Hip-Hop icon, Slick Rick was pardoned by New York Governor, David Paterson today. Federal statute mandates that a resident alien can be removed from the U.S. if he/she is convicted of an aggravated felony or weapons offense. Rick has been fighting deportation efforts against him after he was convicted of attempted murder in 1991. The pardon, granted in full and uncondition, is expected to stop those efforts to send him back to his native U.K.

Rick, whose real name is Ricky Walters, was convicted of attempted murder for a shooting incident in 1990 for which he served 5 years. The shooting occurred outside of a club where Rick shot a bystander and his cousin. Both men survived their wounds. Rick later admitted to the shooting and was indicted on two counts of attempted murder as well as various weapons offenses. Russell Simmons posted his bail at which time Rick recorded "The Ruler's Back." He was released in 1997 and has not been involved in any criminal activity since. He was jailed, however, in 2002 after a performance on a Caribbean cruise ship when he tried to reenter the U.S. in Florida. But the arrest was in response to his well publicized battled with the Federal Immigration Court. His apparent rehabilitation was cited by the governor as part of his motivation to pardon the hip-hop pioneer. "Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more that 10 years," said Governor Paterson.

Grateful for the opportunity Governor Paterson bestowed upon him, Rick said, "My family and I are eternally thankful to Governor Paterson, my attorneys Michael Krinsky and Craig Kaplan at Rabinowitz, Standard, Krinsky and Leiberman and to all of the people who have supported me though out the past seventeen years. This has been a long and difficult road and I am happy for this to be settled once and for all. I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and to continue leading an honest and productive life.

Famous for an abundance of gold chains and patched eye, Slick Rick A.K.A MC Ricky D A.K.A Rick the Ruler is responsible for such hip-hop classics as "Children's Story" and "La Di Da Di."

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