One of early hip-hop's foremost storytellers, Slick Rick's effortless charisma and thoughtful lyrical perspectives made him a god-like figure in rap's development. Approaching the nascent artform of hip-hop with not just unique talent but a specific sense of style and presentation, the rapper established himself as an enigmatic emcee with his 1988 debut The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. The album was a platinum success and would be looked to for both inspiration, reworkings, or sample fodder by generations of artists to come. Slick Rick's career couldn't even be disrupted by...