After facing threats of deportation for several years, the eye-patch wearing hip-hop legend we all know as Slick Rick has been granted full and unconditional pardon by New York Governor David Paterson. The U.K.-born rapper was slapped with a six-year jail term in 1991 after being convicted of attempted murder for shooting his cousin and a bystander outside a club.

Gov. Paterson noted that Rick has made positive contributions to his community since his release in 1997. (And I don't mean his litany of classic material.)

"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," said the governor in a statement.

Rick expressed his gratitude for the pardon. "This has been a long and difficult road and I am happy for this to be settled once and for all," Walters said. "I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and to continue leading an honest and productive life."

And he lived happily ever after...

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