June 15, 2025
He says the album speaks to his mentality now as a 60-year-old man.
Slick Rick isn’t accomplished telling his story over beats simply but. The English-American rapper has launched his first new album of this century.
The Hip Hop legend launched his fifth LP, a visible album known as “Victory,” June 13. He informed AP Information that the album speaks to his mentality now as a 60-year-old man. It continues his profession since his final mission, 1999’s “The The Artwork of Storytelling.”
“You was a younger grownup, then a middled-aged man and now you’re an older man, so my mentality has to develop with it,” mentioned Slick Rick.
Slick Rick, a formidable determine in early rap, received his begin with Doug E. Recent & the Get Recent Crew within the mid-Eighties. Together with his signature eye patch in tow, Rick grew to become a family identify for his 1985 hit “La Di Da Di,” also referred to as some of the sampled songs in historical past.
A long time later, Slick Rick’s comeback exhibits that the emcee nonetheless has the chops to compete with the heavy hitters of hip hop in the present day. Whereas producing 95% of the album himself, he additionally leaned on new collaborators like actor and rapper Idris Elba. Extra options even embrace Nas, Giggs, and Estelle.
“Victory” took 4 years to make, whereas discovering inspiration from his international upbringing with recordings in London and France. The accompanying visuals additionally added to this theme, happening within the U.S., U.Okay., and Africa. He continued his dialog with AP concerning the journey towards making the album.
“It would’ve been a bit hesitation, however you’re simply having enjoyable,” he informed the outlet. ” We simply bringing it to {the marketplace} and see what occurs. There’s no stress or nothing. We’re bringing it to the folks to see in the event that they prefer it. Feed them.”
The album additionally blends Hip Hop with a number of genres, together with reggaeton and home music. Nevertheless, he emphasised how Black folks can connect with all forms of sounds, eager to additional this level via this album.
He added, “It’s what Black folks like. We’re not simply Hip-Hop. We like reggae. We like home music. Let’s say just like the Beatles or Barry Manilow. We go everywhere. Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross. We go locations. We attempt to entertain ourselves in numerous areas of existence.”
Slick Rick’s artistry transcends time, as confirmed along with his latest mission. What impression he hopes to depart, nonetheless, is one which maintain Black storytelling as an integral a part of rap.
“It’s an open house. It hasn’t been stuffed, the entire storytelling factor. Earlier than it will get too misplaced again into braggadocios, one frequency. Develop your horizons. You don’t all the time must be tough. Be romantic…Be humorous. Be susceptible. Go throughout. Be a politician. Use your creativeness. Go locations, so we are able to take tales and provides to our folks’s creativeness.”
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