Slick Rick Gets Pardoned, 17 Years Later

According to a press release posted on Hip Hop blog NahRight.com, iconic emcee Slick Rick was recently pardoned fully by New York Governor David A. Paterson, for his 1991 attempted murder and weapons conviction. This measure will allow the 43 year-old legend to better avoid deportation, something that the U.K.-born Rick has been fighting against for several years.

This fight led to Slick Rick being incarcerated between June of 2003 and November, 2004.

The rapper served six years for the sentence, which was handed in 1991, after the high success of his 1987 album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. The attempted murder was the result of the emcee using a gun on his cousin after a reported string of threats. The incident took place in The Bronx.

Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more than 10 years, said Governor Paterson. In that time, he has volunteered at youth outreach programs to counsel youth against violence, and has become a symbol of rehabilitation for many young people. Given these demonstrated rehabilitative efforts, I urge federal immigration officials to once again grant Mr. Walters relief from deportation, so that he is not separated from his many family members who are United States citizens, including his two teenage children.

Slick Rick has released four albums, the most recent being 1999's The Art of Storytelling. All of these albums have been on Def Jam Records. Last year, he appeared on Chamillionaire's single "Hip Hop Police," as well as the Step Up 2 Soundtrack. Slick Rick also has a confirmed appearance on Ludacris' upcoming album.