Back in 1988, before Jim Jones could even spell ballin’, one man reigned over the hip-hop world: Slick Rick the Ruler. Slick Rick ruled the late 80’s with his signature eye-patch, massive gold dookie-chains, half-British accent and, of course, his timeless album “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.” Rick brought the pimp/player attitude to the genre and, for better or worse, rap has never been the same.
The first thing you notice on this album is Rick’s amusing and almost fake-sounding English accent. Born and raised in London, Slick Rick moved to New York as a teenager, but retained his accent. Thanks to his British air, Rick discusses some of the most dismal subjects yet maintains a lofty and jovial tone. His smooth flow only reinforces Rick’s claims of living the high life–a mentality he brings to every topic he covers, whether it’s doing construction work, getting jumped for his gold chains or female promiscuity.
In songs like “Moment I Feared,” which could easily be another disturbing street-tale in the hands of others, Slick Rick keeps the mood light. He tells a story in the song of how he was forced to shoot his friend and his mistress in a complicated love triangle, but is ultimately imprisoned for his crime. The story is serious, but Rick presents it more like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller than a mindless shoot-’em-up.
Slick Rick’s storytelling is easily the most compelling aspect of the album. Every track contains one or more stories that can range from hilariously strange sexual encounters [“Indian Girl (An Adult Story)”] to precautionary street tales (“Children’s Story”). Many of his songs have cohesive plots with reasonable morals. Often, they also feature characters that Rick portrays using a selection of various voices, including a signature falsetto when playing a female part.
Some late 80s hip-hop can be a bit dull for the modern listener. But the production on “The Great Adventures” remains interesting and diverse throughout–especially on tracks such as “Teacher, Teacher” and “Hey, Young World.” However, some beats rely too heavily on the drum-loop, sample and scratching formula.
The combination of Rick’s masterful storytelling, hilarious persona and top-notch emcee skills makes “The Great Adventures” so great. “Mona Lisa” for example, perfectly combines these traits into one essential old-school gem. In the song, Slick Rick does a one-man duet complete with great singsong, tag-team lyrics and several amusing characters and voices.
Sadly, Slick Rick’s career came to a halt after his arrest for attempted murder in 1991. His sophomore effort, recorded while he was on bail, never reached the commercial or artistic success of his debut. “The Great Adventures” will always remain a hip-hop classic, and has greatly influenced rappers today from Jay-Z to Mos Def.