Slick Rick has become the latest Hip-Hop legend that will receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. On February 5, the iconic MC will join the ranks of Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., and Salt-n-Pepa to earn this distinction.

The artist born Ricky Walters is known for helping pioneer narrative storylines in Rap songs. He drew from his life as well as his imagination to offer tales about life in New York City, encountering dangers, and commenting on the state of Hip-Hop. Rick was also among the class of 1980s artists who could blend raunchiness, wit, and elegant style. The now 57-year-old is also a pioneer of fashion, incorporating huge gold and platinum jewelry pieces, colorful tailored suits, designer gear, and his signature eye patch into his brand.

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Notably, Slick Rick has never won a Grammy during his decorated career, which spans back to the mid-1980s alongside Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew. At that same time, Rick worked with another revered storytelling MC, Dana Dane as a member of the Kangol Crew. From there, Rick became a solo star at Def Jam Records, releasing his classic, platinum-certified debut, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick in 1988. However, before his sophomore, a shooting in the Bronx ultimately landed Rick behind bars for much of the 1990s after he was convicted of second-degree attempted murder charges, despite arguing that he fired a weapon in self-defense. Those shots struck two people, including Rick’s cousin, Mark Plummer, as well as a bystander. Both survived. In 2008, Slick Rick was pardoned for those charges after several attempts were made to deport the English-born, New York City-raised MC. In 2016, he officially became an American citizen.

After two Def Jam releases during Rick’s incarceration, he returned to the label to release The Art Of Storytelling in 1999. That album eventually went gold, in a season where The Ruler worked with OutKast, JAY-Z, Aaliyah, CRU, and others. His hits were sampled and interpolated by Snoop Dogg, Black Star, Montell Jordan, and The Roots, among others.

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In recent years, Slick Rick has collaborated with Westside Gunn, IDK, Snoop, and Dynas. In 2022, he appeared on DJ Premier’s “The Root Of It All” alongside Lil Wayne and DJ Muggs’ “Metropolis,” opposite Method Man.

On the same February 5, another one of Hip-Hop’s most revered storytellers, Kendrick Lamar, competes for “Album Of The Year” and “Best Rap Album” for his Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.

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#BonusBeat: Ambrosia For Heads‘ What’s The Headline podcast recently offered a 2023 Grammy preview, including nomination reaction, predictions, and snubs: