Not even incarceration for second-degree attempted murder can prevent the enigmatic Slick Rick from being a presence of great importance on the hip-hop scene. His name and voice pop up everywhere. If a young buck isn't citing him as an influence, a DJ is cutting up a catch phrase from "La Di Da Di" or "Hey Young World." Much to the chagrin of some rap conservatives, Snoop Doggy Dogg paid his mentor the ultimate form of respect by covering "La Di Da Di" on Doggystyle – and his reply to his detractors was straight from the Rickster's grab bag of retorts: "Eat a dick."

Behind Bars, the second of two albums Slick Rick recorded before starting to serve his prison sentence, certainly isn't the ideal showcase for his talents – but it's damn good. His conversational style is so agile, his images so clear, his use of metaphor so unique, it's scary to imagine what he could have come up with if he had been able to concentrate on his work.

The Epitome of Scratch's remixes of Prince Paul's original riddims for "Behind Bars" are funky but too hectic for Rick's lackadaisical style; the pulsating, tension-filled sonic collages prove a little too fast for Rick's subtleties. However, Warren G's remix of the track, which closes the album, smooths things out with some cool Les McCann tones and puts the proper emphasis on Rick's narrative.

The successful tracks on Bars reduce the music to its essential elements so as not to interfere with the Rickster's ribald tales. "Sittin' in My Car" is vintage Slick Rick; bolstered by an elegant piano loop, Doug E. Fresh's beat-box breathalistics and Slick's crooning of Billy Stewart's "Sitting in the Park," the song invokes memories of rap's '86-'89 golden age, when it seemed that every new single reinvented the genre. "A Love That's True" and "Cuz It's Wrong" are no less effective. Musically, the Large Professor's "It's a Boy" remix edges out "Sittin' in My Car" as the album's best track; its ethereal bass line and vibraphone overwhelm the senses. The fact that the remix, like the song, was done four years ago and still holds up today is a testament to both the artist and the producer.

Only when Slick Rick is released from prison will he be able to show the world the full extent of his talent. Behind Bars is a tasty appetizer – the main course is yet to come. (RS 703)

CHEO H. COKER