The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

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The Great Adventures of Slick Rick is the debut album by Slick Rick, released on November 1, 1988 by Def Jam and Columbia. It made the London-born, Bronx-raised MC the model for narrative rap, with cinematic stories told in a voice nobody else had.

The story

The album’s singles, “Teenage Love,” “Children’s Story” and “Hey Young World,” show the range from heartbreak to cautionary tale to advice for the next generation. “Children’s Story” in particular became one of the most sampled and quoted storytelling songs in hip hop.

Sound and production

Production was shared among Slick Rick himself, Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, Jerry Martin and Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad, giving the record a mix of playful funk and harder edges around Rick’s accent and character voices.

Charts and certifications

The album peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and spent five non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the R&B albums chart. It is certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Legacy

Nas and Busta Rhymes are among the many artists who cite it as an influence, and it was included on The Source’s 1998 list of the 100 Best Rap Albums.