The Ruler's Back
| 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]
Production
[edit]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]
Critical reception
[edit]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]
Track listing
[edit]| 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 |
Samples
[edit]- "I Shouldn't Have Done It"
- "The New Rap Language" by Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
- "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins
- "It's a Boy"
- "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers
- "Mister Magic" by Grover Washington, Jr.
- "King"
- "Uphill Peace of Mind" by Kid Dynamite
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
- "The Ruler's Back" by Slick Rick
- "King Of Rock" by Run-DMC
- "Mistakes of a Woman in Love With Other Men"
- "Double Barrel" by Dave & Ansel Collins
- "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins
- "I'm Broken Hearted" by James Brown
- "Moses"
- "Sunday Coming" by Alton Ellis
- "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers
- "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson
- "Bond"
- "Sing a Simple Song" by Please
- "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy
- "Stoned Out of My Mind" by The Chi-Lites
- "Theme from the Planets" by Dexter Wansel
- "Do the Funky Penguin" by Rufus Thomas
- "Kool is Back" by Funk, Inc.
- "Runaway"
- "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins
- "The Show" by Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick and The Get Fresh Crew
- "Ship"
- "Change the Beat (Female Version)" by Fab 5 Freddy feat. Beside
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
- "Slick Rick - the Ruler"
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
- "Top Cat"
- "Funky President" by James Brown
- "Rock Steady" by Aretha Franklin
- "Don't Worry About It" by Jimmy "Bo" Horne
- "Venus" (1991) sampled
- "Venus" by Frankie Avalon
- "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
- "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
- "Change the Beat (Female Version)" by Fab 5 Freddy feat. Beside
- "Atomic Dog (Extended Version)" by George Clinton
Personnel
[edit]- Slick Rick - performer, producer, executive producer
- Vance Wright - producer, executive producer
- Mr. Lee - producer
- Russell Simmons - executive producer
- Francesca Spero - executive producer
- Darroll Gustamachio - engineer, mixing
- Thom Leinbach - Gabriel moreno - engineer, mixing
- Everett Ramos - engineer, mixing
- Rory Young - programming, engineer
- Cey Adams - design
- Jules T. Allen- Alvaro Almagro - photography
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[13] | 29 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[14] | 18 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Slick Rick". Trouser Press. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
- ^ "The Ruler's Back - Slick Rick | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Slick Rick". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 525.
- ^ "The Ruler's Back". EW.com.
- ^ a b "**** SLICK RICK "The Ruler's Back" Def Jam : Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (a classic)". Los Angeles Times. 11 August 1991.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (16 January 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698 – via Google Books.
- ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 359.
- ^ "Slick Rick | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ "Slick Rick: 'You learn from prison time – what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'". the Guardian. 24 November 2016.
- ^ Allah, Sha Be (2 July 2015). "The Source |Today In Hip Hop History: Slick Rick Drops His Album 'The Ruler's Back' 24 Years Ago".
- ^ Mills, David (31 July 1991). "RAPPERS' VIOLENT REALITY" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- ^ "Slick Rick Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Slick Rick Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
