50 Hip-Hop Songs That Pay Tribute to Slick Rick

Slick Rick is rightly being celebrated in all corners of the rap world. The British-born, Brooklyn-raised lyricist is widely considered one of the greatest storytellers in hip-hop.

Rick‘s love of hip-hop started when he and his family immigrated from London and arrived in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1979. As a kid, he immersed himself in the culture and developed his now influential cool persona. In 1984, he partnered with beatboxer Doug E. Fresh and in 1985 they established themselves as Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D with the classic club anthem “The Show.”

But it was the B-side single, “La Di Da Di,” that garnered MC Ricky D his worldwide fame. The rhymer’s comical story of his typical day complete with sonic details like his female voice and yawning influenced countless MCs after him who followed that same narrative structure.

In 1988, Slick Rick released his seminal album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, which featured several execeptional storytelling tracks. Among some of the notable songs include, “Treat Her Like a Prostitute,” “Mona Lisa,” “Indian Girl (An Adult Story)” and “The Moment I Feared.” The album’s standout track “Children’s Story,” which is a cautionary tale of how crime doesn’t pay, has been covered and reinterpreted countless times throughout the history of the genre.

Today, Slick Rick still commands the respect of respected artists like Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, KRS-One and more. Here are 50 tracks that give a shout-out to Slick Rick.

Long live The Ruler.

See 50 Hip-Hop Songs That Pay Tribute to Slick Rick