Celebrating 25 Years of 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick'

Today, marks the 25th anniversary of the classic album 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick'. On November 1, 1988 the debut album of Slick Rick also known as Rick the Ruler and Ricky Dee was released. 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick' made Slick Rick known as "hip hop's greatest storyteller" or as Rakim said “When Slick told a story, you was right there. If he was talking about running through the park, you smelled the grass."

The most known tracks from the album are considered to be 'Children's Story' and it's follow-up single 'Hey Young World'

In 'Children's Story' Slick Rick gives voice to multiple characters such as Uncle Ricky, Uncle Ricky’s young niece and nephew, the stickup kids, and Dave the Dopefiend. The lyrics begin with children, upon their bedtime, asking "Uncle Ricky" to read them a bedtime story,thus the song title 'Children's Story'. Rick responds with a story about "once upon a time" in a village where there was law and order, where a little boy lived. He was led into a life of crime by another child into robbing people for quick money. He tried to rob an undercover police officer who hits the boy, which provokes him to pulling a gun on him. Rather than risk shooting the officer and facing jail time, he leads police officers on a footchase throughout town. He runs into Dave the dope fiend in an abandoned building, who gave him a powerful shotgun. He steals a car, only to crash into a tree but he survives the wreck. He opens fire on the officers, and then holds a pregnant woman hostage. He lets her go, and officers surround the boy who drops the gun. At only 17 years, he is gunned down by the cops as he screams in agony. The story ends with a moral to the story that a life of crime is not a joke and can mean life or death. "Uncle Ricky" says goodnight to the kids who ponder the story.


Proof to Slick Rick's influence are the rappers that sampled his music, these are Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, Biggie Smalls, Mos Def, Ludacris, Lauren Hill, Ghost Face, Method Man, Lupe Fiasco, Boogie Down Productions, Rakim, Scarface, Fat Joe, Queen Latifah and many others.

Since it's Friday play 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick' and just chill and observe Rick's lyrical skill.