Quick answer: Pretty Ricky now performs as a trio. Founding member Corey “Slick’Em” Mathis has been absent from the group since around 2024, after Pleasure P publicly revealed Slick’Em was struggling with heroin addiction and had turned down the group’s attempts to get him into rehab. Spectacular has said the door remains open for his return.
Who Is Slick’Em?
Corey “Slick’Em” Mathis is a founding member of Pretty Ricky, the Miami R&B group formed in 1997 alongside Marcus “Pleasure P” Cooper, Diamond “Baby Blue” Smith, and “Spectacular” Blue Smith. Slick’Em is a cousin to brothers Spectacular and Baby Blue, while Pleasure P joined the group as a family friend rather than a blood relative. (For bios on every member past and present, see Pretty Ricky Members: Then and Now.)
Pretty Ricky broke through in the mid-2000s with the Platinum single “Grind With Me” and the Gold-certified album Bluestars (2005), following it with Late Night Special (2007), which reached #1 on the Billboard 200. Slick’Em was part of the group’s rap-vocal blend through that entire run.
Pretty Ricky’s Timeline Before the Absence
Pretty Ricky’s lineup hasn’t stayed static. Pleasure P left for a solo career in 2007, and the group brought in Carl “Mowet” Lovett and Christopher “4Play” Myers to fill out the sound, with Emanuel “Lingerie” DeAnda replacing Myers in 2009. In 2015, the group reunited with its original four members — Pleasure P, Spectacular, Baby Blue, and Slick’Em — back together for the first time since the mid-2000s.
(For the full year-by-year breakdown of every lineup change, see the companion piece: Why Did Pretty Ricky Break Up?)
That reunited lineup held for close to a decade, which is part of why Slick’Em’s recent absence has drawn so much attention from longtime fans.
Why Slick’Em Is Absent: The Addiction Revelation
In a livestream in late 2024, Pleasure P disclosed that Slick’Em was struggling with heroin addiction. According to reporting from Vibe and Parle Mag, group members — including Spectacular — attempted to get Slick’Em into rehabilitation treatment, but he did not follow through on entering a program.
The group has been careful in how it talks about it publicly. Spectacular has said the group will continue on as a trio while leaving room for Slick’Em to come back:
“The door remains open for Slick’Em to return if he chooses to seek help and recommit to the group.”
Pleasure P has echoed that sentiment directly to his bandmate, framing the situation as a byproduct of the pressures that come with the industry:
“The thing that this success does to people mentally is very challenging… We love you, brother. And we definitely want you back.”
What’s been reported is limited to what Pleasure P and Spectacular have said publicly — there’s no independent confirmation of Slick’Em’s current condition, and neither he nor his representatives have issued their own public statement as of this writing.
The B2K Verzuz Moment
Slick’Em’s absence became a bigger story in mid-2026, when Pretty Ricky faced off against B2K in a Verzuz battle — a matchup Pretty Ricky reportedly won decisively. B2K’s Omarion asked on stage where Slick’Em was, which drew some backlash online for putting the group on the spot about a sensitive subject in a public setting.
Rather than turning it into a conflict, both groups used the moment to publicly express support for Slick’Em’s recovery, with Pleasure P addressing the question directly afterward rather than letting it become a talking point used against the group.
Is Pretty Ricky Still a Trio?
Yes. As of the most recent reporting, Pretty Ricky continues to perform and tour as a trio of Pleasure P, Spectacular, and Baby Blue. The group recently completed the Millennium Tour and has upcoming dates including the Tacos and Tequila Festival. (Confirm current tour dates before publishing — these move fast.)
(For more on what the group is up to right now, see: Is Pretty Ricky Still Together in 2026?)
Slick’Em Hound Quick Facts
- Real name: Corey Mathis
- Group role: Rap vocals, founding member
- Joined Pretty Ricky: 1997, in Miami
- Family ties: Cousin to Spectacular and Baby Blue
- Current status: Not currently performing with the group
- Age: Not publicly confirmed — avoid guessing this in the published version
FAQ
Is Slick’Em still in Pretty Ricky?
No. He hasn’t performed with the group since around 2024, and Pretty Ricky currently operates as a trio without him.
What happened to Slick’Em’s addiction?
Pleasure P has publicly said Slick’Em has struggled with heroin addiction since 2024 and did not follow through on the group’s attempts to get him into rehab. No further updates on his condition have been publicly confirmed.
Will Slick’Em rejoin Pretty Ricky?
The group hasn’t ruled it out. Spectacular has said the door remains open if Slick’Em chooses to seek help.
How old is Slick’Em Hound?
His exact age isn’t publicly confirmed. He’s been with Pretty Ricky since the group formed in 1997.
Sources to link in the published version: Vibe, Parle Mag, Wikipedia — Pretty Ricky
