Slick Rick - It's A Boy

What this video is

Released in 1991 on Def Jam Recordings as a single from The Ruler's Back, 'It's A Boy' represents one of hip-hop's earliest and most tender explorations of fatherhood. The song and video were created under extraordinary biographical pressure: Slick Rick recorded the entire album on bail before beginning a prison sentence for attempted murder. The track stands apart from the album's harder material as a vulnerable,…

Why it matters

A rare example of Golden Age hip-hop's storytelling tradition applied to domestic and parental subject matter, 'It's A Boy' anticipates the confessional fatherhood rap later explored by artists across generations. Produced by Vance Wright and Slick Rick on the Def Jam label, it documents the sonic…