UK-born hip hop legend Slick Rick has become a US citizen

The 'La Di Da Di" rapper had been involved in a 23-year legal battle

Feliks Garcia

New York

Friday 15 April 2016 19:43 BST

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Slick Rick moved to the Bronx when he was 11 Getty

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Legendary rapper Slick Rick was finally granted US citizenship after a legal battle that spanned more than two decades.

The London-born hip hop pioneer — known for the hit “La Di Da Di” and his signature eye patch — was sworn in during a ceremony with other new citizens in New York on Friday.

“I am so proud of this moment — and so honoured to finally become an American citizen,” Rick said in a press release. “This has been a long time coming for me, and I am relieved to finally put this long chapter behind me.”

Also known as Ricky Martin Lloyd Waters, Rick had endured a 23-year legal battle following the 1990 shooting of his cousin. Rick was found guilty of attempted murder despite his claim that he was acting in self-defence. Former New York governor David A. Paterson pardoned Rick of the crime in 2008, but he reportedly still faced deportation an even spent time in an immigration detention center.

Rick moved to the Bronx from the UK when he was 11. He released his debut album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick on the Def Jam label in 1988. The album was number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart.

Rick plans to also retain his UK citizenship.

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