Slick Rick — I Shouldn't Have Done It

JUL 01 1991 · 12:00

Slick Rick — I Shouldn't Have Done It (1991) Director: Scott Kennedy Era: Golden Age Hip-Hop (1991) - Boom bap era, Def Jam East Coast rap at its commercial peak; year of 'The Ruler's Back' LP cycle on the cusp of gangsta rap's West Coast takeover High curatorial value as a confirmed, sourced artifact from a commercially significant 1991 Def Jam single. The video is a primary document of Slick Rick's visual persona, Golden Age performance aesthetics, and early hip-hop/film cross-promotion. The verified director credit (Scott Kennedy, confirmed via IMVDb and Dailymotion), chart data, and production context make this a well-sourced candidate for Tier 1.5 preservation, with strong research utility across music video history, hip-hop cultural studies, and fashion documentation. Context: Released June 1991 amid Slick Rick's legal troubles and incarceration period, 'I Shouldn't Have Done It' served as the lead single from 'The Ruler's Back' — an album recorded under extraordinary circumstances. The video's low-budget realism reflects standard Def Jam visual economy of the era, while Rick's signature jewelry, eye patch, and storytelling style assert his standing as hip-hop's premier raconteur. The cross-promotional tie-in with the film 'Livin' Large!' illustrates early hip-hop's expanding relationship with Black cinema, a trend accelerating through 1991–1993. The single's peak of #2 on Hot Rap Singles confirmed Rick's commercial viability despite personal adversity. Director notes: The video was produced on a low budget and consists primarily of close-up performance footage of Slick Rick rapping, intercut with dancer sequences. Notably, clips from the 1991 film 'Livin' Large!' (whose soundtrack featured this single) were incorporated into the video. A well-documented continuity goof occurs when a female dancer's earring falls off mid-performance but she continues dancing. Running length matches radio edit at 3:08. Released June 6, 1991 on Def Jam Recordings.