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In celebration of Slick Rick's upcoming UK homecoming tour, NME asked Slick Rick to share the Soundtrack of his Life. See an excerpt below:
The Song That Makes Me Want To Dance
Nicki Minaj, feat Drake and Lil Wayne
‘Truffle Butter’
“It has a strong beat and they ride the track pretty good. They wrote it good and it has a strong sound to it. What’s my dancing like? I like to do the vogue, Madonna’s vogue – 1980s dances.”
Read more HERE.
With just a few days left before Slick Rick heads across the pond, Time Out London caught up with "The Ruler" to chat about his upbringing in England, the Hip-hop scene in the Bronx, what fans can expect from a Slick Rick show and more. Check out an excerpt below:
"What can we expect from a Slick Rick show?"
You're going to see the Slick Rick brand. You're going to see the essence, the humour and the ambience of Slick Rick.
Read the rest of the interview HERE.
Get tickets and VIP Packages to Slick Rick's "Coming Home Tour" HERE.
Just before Slick Rick embarks on his first-ever UK tour aka the "Coming Home Tour, Skiddle put together the ultimate "Slick Rick" playlist for the ultimate fan or newbie.
See which tracks made the list HERE.
As he prepares for his first ever UK tour, Crack Magazine caught with Slick Rick aka "The Ruler" discuss the peaks and troughs of his dramatic career. Check out an excerpt below:
1999: Release of Critically Acclaimed, Commercially Successful Album The Art Of Storytelling We made that up in a quiet area and we had enough time to do our thing nice and slow and calm. It was a great feeling to work with guys like OutKast and Nas. These guys were the icons of the game at that time. Their name gave your light to their audience and the younger generation. Being sampled by Snoop Dogg and everybody also helps keep your name alive. Shout out to all the vets that helped out.
Read more HERE.
It's been over 15 years since Slick Rick performed across the pond. The Ruler called into DJ Semtex's show on BBC 1Xtra to announce his upcoming "Coming Home" tour in the United Kingdom and more. Listen HERE. Check out tour dates below:
TOUR DATES:
Friday, Nov. 25: Mantra, Manchester BUY TICKETS
Saturday, Nov. 26: 02 Forum, London BUY TICKETS
Sunday, Nov. 27: 02 Academy, Bristol BUY TICKETS
Monday, Nov. 28: 02 Institute, Birmingham BUY TICKETS
Tuesday, Nov. 29: The Sugar Club, Dublin, Ireland BUY TICKETS
Wednesday, Nov. 30: Concorde 2, Brighton BUY TICKETS
Music legend Slick Rick has announced his first ever UK tour with a string of live dates in November. The tour will stop in five cities in England and one in Dublin, Ireland. The British storyteller is calling it the "Coming Home Tour" - a reference to the fact that the Bronx, New York-based rapper was born and raised in Mitcham, Surrey.
The tour will be his first visit to London since Rick (then known as MC Ricky D) and Doug E. Fresh appeared on Top of the Pops in 1985 where they performed their iconic tracks "The Show” and “La Di Da Di". The rapper thinks of it as a kind of victory lap, following the decision to grant him U.S. citizenship after a battle with the U.S. Immigration Bureau that went on for over 23 years - a period during which Rick could not travel abroad. The Grammy-nominated rapper still retains his British Citizenship.
Rick is delighted to be able to travel freely and return to the land of his birth and reconnect with his British fans. "I'm coming home, back to my foundation, my make-up, my English roots," he says. "I'm looking forward to a nice cup of tea and some tasty biscuits."
Rick's parents emigrated from Jamaica to Birmingham in 1959 before moving to London in 1963, where Rick was born two years later. As a child, he remembers listening to the music of The Beatles, The Monkees, Chubby Checker, The Carpenters, David Bowie, Diana Ross and "a lot of Dionne Warwick." His father, an admirer of Jamaican ska, turned young Rick onto the music of The Heptones, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson and Jimmy Cliff, among many others.
Rick was signed by Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen to the then fledgling label Def Jam Records in March of 1986, less than one year after recording the two-sided smash debut, released on a tiny independent label in the summer of 1985 which introduced the world to one of hip hop’s most enduringly influential talents.
“La Di Da Di” is the most sampled hip hop track ever, having been sampled over 615 times. “The Show” has also been sampled over 96 times.
The Ruler, also known for his signature moniker of an eye patch, went on to release four albums on Def Jam, including the seminal classic “The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick” in 1988, “The Rulers Back” in 1991, “Behind Bars” in 1994 and the ‘The Art Of Storytelling’ in 1999.
Timeless classics like “Children’s Story”, “Mona Lisa”, “Teenage Love”, “Hey Young World” and “Street Talking” went on to make Slick Rick one of the rap icons and hip hop’s greatest storyteller who has been feted by everyone from Jay Z, MIA, Ghostface Killah, Amy Winehouse, Nas, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj.
Rick is known for his unique delivery, but is also seen and credited as the first rapper to bring high-class fashion to hip hop, a la Liberace. His rap style boasts the trace of his English accent and cartoonish elasticity, while his fashion plays on his affection for glamour, jewellery, crowns and robes, dubbing himself "Rick the Ruler." Rick states that he's planning something “very special” for the London show - the return of "Richard of Nottingham," an honour he first applied to himself in "The Ruler's Back", a recording from his first solo album in 1988. He will be accompanied by his DJ “Kaos” and his singers “The Rickettes”.
Tour Dates
Friday, Nov. 25: Mantra, Manchester
Saturday, Nov. 26: 02 Forum, London
Sunday, Nov. 27: 02 Academy, Bristol
Monday, Nov. 28: 02 Institute, Birmingham
Tuesday, Nov. 29: The Sugar Club, Dublin, Ireland
Wednesday, Nov. 30: Concorde 2, Brighton
After a 23-year legal battle, Slick Rick finally became an American citizen in April 2016. The rapper is now opening up about his immigration journey and calling for reform of the United States' immigration system in a self-penned blog with The Huffington Post. Check out an excerpt below:
"The United States is the country I’ve lived in for 40 years. I became an American citizen in April 2016. Twenty-three years earlier I was one of the thousands of detainees witnessing first-hand the baleful effects of immigrant enforcement, which punishes victims far beyond the scale of any offense they may have committed."
Read the rest of Rick's blog HERE.
Finally an American Citizen, Slick Rick The Ruler Heads For Foreign Shores
Hip Hop Legend Co-Headlines Germany’s Out4FAME Festival Months After End of Long Legal Saga and Becoming An American Citizen
For the first time since 1990, world-renowned storyteller Slick Rick will take his stage show international, performing in Hunxe, Germany July 31, as part of the Out4FAME Festival. His slated co-headliners are De La Soul, Method Man, Redman, Rick Ross and German rapper Sido.
“I am honored to have been invited to perform at the Out4FAME festival” said Rick. “And to be sharing a stage with my emcee brothers, at one the most highly-regarded hip-hop festivals outside of the United States will be unforgettable. I am looking forward to checking out the German culture, and performing my German fans. I will also be confirming more foreign dates in the very near future.
The announcement comes two months after the Grammy-nominated artist became an American citizen, following a 23-year protracted battle with the United States Department of Homeland Security. The Ruler will maintain his U.K. sovereignty with dual-citizenship status, now labeling Rick the American-Brit. A special United Kingdom performance is being planned for Winter 2016.
"OUT4FAME Festival and OUT4FAME Entertainment is excited to welcome Slick Rick, the legendary emcee and master storyteller to Germany for the first time ever. As true hip hop fans ourselves, we want to give festival goers a taste of hip hop history" states Mario DaCosta, manager of the festival.
Get tickets HERE.
This past weekend, Slick Rick blessed fans in Sacramento, CA with an energetic performance at V101.1's "Summer Jam 2016" presented by World One Presents. Check out pics below:
Muhammad Ali was not a rapper, but to many of the genre's best lyricists, he was influential in paving the way for hip-hop stars to succeed and had a lasting impact on the art form. Slick Rick shared his memory of the late athlete with The Associated Press. See excerpt below:
"Without question, Muhammed Ali's rhymes were the beginnings of rap music. Along with his tremendous athletic talent, he provided all of us with an image of strength, intelligence, self-assurance, and an in-your-face confidence that one could only admire. To me, Muhammed Ali was a rare unique gem — no additives, no preservatives. All walks of life could feel Ali's passion with everything that he touched."
Read more HERE.
Tom Joyner caught up with Slick Rick to discuss his recent citizenship win, his "Victory" tour and more. Listen to Slick Rick's interview HERE.
"Fresh dressed like a million bucks. Threw on the Bally shoes and the fly green socks."
Slick Rick and Odd Sox have teamed up to release two customized socks from the company’s music collection. The designs feature iconic images of the Slick Rick from hip-hop’s Golden Era.
Get your "Slick Rick" socks HERE.
Slick Rick is set to embark on his "Victory Tour", kicking off in Columbus, OH May 7th and wrapping up May 31 in Asheville, NC. See tour dates below:
May 7: Lounge 13 | Columbus, OH
May 10: Waiting Room | Omaha, NE BUY TICKETS
May 11: Outland Ballroom | Springfield, MO BUY TICKETS
May 12: Riot Room | Kansas City, MO BUY TICKETS
May 13: NRG Stadium | Houston, TX BUY TICKETS
May 15: The Pageant | St. Louis, MO BUY TICKETS
May 26: The Grog Shop | Cleveland, OH BUY TICKETS
May 27: Muncheez | Beckley, WV BUY TICKETS
May 29: Ante Room | Charlottesville, VA BUY TICKETS
May 31: Grey Eagle | BUY TICKETS
Rolling Stone has unveiled their "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time" list which features old school and new school hip-hop joints. Slick Rick's smash hit "Children's Story" came in at No. 76 on the list. According to the publication, not only is Slick Rick hip-hop's first greatest storyteller, but "Children's Story" remains hip-hop's most deftly detailed story-song.
Find out if your favorite hip-hip songs made the cut HERE.
Billboard caught up with Slick Rick at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan Friday, April 15, where he was sworn in as a citizen of the United States after a 23-year legal battle. Now that he's an official U.S. citizen, Rick plans to do a little voting and a little traveling. But that's not all! He's also looking to work on new music. “I still want to break into some new stuff here and there. So when the opportunity arises, gotta dust off my shoulders, and may be able to think of a song idea here and there,” he said. “It couldn’t hurt. We can just throw it out on the Internet or with a new artist. Just for fun.”
Read the rest of Slick Rick's interview with Billboard HERE.
After a 23-year protracted legal process, pioneering Grammy-nominated hip-hop singer Ricky “Slick Rick” Martin Lloyd Walters scored a victory today when he became an American citizen. The English-born rapper and performer was sworn in at an official ceremony alongside dozens of other new citizens in New York.
“I am so proud of this moment – and so honored to finally become an American citizen,” said Slick Rick. “This has been a long time coming for me, and I am relieved to finally put this long chapter behind me. I want to thank everyone – my family, friends and fans – who have supported me and stuck by me over these 23 years. I am truly blessed – and stay tuned, I will have more to announce soon.”
In 1990, at the height of his career, Slick Rick received a prison sentence for the self-defense shooting of his cousin (who was hired as a bodyguard by Rick’s mother/manager at the time, and ultimately became a family menace) during which a bystander was injured. He received a rare pardon in 2008 from then-New York Governor David A. Paterson who recognized Rick’s stellar conduct, rehabilitation and contribution to his community. The pardon was celebrated by Rick’s family and fans as well as public figures including Reverend Jesse Jackson, Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, Will Smith, among others.
After his release, Slick Rick was repeatedly threatened with deportation, and spent additional years in a deportation lock up, despite never having trouble with the law again. His citizenship will now allow him to stay in the country with family, while also traveling overseas for his career. Rick will become a duel citizen by retaining his U.K. Citizenship.
Slick Rick moved with his family to the Bronx when he was 11 years old where he became a legal resident. His music career took off in (just out of high school at 18 years old) when Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featured him, then known as MC Ricky D, on the hip-hop classics “The Show” and “La-Di-Da-Di,” introducing Rick to the world and marking him as “the greatest story teller”.
Between his trademark storytelling rap style, British accent, eye-patch (worn due to an injury he sustained as a child), Kangol hat, layers of gold chains, rings and stylish suits, he was an overnight sensation.
His debut album “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick” (Def Jam) was #1 on the R&B /Hip Hop chart and featured some of his biggest hits, “Children’s Story,” “Teenage Love,” and “Hey Young World.” It followed with The Ruler's Back (1991), Behind Bars (1994) and The Art of Storytelling (1999). He is the most sampled rapper – over 600 times – and his work has been referenced in over 35 songs from the early 1990’s to present day by recording artists such as Nicki Minaj, J Cole, Pitbull. will.i.am. Amy Winehouse and Big Sean. Slick Rick has also acted and cameoed in 10 movies and videos. He has four Billboard 200 records, and 14 Top 100 Singles worldwide.
Slick Rick was represented by Ira Kurzban of Kurzban, Kurzban, Weinger, Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A. and Michael Krinsky, Lindsay Frank and Craig Kaplan of Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman, P.C..
CIAA 2016 was definitely epic! Slick Rick completely took Charlotte by storm with performances at The White House, Duckworth's, Club Vanity, Coyote Joe's and more! He even caught up with some of his celebrity friends including R&B songstress Fantasia, star Peter Thomas, rappers Big Daddy Kane and Dana Dane!
Hip Hop Heavyweights Raekwon, Brooklyn’s own Fabolous, Aqil Davidson from “Wreckx-N-Effect”, Dana Dane, Large Professor, Peter Gunz and Parrish Smith of EPMD are all in attendance for this year's festivities.
Another moment in time occurred this past weekend as music veteran Slick Rick The Ruler kicked off his 51st birthday celebration with a stellar performance at his annual Brooklyn Bowl bash. The man behind timeless classics such as“Children’s Story”, “Hey Young World”, and “Mona Lisa”, to name a few, manages to maintain his presence amongst his present day peers. Over the years, fellow hip-hop elite such as Nas and Q-Tip have honored MC Ricky D during his birthday soirees and this year was another epic evening as the man of the hour, dressed to the nines, draped in his signature larger-than-life jewelry and blinged out eye patch, ran through his classics and received “so much love”, as Rick would say, from a sold out crowd.
Amongst his team, who he lovingly calls Team Eye Patch, he was joined by his wife Mandy Aragones-Walters, his back-up singers, the Rickettes, and some well-respected lyricists. He brought out indie-artist Dynas, who Ricky recently dropped a verse on his buzzing single "Who U?" and during special segment of Ricky's 60 minute set dubbed “Old School VS New School”, Rick’s DJ and Musical Director DJ Kaos brought out some special surprise performances. The packed house were on their feet as rappers Aqil Davidson from the New Jack Swing group “Wreckx-N-Effect” performed their hit single “Rump Shaker”; Queens’ own Large Professor continued pumping the crowd with his performance of ”Looking At The Front Door”; Bronx-bred rapper and reality star Peter Gunz performed his smash single “Uptown Baby”; one half of EPMD, Parrish Smith, rocked the crowd with his performance of “Rampage” and The Chef Raekwon concluded the segment with his performance of the classic jam “C.R.E.A.M”.
After Ricky’s closing performance of “Children’s Story”, his childhood friend and partner on Kangol Crew, Dana Dane, brought out an extraordinary cake -designed by BCakeNY- alongside Scoob Lover AKA Johnny Famous.
Wrapping up the evening, Brooklyn rapper Fabolous surprised Ricky Walters and welcomed him to his hometown borough. Fab expressed his admiration for the Ruler and the influence Ricky has had on his career.
Today marks the 51st birthday of The Ruler aka Slick Rick! Complex.com premiered a video tribute that DJ Dirty Harry together which features over 20 artists paying homepage to The Ruler, which include JAY Z, Kanye West, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G., and Nicki Minaj.
"I've listened to Slick Rick since 'La Di Da Di' and for me, it's second nature to pick up his sample or references in artists tracks," Harry says. "Rick's music is timeless and putting this together was effortless." And Slick Rick is certainly feeling the love. "I am grateful and honored by the impact I have had on artists across the various generations and different genres of music," he says.
Slick Rick will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow (Jan. 15th) at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY. Enter to win tickets courtesy of Complex HERE or purchase tickets HERE.
An Intimate Night with The Ruler...
It's almost that time again! Slick Rick's annual birthday celebration will take place at Brooklyn Bowl Friday, January 15, 2016. Missed last year's celebration? Well, you don't wanna this one!
Purchase tickets HERE.