Celebrate the 60th birthday of Hip-Hop legend Slick Rick. Discover the real story behind “The Ruler” and his impact on hip-hop culture and music history.
Brett Hammond – Flickr/This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
A few weeks ago, I found myself reflecting on one of my all-time favorite legendary producers and rappers, Slick Rick. Despite being older than I was during my childhood, his music and message have always resonated deeply with me, creating a lasting connection.
The Narrative Matters occasionally features content from BlackDoctor.org, a respected medical blog site. This week, they spotlighted none other than my guy, Slick Rick.
Let’s dive into what he’s been up to since turning 60 and explore some of the health challenges he has faced along the way.
Original story on Blackdoctor.org/Gemma Greene, BDO Staff Writer
Slick Rick, the legendary MC and hip-hop icon, was born in London, England, in 1965, and moved to New York City when he was 11, a time when hip-hop culture was just beginning to form.
In the 1980s, Rick’s ability to tell a story earned him fame as Slick Rick (born Ricky Walters), the gold-draped rapper, also known as Rick the Ruler, with an eye patch and an English accent, whose adventures propelled him to stardom. That was followed by prison time for a shooting, immigration problems and — to his relief — a 2008 pardon from Gov. David A. Paterson of New York.
He came into prominence in the early to mid-‘80s with his partner-in-rhyme, Doug E. Fresh, and their group, the Get Fresh Crew. It was their hit songs, “The Show” and “La Di Da Di” that brought Rick to the forefront and ultimately got him his record deal. La Di Da Di became a worldwide hit and Rick became the third artist to sign to Def Jam. His star status was confirmed by his 1988 debut album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. It included the US top five hit Children’s Story, a grimly compelling morality tale in the guise of a lilting, funky nursery rhyme culminating in several shootings.
But how they got that record deal was an act of faith.
Rick’s Battle with Drugs and Mental Health
In his book Life & Def, Russell Simmons tells the story of a drug episode that went bad for Slick Rick. “I first met Slick Rick at a nuthouse. He’d smoked too much angel dust and had to stay in a mental ward for a few days,” Simmons wrote. “Rick Rubin at Def Jam and Lyor Cohen at Rush Management both thought we should sign him. So I went with Rick to meet him at the hospital. Ricky was completely out of it. I’d seen a lot of people in that dusty state in the street—I’d been that way myself—so I knew that after a few days he’d be fine.”
What Really Happened to Rick’s Eye?
Much of Rick’s early drug use stemmed from the accident that now led him to wear his signature eye patch. Before the patch, Slick Rick used to just wear dark sun glasses when he went to rhyme at local hip hop shows trying to sharpen his skills as an MC. At only 18 months old, he was left blinded in the right eye after a window broke and his eye was struck by glass. If caught at the time of the incident, partial vision of that eye could have returned.
The injury had a huge impact on his personal development, psyche and, eventually, the history of hip hop. “I was always pretty shy because of the eye”, he says, “so rather than going out and playing sports, I stayed indoors and wrote stories.”
Using an eye patch like Rick’s is actually a treatment used for children who have been struck or have vision problems in one eye.
Amblyopia is a vision problem that occurs in a child when one eye is not used enough for the visual system in the brain to develop properly. This leads to poor vision in the affected eye.
Treatment corrects amblyopia by training the brain to use the eye that has weaker vision. This allows vision to develop normally in that eye. Covering the stronger eye with a patch is the most common method of treating amblyopia.
To be effective, an eye patch must be worn as directed by your doctor. By providing support and reassurance, you can help your child comply with the patching treatment so that he or she can develop the best vision possible.
“For all of y’all, keep y’all in health, Just to see you smile and enjoy yourself” was one of Slick Rick’s famous lines in “La Di Da Di” over twenty years ago. And Rick is still travelling the world, performing and making sure all of his fans are still smiling 20 years later.
Now sober, in good health and married, the 54-year-0ld legendary MC is a real estate businessman in New York and still does tours and composes songs.
What’s Next for Slick Rick?
Rick is back with Victory, his first full-length project in over 26 years. The legendary rapper, celebrated for his vivid storytelling and timeless flow, has teamed up with Idris Elba to executive produce the 30-minute visual album, set for release this June 13 via Elba’s 7Wallace and Nas’ Mass Appeal Records.
Crafted over four years and filmed across Europe, Africa, and North America, Victory showcases Slick Rick’s evolution as an artist. The trailer teases Rick’s smooth narration on the power of words, framing the album as both a personal journey and a creative statement.
“This isn’t just music—it’s a bold, in-your-face statement,” Slick Rick said in a press release. “Victory is about perseverance, storytelling, imagination, and evolution. A visual blend of art and heart.”
Elba adds, “Working with Slick Rick… back home in the U.K., and then offering the world of hip-hop something amazing has been a blessing. It’s literally a gift!”
Another hip-hop icon, Nas also shared a statement:
“Slick Rick and I have a long history of working together so it was great to get back in the studio with him to create this new record. He has been such an influential figure in hip-hop culture and I look forward to him sharing this project with the next generation of fans,” shared the Queensbridge MC.
In closing, I will present you with one of my all-time favorite from Slick Rick:
Hey Young World/You Tube
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