Slick Rick was born in London, grew up in New York City and quickly established himself as hip-hop's most revered storyteller. Debuting under the wing of Doug E Fresh in the mid-'80s, Ricky D stood out with his trademark eye patch and oversized gold chains as he dropped wonderfully arrogant raps. 1989's The Great Adventures of Slick Rick is a master class of hip-hop storytelling. A stint inside after shooting his cousin and a bystander put a halt to his rise, although he's still held in royal regard by artists like Snoop and Mos Def.