After a 26-year break, Slick Rick is back in the spotlight. His new visual album, Victory, drops on June 13. He’s collaborating with actor Idris Elba through his 7Wallace label, with Mass Appeal Records also backing the project.
“Victory is all about perseverance, storytelling, imagination and evolution,” Rick said in a statement, as noted in Billboard. “A visual blend of art and heart – a sonic journey that reflects where I’ve been and where I’m going. Victory isn’t just music – it’s a bold in your face statement, showcasing British artistry at its finest!”
The tracks in the upcoming album shine with star power. Nas adds his signature flow, UK rapper Giggs brings raw energy, and singer Estelle smooths it all out with her vocals. Rick spent four years creating this masterpiece between his birthplace in London and France.
The album will be released with a 30-minute film directed by Meji Alabi, fresh from his work on Beyoncé’s Black Is King. The film was shot across three continents, with cameras rolling in the US, the UK, and Africa. Alabi’s touch shows through the film, and the diverse filming locations add a global vibe to the story.
On the project, Idris Elba expressed, “Working with Slick Rick… back home in the UK, and then offering the world of hip-hop something amazing has been a blessing. It’s literally a gift!”
The film will premiere at SXSW London in the Shoreditch Town Hall on June 7. Then, on June 13, as the album drops worldwide, it will screen in New York for the Tribeca Festival.
Slick Rick hasn’t released anything since The Art of Storytelling topped the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Album charts in 1999. It also hit No. 8 on the Billboard 200. His debut album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, also topped Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop list in 1988.
Young Guru mixed the tracks with visuals that Jonathan Mannion captured for this new album. The whole thing comes together under Elba’s 7Wallace label and Mass Appeal Records, where Nas is a stakeholder.
Co-founder Nas also shared a statement: “Slick Rick and I have a long history of working together, so it was great to get back in the studio with him to create this new record. He has been such an influential figure in Hip-Hop culture, and I look forward to him sharing this project with the next generation of fans.”
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