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Slick Rick

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Slick Rick

Ricky Walters (born January 14 1965), better known by stage names Slick Rick, MC Ricky D and Rick the Ruler, is a Grammy-nominated British rapper-songwriter and actor.

Career

Originally from South Wimbledon, London, England, he moved with his family to The Bronx in 1975 where he met Dana Dane, later forming a hip hop duo as Kangol Crew.[1] Rick's characteristic eyepatch was acquired after being blinded in the right eye by broken glass as an infant. He is best known for a series of rap recordings during the 1980s, including "Hey Young World", "Children's Story" and "La Di Da Di", B-side of Doug E. Fresh single "The Show" (1985). Once he gained a degree of wealth, he earned a reputation for wearing an enormous amount of gold and diamond jewelry, including many large necklaces with giant pendants, bracelets, huge rings on each finger, and a gold tooth.

In 1990, Slick Rick shot a bystander and his cousin who he’d hired as a body guard and who later admitted to having Walters shot outside a club. Slick Rick was indicted on 2 counts of attempted murder and pled guilty to all charges which also included, assault, use of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon. Russell Simmons, head of Def Jam records, bailed him out and Rick quickly recorded The Ruler's Back before spending five years in prison, two for the second degree attempted murder charges he received for that shooting, and three while hassling with Immigrations Services over his residency in the US. In the documentary film, The Show, Russell Simmons interviews Rick while he was a prisoner on Rikers Island.

"La Di Da Di", "Mona Lisa" and "Children's Story" are among his best known songs, with "La Di Da Di" being covered nearly word-for-word by Snoop Dogg on his 1993 album Doggystyle, and lines from "La Di Da Di" being borrowed by multiple high profile artists. "Children's Story" was sampled by Montell Jordan for his 1995 hit, "This Is How We Do It",and Everlast covered it for his album Eat at Whitey's. Eminem also borrowed from the song extensively in his diss song "Can-I-Bitch". "Children's Story" was also covered with similar lyrics by the MC duo, Black Star on their 1998 album, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, as well as by Tricky on the album Nearly God, with the same name and lyrics.

A third album Behind Bars was recorded while still in prison, and released to lukewarm sales and reviews. Released from prison in 1998, he remained with Def Jam and on May 25, 1999 released a fourth album, entitled The Art of Storytelling, generally considered the authentic follow up to his 1988 debut. Storytelling was also an artistically successful comeback that paired him with MC's like Nas, OutKast, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg, among others.

Personal Life

In June 2002, after performing on a Caribbean cruise ship, Rick was arrested by the INS as he re-entered the United States through Florida. He was promptly told that he was being deported because he is a British citizen; since he had been born in London and moved to the States as a youth. In 1996, a law was passed which called for foreigners convicted of violent felonies to be deported, a ruling which was more vigorously enforced amid heightened security concerns after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Rick was continuously refused bail, but after 17 months in prison he was released on November 7, 2003.[2][3]

Rumours suggested that Rick planned to release a new album, "The Adventure Continues," in 2007. However, in a recent XXL Magazine interview, he denied the claim.[4] Rick is supposedly "waiting for a market to open up for a [more] mature audience."

In October 2006, the Department of Homeland Security began a new attempt to deport Walters,[5] moving the case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit based in New York to the more conservative Eleventh Circuit. The court is based in Atlanta, Georgia but the trial is expected to proceed in Florida, where INS agents originally arrested Walters.

On May 23, 2008, New York Gov. David Paterson granted Slick Rick a full and unconditional pardon on charges of attempted murder of his cousin, who was hired as his bodyguard and a bystander.[6] The governor was pleased with his behavior since the mishap. He has volunteered his time to mentor youths about violence.[7]

He has two children, Lateisha and Ricky, from two different mothers. He currently resides in the Bronx and lives with his son, Ricky.

Discography

Albums

Appearances

Filmography

References

  1. ^ John Bush. "Slick Rick Biography". allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  2. ^ Associated Press (2003-11-04). "Slick Rick regains legal status". CNN.com. Cable News Network LP. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  3. ^ Joseph Patel (2003-11-07). "The Great Adventures Can Resume: Slick Rick Is A Free Man". MTV.com. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  4. ^ Brendan Frederick (2006-10-23). "Slick Rick Can I Live?". XXLMag.com. Harris Publications, Inc. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  5. ^ Alexis Jeffries (2006-10-18). "Slick Rick Facing Deportation, Again". VIBE.com. Vibe Media Group, Inc. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  6. ^ Associated Press (2008-05-24). "NY governor pardons rapper 'Slick Rick' Walters". Telegraph Herald - Dubuque, Iowa. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  7. ^ Associated Press (2008-05-23). "Hip-hop pioneer `Slick Rick' pardoned by N.Y. gov". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
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