REVIEW: SLICK RICK - VICTORY

4/5

Rick Flair

Ready for 'Another Great Adventure' of the one and only, Slick Rick? Because The Ruler's well and truly back behind these bars, for the first time in 26 years and 1999's, 'The Art Of Storytelling'. Call it a comeback, like LL Cool J's 'The Force', or MC Lyte's '1 Of 1', with more legends to come for this great day, no, year in hip-hop. A few calendars following its half-century celebration. As a matter of fact, call it a 'Victory' in black and white as the eye patch is back to reclaim his crown, like all those jewels that run with him. The greatest British rapper of all-time, who found a home in New York, brings it all back together with the likes of Giggs ('Stress'), Nas ('Documents') and actor/musician Idris Elba providing the visual album. From Mandy Aragones' spoken-word intro, to the 'I Did That dedication, and interludes dedicated to 'Mother Teresa' and the 'Matrix', Morpheus, Ricky D is still fresh like Doug E. A Slick Rick era begins again.

Y'all tucked in? Heeere we go! On 'Angelic', Rick raps, "Ladidadi, quick, daddy, come shipment/Another rumble in this b####, daddy, once hit chords/Do you want another hit, papi? Quick to stitch/Who told me I should quick, daddy? Bore me broad/Body starts to dip, daddy, holy s###, kid/Big time in this b####, daddy, hold the force/Who's sexier than a b####, daddy? Blast a bar/Angelic type of hit, daddy, crash me car" with a formidable flow over beautiful beats. And it goes on and on, on 'Foreign', as the British/Jamaican/American is no stranger to these shores, reworking his grandpa's old favourite to something you'll love...even if grandaddy don't. But hey, 'Come On Let's Go' and rock with rhymes like, "Sеxiness a crime, kid, what time is it?/Flying, Richard, I guеss 'bout/Gets next round 'fore we gets out/Steps out, cab route, gets 'bout/Now back to insult to intelli'/Yelling, any see the felon, shelling, killing run and tell him/What!/But there isn't, square isn't/Ya nerd!"

As real and raw as it gets, but the freshest since he got 'Irresistible Delicious' with Missy Elliott (thank you, Missy!), it gets even slicker on the "Well, it's the first of the month, my, where the time went? (Ding-dong)/Hello, you wanna give my rent? (Give me my rent)/You're three months behind, chick, I'm highly disappointed/Tired of huntin' you down like America's most wanted/Now hurry up, my car's in traffic/Oh, great, another excuse not to have it/"My poor kid's short, Rick," your excuses sure get sadder/But, chick, you're not paying my mortgage (My rent)" rhymes collected for 'Landlord' and the greatest storyteller hip-hop has ever had. It gets even deeper on 'Spirit To Cry' and down on 'So You're Having My Baby', which references Shyne, J-Lo and you know who. Hip-hop may have taken some hits lately (namely the evils of Diddy), but the best of the best still reign. 'Cux I'm Here', Ricky says with "So kid Slick Rick, here we go!/Walkin', sportin', New York, son!/Spot two chicks hop skip, ice blinging!" Victory is his! And 'We're No Losing' as "Champion еxcelsiors/Or dismantle myself is/Any opportunity/Sеnd me out to ruin these/End you, all are soon to see/Anyway, I'm bothering/Acting like a snob like something I can offer them/While on the flip side" attests. Crown it. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 'Stress (Feat. Giggs)', 'Documents (Feat. NaS)', 'Spirit To Cry'

Spin This: Slick Rick - 'The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick'.