ABOUT
The only thing more iconic, interesting, and intriguing than the stories Slick Rick tells on wax might be his own. Lasting through four decades, six presidencies, and countless trends, he endures as “the most sampled hip-hop artist in history” with GRAMMY® Award nominations and numerous multiplatinum albums to his name. It’s why he remains synonymous with rap music, culture, and fashion. It’s why he counts some of the most influential people in the world as ardent admirers—whether it be Eminem declaring, “I’m just a product of Slick Rick” on 2020’s “Godzilla,” JAY-Z citing him as an inspiration on NETFLIX’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, A-list star Idris Elba signing him to his 7 Wallace UK imprint, Mark Ronson dissecting his work as part of a TED Talk, or Mariah Carey welcoming him on stage to perform their duet “Giving Me Life” during a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall in 2019. It’s why rappers started to ditch jeans and oversized hoodies for high fashion—as WWD notes, “Slick Rick pioneered the merge of luxury and street.” It’s why no celebration is complete until somebody busts out “La-Di-Da-Di”, “Mona Lisa”, “Hey Young World” or “Children’s Story”.
And, here we go…
Born to Jamaican parents, the man named Ricky Walters emigrated from the posh side of London to The Bronx in 1976. After majoring in visual art at Fiorella H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, he transferred his artistic tendencies to music. Alongside Doug E. Fresh, he cooked up “The Show” and “La Di Da Di.” The latter would be sampled, interpolated, and shouted out north of 800 times by 2020, spanning Snoop Dogg’s “Lodi Dodi” from 1993’s seminal Doggy Style through Jay Rock’s GRAMMY® Award-winning “King’s Dead” [feat. Future, Kendrick Lamar, & James Blake] from the chart-dominating Black Panther: The Album in 2018. Its long history includes nods by Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, The Notorious B.I.G., Pusha T, and many more.
He made history as “the third artist signed to Def Jam Recordings” and “the most successful British-American rapper,” delivering an unimpeachable discography comprised of The Great Adventures of Slick Rick [1988], The Ruler’s Back [1991], Behind Bars [1994], and The Art of Storytelling [1999]. Not to mention, he teamed up with JAY-Z, Missy Elliott, OutKast, Jermaine Dupri, Mos Def, Common, and Aaliyah for blockbuster joint records. Meanwhile, Amy Winehouse, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, J. Cole, and Big Sean have all referenced him in songs. VH-1 Hip Hop Honors celebrated him in 2008 and The Source ranked him in the Top 5 of its “Top 50 Lyricists of All Time.” Time and time again, he lived up to the titles of “Hip-Hop’s Greatest Storyteller” and, of course, “The Ruler.” Extending his presence, Rick’s growing filmography comprises ten movies and music videos such as “No Stylist” by French Montana and Drake.
His fly fashion sense is just as recognizable as his smooth flow and didactic bars. Dissecting his legendary look, WWD observed, “He still loves his Clarks Wallabees, which he customized with a platform sole, and he is still fond of big pieces of jewelry.” He starred in a high-profile MCM “POP-IN @ NORDSTROM” Campaign and collaborated with brands such as Puma, Ballys, Urban Outfitters, Odd Sox, and Optics, to name a few. Of course, he came in #1 on The 40 Flyest List “The Best Dressed Rappers Of All Time.” Would you expect anything else though, really?
Not only does he remain a pillar of the hip-hop community, but he also is entwined with the local and global communities. He co-sponsored The Bronx Youth Empowerment Program’s Christmas Charity Event for three years and fought homelessness alongside politicians in New York and Florida. He participated in will.i.am’s “TRANS4M” concert, which benefited the “I.AM.ANGEL FOUNDATION” to the tune of $2.4 million. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture paid homage to him with a popular exhibition, and he claimed a place on The Bronx Walk of Fame as well as a street named after him in The Bronx. He works tirelessly against youth incarceration and poverty and supports children’s literacy initiatives and the current Black Lives Matter protests and movements.
In many ways, the story is just getting started. He will drop his first album in 21 years imminently and continues to collaborate with some of the most influential names in entertainment and fashion. The New York Times put it best with the headline, “Hip-Hop pioneer still has stories to tell.”
However, after all of these years, there’s still nothing like the story of Slick Rick.