Slick Rick’s Victory: The Ruler Returns

After a 26-year hiatus, hip-hop icon Slick Rick is back with his fifth studio album, Victory, released on June 13, 2025. This is his first full-length album since 1999’s The Art of Storytelling, and it comes as both a musical and visual experience—a 30-minute film directed by Meji Alabi and executive-produced by Idris Elba. The visual album has already made waves, premiering at SXSW London and screening at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Victory features collaborations with big names like Nas, Giggs, and Estelle, blending Slick Rick’s signature storytelling with fresh production from himself, Elba, and others. Tracks like “Stress,” “Documents,” and “So You’re Having My Baby” showcase his classic narrative style while introducing a contemporary sound that feels both nostalgic and new.

Part of Mass Appeal’s “Legend Has It” series, the album celebrates Slick Rick’s enduring influence on hip-hop. With Victory, he proves that his unique voice and storytelling talent remain as sharp as ever, solidifying his place among the genre’s all-time greats.