Great Adventures Of Slick Rick CD

Personnel includes: Slick Rick (rap vocals); Vance Wright (DJ).
Producers include: Ricky Walters, Jason Mizell, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler.
Slick Rick's reputation as hip-hop's greatest storyteller hangs on his classic debut, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, one of the most influential rap records of the late '80s -- for better and worse. Most of the production is standard early Def Jam, but Rick's style on the mic is like no one else's. His half-British accent and odd, singsong cadences often overshadow the smoothness of his delivery, but there's no overlooking the cleverness of his lyrics. His carefully constructed narratives are filled with vivid detail and witty asides, and his cartoonish sense of humor influenced countless other rappers. He'll adopt a high voice for his female characters, and even duets with his old alter ego MC Ricky D on "Mona Lisa." But there's also a dark side to The Great Adventures -- namely its vulgarity and off-handed misogyny. No MC had ever dared go as far on record as Rick, and the tracks in question haven't really lost much of their power to offend, or at least raise eyebrows. The notorious "Treat Her Like a Prostitute" is the prime suspect, undermining well-intentioned advice (don't trust too quickly) with cynical, often degrading portrayals of women. "Indian Girl (Adult Story)," meanwhile, is an X-rated yarn with a barely comprehensible payoff. Yet this material is as much a part of Rick's legacy as his more admirable traits, and he was far from the last MC to put seemingly contradictory sides of his personality on the same record. And it's worth noting that most of his Great Adventures, no matter how dubious, end up as cautionary tales with definite consequences. That's especially true on the tragic "Children's Story," in which a teenage robber's increasingly desperate blunders lead to his destruction. In the end, The Great Adventures is simply too good not to deserve the countless samples and homages by everyone from Snoop Dogg to Black Star. ~ Steve Huey
In the history of rap music, there are few artists who can be labeled as pioneers. One such artist is Slick Rick who, along with partner Doug E. Fresh, is the rapper responsible for such long-standing hip-hop classics as "The Show" and "La Di Da Di." With the special rhythmic flow of his accented vocals (he was born and raised in England) and powerful, innovative production, THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF SLICK RICK further led Rick Walters down the road of quick, massive fame and sealed his reputation as a master MC.
At the time of this solo debut, Slick Rick's personalized style was ground-breaking. The first single, "Children's Story," crowned Rick the king of rap's storytellers. He was able to turn the truthful pain and hardships of his community into entertaining tales that opened the eyes of the industry, and gave hip-hop a new thematic avenue. With the exception of LL Cool J's "I Need Love," Rick's "Teenage Love" was rap's most popular slow jam, dealing realistically with troubles of the heart experienced by most inner-city youngsters. Taking on the role of various characters--particularly, The Ruler and MC Ricky D--Slick Rick also began the role-playing, playwright style of rap music that is continuously used by any number of gangsta crews.
Although it was released in 1988, THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF SLICK RICK has had a lasting impact on the hip-hop nation, which still pays hommage by continuously sampling "Hey Young World" and featuring the album's most famous cut, "Mona Lisa," at parties on both coasts.Q (9/00, p.128) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Articulate, street-smart cartoons...[drawn] in technicolor lunacy..."
Vibe (12/99, p.158) - Included in Vibe's 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century
NME (Magazine) (2/17/96, p.48) - 7 (out of 10) - "...absurdly minimal beats and often amateurish production...but Rick has enough star quality to carry it off....you can hear echoes of Rick's sing-song style every time Snoop pick's up a microphone..."