Slick Rick's legal problems seem to finally be at an end thanks to newly elected New York Governor David Patterson's full and unconditional pardon on Friday, May 23rd.

The British-born rapper spent five years in prison after having been convicted of shooting his cousin and another man in 1991, both of whom survived. In 2003 he was arrested impisoned by immigration officers and served 17 months in prison based upon a 1997 Immigration and Naturalization Service warrant that no one in the real world seems to understand.

"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 than 10 years," Paterson told the AP. "I urge federal immigration officials to once again grant Mr. Walters relief from deportation, so that he is not separated from his many family members who are United States citizens, including his two teenage children."

We don't know what else Patterson has done since attaining office (besides admitting to several marital dalliances and um, a few white lines) but he's he's already far surpassed Pataki in our book.

The ruler Rick, who is apparently a Bronx landlord and otherwise totally upstanding citizen, made the following statement: "If you were in my shoes, how would you look at life?" he said. "You'd ride life out, too. Anger would just make life not enjoyable, you know what I mean?"

Now if we can finally get those five albums Rick owes us for the past 8 years, we're all good. Seriously, Rick has been one of the most consistant, underproductive rappers of all time, and one of the few remaining 80's dudes we'd actually like to hear a new album from. Heeeere we go.