Slick Rick is a 60 yr outdated MC from New York Metropolis by the use of London, England, United Kingdom changing into the third artist to signal with Def Jam Recordings over 4 a long time in the past. His debut The Nice Adventures of Slick Rick turned a golden age landmark cementing Rick the Ruler one of many best storytellers hip hop has ever heard. The Ruler’s Again could be acquired extra reasonably & Behind Bars was a dope venting session of his time incarcerated. It’s been over 26 years since his 2nd greatest work The Artwork of Storytelling fulfilled his Def Jam contact & has opted to signal with Mass Attraction Information for his long-awaited fifth LP overseen by actor Idris Elba set to seem in A24 Movies’ upcoming TV adaption of Issues Fall Aside. Couple extra noteworthy issues to get off my chest right here & first is the announcement of Mark Kerr now to be inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame in gentle of his upcoming biopic that I’m anticipating within the fall The Smashing Machine with Mark being performed by 10-time WWE world champion, 2-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, 5-time WWE Tag Staff Champion, United Soccer League (UFL) co-owner, TKO Group Holdings board of administrators member, co-founder of $7 Productions & the ultimate boss {of professional} wrestling himself The Rock of The Rock ‘n’ Soul Reference to the present document breaking 17-time WWE world champion John Cena accompanied by the honorary WWE Hardcore Champion Travis Scott. Talking of the UFL since I’m at it for the fuck of it, the very last thing I wanna say earlier than lastly diving into the music is I hope my hometown workforce the Michigan Panthers defeat the XFL convention champion DC Defenders within the Championship recreation this upcoming Sunday.

After the intro, the primary track “Stress” that includes Giggs has a classic old style vibe to the beat speaking about feeling lonely & needing to be consoled whereas the self-produced “Angelic” flexes the higher-ups nonetheless finding out “La-Di-Da-Di” to this very day justified by how a lot it’s been sampled or lined. “International” suggests you peep the house rising on him & the quantity of people sleeping on him since he’s been gone main into the “I Did That” interlude.

“Come On Let’s Go” goes for a hip home route instrumentally grabbing his coat despite him having to go to work in a number of hours proper when issues had been getting sizzling whereas “Landlord” explains the occupation of proudly owning property in New York today isn’t straightforward in anyway. After the “Mom Teresa” interlude, “Spirit to Cry” briefly discusses these wanting his soul to fulfill it’s demise simply earlier than “Paperwork” that includes Nas talks about being watched as in the event that they’re prime agent shoguns.

The piano-driven increase bap flare of “So You’re Having My Child” fits it’s idea of getting a girl pregnant along with her saying it’s his baby whereas “Cuz I’m Right here” will get again on the hip home tip observing all of the honeys who got here out to have enjoyable. After the “Matrix” interlude, “We’re Not Dropping” advises to maintain it shifting like him when taking Ls with the beat reminiscent to RZA’s manufacturing work 3 a long time in the past & “One other Nice Journey” produced by Q-Tip ends with a cool homage to his 1988 debut.

Reflecting the place the Ruler’s been this previous quarter of a century & the place he’s going hereon out, Victory kicks off the Legend Has It sequence by reintroducing a pioneer to this subsequent technology of hip hop followers who can nonetheless rock the mic like he did on his Who Made the Sunshine? appearances originally of the last decade. The manufacturing palatably blends hip home, funk, increase bap & hip hop’s golden age to backdrop Slick Rick’s themes of perseverance, storytelling, creativeness & evolution.

Rating: 7/10