On this day in Hip Hop history, Slick Rick released his final studio album, The Art of Story Telling.
Mainly produced by DJ Clark Kent and Kid Capri, this album featured guest verses from the likes of Redman, Rev Run, Outkast, Nas, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg, making it his most commercially successful album to date.
The project is the only proper sequel to his breakthrough debut album. Because of personal issues, the mainstream was never able to fully experience Slick Rick as an artist. With this, we are still left with some of his outstanding ability, but one wonders what his voice would have done for Hip Hop culture.
The Art of Storytelling was Slick Rick’s most commercially successful album, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts. The album managed to go gold during its first week of sales. The album is full of narratives that could only be crafted by his genius, he fully showcased his hit, “Children’s Story” throughout the LP. The Art of Storytelling shows Slick Rick’s ability to stay relevant while blending with the popular sound of the time. The album is a proper farewell to Slick Rick as an album rapper.
Watch “Street Talkin” below: