The only thing more iconic, interesting, and intriguing than the stories Slick Rick tells on wax might be his own. Lasting through four decades, six presidencies, and countless trends, he endures as “the most sampled hip-hop artist in history” with GRAMMY® Award nominations and numerous multiplatinum albums to his name. It’s why he remains synonymous with rap music, culture, and fashion. It’s why he counts some of the most influential people in the world as ardent admirers—whether it be Eminem declaring, “I’m just a product of Slick Rick” on 2020’s “Godzilla,” JAY-Z citing him as an inspiration on NETFLIX’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman and Mark Ronson dissecting his work as part of a TED Talk, or Mariah Carey welcoming him on stage to perform their duet “Giving Me Life” during a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall in 2019. It’s why rappers started to ditch jeans and oversized hoodies for high fashion—as WWD notes, “Slick Rick pioneered the merge of luxury and street.” It’s why no celebration is complete until somebody busts out “La-Di-Da-Di.”