The Ruler's Back | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 2, 1991 | |||
Recorded | 1990–91 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 45:55 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Slick Rick chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Ruler's Back | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Robert Christgau | A− [3] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [5] |
Los Angeles Times | [6] |
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 5/10 [8] |
The Ruler's Back is the second studio album by British-American rapper Slick Rick, released in 1991 on Def Jam Recordings. [9] [10]
Upon its release, The Ruler's Back achieved notable chart success, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard 200, and number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album features the hit single "I Shouldn't Have Done It", which peaked at number 2 on the Hot Rap Singles. [11]
The album contains production from Vance Wright, Slick Rick and Mr. Lee. The Ruler's Back was recorded in three weeks, while Rick was on bail before starting a jail sentence that would end in 1996. [4]
The Los Angeles Times wrote that "there’s the eerie feeling that you’ve experienced something but you’re not sure what, as you might after reading a Denis Johnson novel or seeing an old Cocteau film late at night on public TV. The Ruler’s Back moves along at the speed of thought." [6] Trouser Press called the album Rick's "most entertaining and least offensive longplayer." [1] The Washington Post called the album "disappointing," writing that "for some reason, Rick has adopted a high-speed rapping style that undercuts his two great strengths -- humor and storytelling grace." [12]
No. | Title | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "King" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 3:42 |
2. | "I Shouldn't Have Done It" | Vance Wright | 4:05 |
3. | "Bond" | Vance Wright | 2:53 |
4. | "Moses" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 4:04 |
5. | "Tonto" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 3:17 |
6. | "Mistakes of a Woman in Love With Other Men" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 4:08 |
7. | "Venus" | Vance Wright | 3:45 |
8. | "Ship" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 3:05 |
9. | "It's a Boy" | Vance Wright | 3:29 |
10. | "Top Cat" | Vance Wright, Slick Rick | 3:23 |
11. | "Runaway" | Slick Rick, Vance Wright | 3:49 |
12. | "Slick Rick - The Ruler" | Mr. Lee | 6:06 |
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [13] | 29 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [14] | 18 |
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters, better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs "The Show" and "La Di Da Di" are considered early hip hop classics. "La Di Da Di" is one of the most sampled songs in history.
Douglas Davis, known professionally as Doug E. Fresh, is a Barbados-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer, also known as the "Human Beat Box". The pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing, Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum machines and various special effects using only his mouth, lips, gums, throat, tongue and a microphone.
Livin' Like Hustlers is the debut album by American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released on February 20, 1990, via Ruthless Records; an advanced promo cassette version was released two months earlier. The ten track record was produced entirely by Dr. Dre and Above the Law and featured a guest performance from N.W.A on the track titled "The Last Song". In addition, Eazy-E served as executive producer of the album. It peaked at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper is the second studio album by American hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It was the first double album in hip hop music, and was the eighth rap album to become a platinum album.
Code Red is the fifth and final studio album by the American hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, released on October 12, 1993, on Jive Records. The album peaked at number sixty-four on the Billboard 200 and number thirty-nine on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On January 14, 1994, the Recording Industry Association of America certified the album gold. Four singles reached the Billboard charts; "Boom! Shake the Room", "I'm Looking for the One ","I Wanna Rock", and "Can't Wait to Be With You".
Behind Bars is the third studio album by the British-American rapper Slick Rick, released in 1994 on Def Jam Recordings.
The Art of Storytelling is the fourth and most recent studio album by British-American rapper Slick Rick. Originally scheduled for a February 1999 release, it was ultimately released May 25, 1999, on Def Jam Recordings. The album features production from DJ Clark Kent and Kid Capri, among others. Upon its release, The Art of Storytelling proved to be Slick Rick's highest-charting album, peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified gold by the RIAA within a month of its release.
"La Di Da Di" is a song performed by Doug E. Fresh, who provides the beatboxed instrumental, and MC Ricky D, who performs the vocals. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to "The Show". The song has since gained a reputation as an early hip hop classic, and it is one of the most sampled songs in history.
Knowledge Is King is the third solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released on May 30, 1989, via Jive Records.
"Let Your Backbone Slide" is the debut single by Maestro Fresh-Wes, released in 1989 from his first album, Symphony in Effect. In Canada, over 50,000 copies of the single were sold, making Maestro the first Canadian rapper to have a gold single. It also reached #1 on The Record Singles Chart, in April 1990. In the United States, 25,000 copies were sold in its first few weeks of release. It remained the best-selling Canadian hip hop single of all time until 2008, when it was eclipsed by Kardinal Offishall's "Dangerous".
You Better Ask Somebody is the third studio album by the American West Coast hip-hop artist, Yo-Yo. The album was released on June 22, 1993, through East West America and Atlantic Records, and featured production by Ice Cube, N.W.A producer Laylaw, the Baker Boys, Derrick McDowell, Mister Woody, and Tootie. The album peaked at number 107 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. There were two singles from the album that charted, including "Westside Story", which reached number 14 on the Hot Rap Singles, and "The Bonnie and Clyde Theme", which peaked at the number 1 spot on Hot Rap Singles and featured Ice Cube.
Keepers of the Funk is the second studio album by American hip hop group Lords of the Underground. It was released on November 1, 1994 via Pendulum Records. Recording sessions took place at House of Hitz in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Production was handled by Marley Marl, K-Def, Lords of the Underground and Andre Booth. It features guest appearances from Sah-B, Deniece Williams, George Clinton, Brian "Bre" Williamson and Supreme C. The album did gain some success, making it to No. 57 on the Billboard 200 and No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Symphony in Effect is the debut album of Canadian rapper Maestro Fresh-Wes, released in 1989 on Attic/LMR Records. In Canada, the album was certified platinum and was the second-best selling Cancon album in Canada of 1990. It remains one of the best-selling Canadian hip hop albums of all time. The first single "Let Your Backbone Slide" became the first hit single in Canadian hip hop history, and appeared on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart. A second single, "Drop the Needle", was released in 1990.
"The Show" is a single by Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. Described as "a reality show of a Hip Hop performance" the track focuses on a conversation between Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D as they prepare for a show. The song incorporates portions of the melody from the theme song of the animated series Inspector Gadget. The original issue of the song featured a line where Slick Rick mockingly sings a verse from the Beatles' "Michelle" (1965), but all subsequent reissues have removed this line since the rights to the song were never secured.
"Holding You Down (Goin' In Circles)" is a song by American singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was written by Sullivan, Cainon Lamb, and Missy Elliott for her second album, Love Me Back (2010), while production was helmed by Elliott, with Lamb credited as co-producer. The song was released as the album's leads single in July 2010. It reached number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Skanless is the debut studio album by American rapper Hi-C from Compton, California. It was released on December 10, 1991, via Skanless Records. The album peaked at number 152 on the Billboard 200, number 53 on the Top R&B Albums chart, and number 3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. It spawned three singles: "I'm Not Your Puppet", "Leave My Curl Alone" and "Sitting In The Park", which peaked at number 21 on the Hot Rap Songs.
The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3 is the seventeenth studio album by the American rapper E-40. It was released on March 26, 2012, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment and EMI. The album is the third part of The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil series, along with other parts, including The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1 and The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 2. E-40 has released four albums into each pairs, including Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift (2010), Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift (2010), Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift (2011) and Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift (2011). The album features guest appearances from the comedian Katt Williams and the American singer-songwriter Raheem DeVaughn, with the rappers Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Kokane, Kendrick Lamar, Droop-E, Too Short, Kaveo, Stressmatic, B-Legit, Willy Will and Hieroglyphics, among others.
This is the discography for English-American hip hop musician Slick Rick. It includes 4 studio albums and 17 singles, including 8 as a featured artist.
Got to Be Tough is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer MC Shy-D. It was released on August 12, 1987, via Luke Skyywalker Records. The album peaked at number 197 on the Billboard 200 and number 41 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
"I Go On" is the second and final single from MC Lyte's fourth album Ain't No Other. Produced by Tyrone Fyffe, Franklin Grant and Wreckx-n-Effect's Markell Riley, it was released on November 4, 1993.