|title=Slick Rick Granted U.S. Citizenship After Decades-Long Battle|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> He retained his UK citizenship.<ref name="tmz.com"/><ref name="citizenRollingStone"/>

On November 2, 2018, Walters released the single "Snakes of the World Today". In 2020, Walters featured on [[Westside Gunn]]'s album ''[[Who Made the Sunshine]]''. In September 2023, it was announced that Walters was finishing up work on a new solo album, his first since ''Art of Storytelling''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ambrosiaforheads.com/2023/09/slick-rick-new-album/|title=Slick Rick's First New Album In 24 Years Is Reportedly On The Way|website=Ambrosia for Heads|date=9 September 2023 }}</ref> It was confirmed in May 2025 that the album, titled ''[[Victory (Slick Rick album)|Victory]]'', released through [[Idris Elba]]'s 7Wallace record label and [[Mass Appeal Records]]. It was accompanied by a film to premiere at [[Tribeca Film Festival]] on June 7.<ref>{{cite web|title=Slick Rick To Release 'VICTORY' on June 13, First New Album in 25 Years|author=Navjosh|url=https://hiphop-n-more.com/2025/05/slick-rick-to-release-victory-on-june-13-first-new-album-in-25-years/|website=HipHopNMore|date=May 15, 2025}}</ref> On June 13, 2025, ''Victory'', his first album in 26 years, released on streaming services, with features including [[Giggs (rapper)|Giggs]] and [[Nas]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Slick Rick returns after 26 years with 'Victory' album and proves hip-hop storytelling still reigns|last=Landrum II|first=Jonathan|url=https://apnews.com/article/slick-rick-victory-c8e04a936301ba183b29191177056146|website=AP News|date=June 13, 2025|access-date=June 15, 2025}}</ref>

==Honors==
[[File:Slick Rick performs at Halftime of the WNBA Playoffs.jpg|alt=The rapper Slick Rick performs at a basketball arena with backup dancers and the team mascot for the NY Liberty|thumb|Slick Rick performs at Halftime of the WNBA Playoffs during the NY Liberty/Las Vegas Aces semi-final game on September 29, 2024.]]
On October 6, 2008, Walters was honored on the [[VH1 Hip Hop Honors]] show. In 2018, he was added to the [[Bronx Walk of Fame]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

==Rapping style==
Walters' style has been commended by music critics. Music journalist [[Peter Shapiro (journalist)|Peter Shapiro]] wrote, "&thinsp;'Children's Story' was important because of its narrative structure and Walter's understanding of how crucial little sonic details—such as his use of a female voice and his yawning rap—were to hip hop style."<ref name="Shapiro Rough 336">Shapiro, Peter. ''The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition'', Penguin, 2005, p.336.</ref>

{{Listen
| filename    = Slick Rick - Children's Story.ogg
| title       = "Children's Story"
| description = A 24-second sample of Walters' signature song, "[[Children's Story]]." The song's structure is in the form of a cautionary children's tale, with themes of robbery and shooting.
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As Slick Rick, he is largely known for his story raps, such as "Children's Story" and "La Di Da Di". Shapiro wrote that Walters "largely introduced the art of narrative into hip hop... none of the spinners of picaresque rhymes who followed did it with the same grace or humor."<ref>Shapiro, Peter, 2005, ''The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition'', Penguin, p. 337.</ref> [[AllMusic]] stated that he has the "reputation as hip hop's greatest storyteller."{{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}<!-- Empty reference <ref name="ReferenceA"/>--> In the book ''[[Check the Technique]]'', Walters is quoted as saying: "I was never the type to say freestyle raps, I usually tell a story, and to do that well I've always had to work things out beforehand."<ref name="Coleman, Brian 2007, p. 319">Coleman, Brian. ''[[Check The Technique]]: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 319.</ref> [[Kool Moe Dee]] commented that "Slick Rick raised the lost art of hip hop storytelling to a level never seen again."<ref name="Kool Moe Dee 2003, p.63">Kool Moe Dee. ''[[There's A God On The Mic]]: The True 50 Greatest MCs'', Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003, p.63.</ref> [[Devin the Dude]] noted that Slick Rick's "Indian Girl" is a good example of the type of humor that existed in hip hop's golden era,<ref>Edwards, Paul. ''[[How to Rap]]: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, 2009, p. 39.</ref> and Peter Shapiro said that "he was funnier than [[Rudy Ray Moore]] or [[Redd Foxx]]."<ref name="Shapiro Rough 336" />

Walters retains some English pronunciations, which led Shapiro to say that Walters raps in the "[[British English|Queen's English]]".<ref name="Shapiro Rough 336" /> [[O.C. (rapper)|O.C.]] states: "''[[The Great Adventures of Slick Rick]]'' is one of the greatest albums ever... the stuff he was just saying on there, it was so clear.. the [clear] syllable dude was Slick Rick for me".<ref>Edwards, Paul, ''[[How to Rap]]: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, 2009, p. 244.</ref> He is also renowned for his unique "smooth, British-tinged flow"<ref name="Coleman, Brian 2007, p. 319"/> which contains distinct structures. In the book ''[[How to Rap]]'', it is noted that on the song "I Own America", he "puts a rest on almost every other 1-beat so that each set of two lines begins with a rest."<ref>Edwards, Paul, ''[[How to Rap]]: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, 2009, p. 129.</ref> Kool Moe Dee stated that, "Rick accomplished being totally original at a time when most MCs were using very similar cadences."<ref>Kool Moe Dee. ''[[There's A God On The Mic]]: The True 50 Greatest MCs'', Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003, p.64.</ref> He has what is described as "singsong cadences";{{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}<!-- Empty reference <ref name="ReferenceA"/>--> Andy Cat of [[Ugly Duckling (hip hop group)|Ugly Duckling]] mentions that Slick Rick uses a melodic delivery on the track "Hey Young World".<ref>Edwards, Paul. ''[[How to Rap]]: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, 2009, p. 253.</ref> Walters is also known to use [[Punch in / out|punch in]]s extensively, especially in his story rhymes as different characters;<ref>Edwards, Paul. ''[[How to Rap]]: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, 2009, p. 276.</ref> [[Kool Moe Dee]] says Walters used "multi-voices to portray multiple characters."<ref name="Kool Moe Dee 2003, p.63"/>

==Discography==
{{Main|Slick Rick discography}}

;Studio albums
* ''[[The Great Adventures of Slick Rick]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Ruler's Back]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Behind Bars (Slick Rick album)|Behind Bars]]'' (1994)
* ''[[The Art of Storytelling]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Victory (Slick Rick album)|Victory]]'' (2025)

==Filmography==
Walters makes an appearance as a playable character in the video games ''[[Def Jam: Fight for NY]]'' and ''[[Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover]]''.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ricktheruler.net}}
* {{IMDb name|0725428|Slick Rick}}

{{Slick Rick}}
{{Def Jam Recordings}}
{{Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slick Rick}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:American people convicted of assault]]
[[Category:American people convicted of attempted murder]]
[[Category:Black British male rappers]]
[[Category:British male rappers]]
[[Category:Rappers from the London Borough of Merton]]
[[Category:English expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Columbia Records artists]]
[[Category:Def Jam Recordings artists]]
[[Category:English people convicted of assault]]
[[Category:English people of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni]]
[[Category:People from South Wimbledon]]
[[Category:Rappers from the Bronx]]
[[Category:21st-century American rappers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:African-American male rappers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male rappers]]
[[Category:CTI Records artists]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:East Coast hip-hop musicians]]
[[Category:Eyepatch wearers]]
[[Category:Recipients of gubernatorial pardons in New York (state)]]