10 Songs That Made Ric Flair A Hip-Hop Icon

Before MC Ricky D was telling children's stories, there was only one 'Slick Ric'.

The 1980's saw Ric Flair establish himself as the perennial world champion in the NWA. The undisputed worker of the decade, Flair set records and trends alike. Accompanying the gold around his waist with solitaires on his fingers and luxury timepieces on his wrist, the Nature Boy's shoe game was exclusively the finest reptile leather.

Custom fitted from head to toe, although Flair was the antagonist in his feud with the common man, Dusty Rhodes, his panache captured the spirit of working-class audiences, enamoured with his combination of taste and tenacity.

Bragging of his wares and his women, it didn't matter that Flair cheated to get ahead - he got ahead. That can do pragmatism, steeped in elegance and excess, as rapper Pusha T declared, was hip-hop before hip-hop existed.

An idol to generations of wrestling fans, Flair's popularity amongst rappers is similarly pronounced. With his legend dropped in countless songs, hip-hop tracks named in his honour are equally abundant, with at least 60 on your preferred music streaming service to date.

Here are ten boom bap tributes to the legendary Nature Boy.

I can't help that I'm custom made, I can't help it that I look good, smell good, woooo, can dance all night long - Ric Flair

Cam'ron is such a big wrestling fan that he once partnered with Bret Hart to make an album called Sharpshooter to promote a Canadian finance company, named after the 'Hitman's famous finisher. Sadly, the album never came to fruition, so 'Killa' Cam turned his attention to every rapper's favourite wrestler, the owner and proprietor of Space Mountain himself.

It's America, and if I wanna wear a Rolex watch, you haven't got one, you understand? Hahaha - Ric Flair

Featuring famous Nature Boy verbiage on the intro, Cam lauches into a Flair-esque tirade, exulting the virtues of his Rolex, clothes and females and, in particular, sharing in Naitch's disdain for women he perceived as particularly unalluring.

Baby turn around, yeah, you the one I called / Her friend said, "What you want?", I looked and said, "None of y'all"

Kill Cam's homage was even recognised by the Man himself following the song's release in 2016.

Thanks @Mr_Camron https://t.co/AFoCpcELNF

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) June 16, 2017