Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), known professionally as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He first became prominent in the mid-1980s as a member of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. The singles “The Show” and “La Di Da Di” are regarded as early hip-hop landmarks, with “La Di Da Di” noted for its extensive sampling history.
Walters signed with Def Jam Recordings in 1986 as the label’s third major signing.
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Ricky Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), known professionally as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He first became prominent in the mid-1980s as a member of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. The singles “The Show” and “La Di Da Di” are regarded as early hip-hop landmarks, with “La Di Da Di” noted for its extensive sampling history.
Walters signed with Def Jam Recordings in 1986 as the label’s third major signing. His debut album “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick” (1988) featured narrative-driven lyrics, humor, and complex rhyme schemes, including the song “Children’s Story.” During the early 1990s he faced legal issues and incarceration, but he released the albums “The Ruler’s Back” (1991) and “Behind Bars” (1994). After his release in 1997, he issued his fourth studio album “The Art of Storytelling” (1999). In 2025 he released “Victory” on Mass Appeal Records.
Walters has been recognized for his influence on hip-hop, including honors from VH1 Hip Hop Honors and rankings among leading rappers and lyricists by several publications.
Studio albums
The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)
The Ruler's Back (1991)
Behind Bars (1994)
The Art of Storytelling (1999)
Victory (2025)
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…shrink me down again
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