Once again, the Ruler is back. Last month, the Nas-backed label Mass Appeal announced Legend Has It..., a new series of seven albums from seven iconic rap acts, including long-awaited records like Nas and DJ Premier's collaborative LP and Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele 2. On the billboard where they unveiled the series, Mass Appeal also promised "the epic return of..." without saying who was returning. Now, we know that the epic return in question is that of New York rap legend Slick Rick. Next month, as rumored, he'll release Victory, his first LP since 1999. It's a full album, and he made it with help from movie star and occasional producer Idris Elba.
Slick Rick announced his plans for Victory in a brief trailer video today. The YouTube description says that he has "joined creative forces" with Idris Elba, who occasionally makes his own music and who co-produced the intro track from Jay-Z's 2007 album American Gangster. Mass Appeal and Elba's 7Wallace label will release Victory, and it'll feature appearances from Nas, UK rapper Giggs, and British singer Estelle. Rick is originally from London, and he recorded Victory between London and France. The visual-album component is a "30-minute immersive film" directed by Meji Alabi, a London-born filmmaker who worked on Beyoncé Black Is King project. It stars Slick Rick and Idris Elba, and it includes footage shot in the US, the UK, and Africa. In the trailer, we see a montage of younger people wearing Rick's trademark eye patch.
Slick Rick has faced a number of career obstacles over the years. After the release of his classic 1988 debut The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick, he was imprisoned for attempted murder, among other charges. He released two albums while incarcerated, and 1999's The Art Of Storytelling, his most recent LP until now, was supposed to be his big comeback. New York governor David Paterson pardoned Rick in 2008, when he was facing possible deportation. Last year, A$AP Rocky teased the release of "Hood Happy," a posse cut with Rick and other Golden Age luminaries, but it still hasn't come out. A few weeks ago, Ben Affleck put Rick on his rap Mount Rushmore. Check out the Victory trailer below.
Victory is out 6/13 on Mass Appeal/7Wallace. Also, the Victory film will screen 6/7 at SXSW London and 6/13 at the Tribeca Festival.
