Latest news with #TheArtofStorytelling
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Hip-hop legend Slick Rick returns after 26 years with album
Hip-hop legend Slick Rick is proving his creative spark is far from fading. The English-born rapper — known for his signature eye patch and masterful storytelling — returned to the booth with his first new project in nearly three decades. He's reminding the world of his timeless rap prowess on his visual album, 'Victory,' released on Friday. It marks Slick Rick's first album since 1999's 'The Art of Storytelling.' This new project is largely self-produced, with the rapper handling 95% of the production and sharing executive producer duties with Emmy-nominated actor and occasional rapper-DJ Idris Elba, who appears on the album alongside Nas, Giggs and Estelle. 'You was a young adult, then a middled aged man and now you're an older man, so my mentality has to grow with it,' said Slick Rick, known for his rap classics such as 'Children's Story,' 'La Di Da Di' with Doug E. Fresh and 'Mona Lisa.' His debut album, 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick,' in 1988 hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop charts. 'Victory' was four years in the making, with Slick Rick, now 60, writing and recording the album between his birthplace of London then France, while the visuals were filmed in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa. Slick Rick believes his voice still resonates in hip-hop. Slick Rick spoke about how storytelling plays a role in today's rap, his relationship with Elba and how hip-hop has no limitations. How did you and Idris hook up? We met at a party and then we clicked. His people reached out to me, and they wanted to make an album. They flew me to England and France. I hung out with Idris at his cribs, and we just did what we do. We just had fun, And then when we was finished, we said, 'Yeah, we're ready to bring it to the marketplace.' Did you ever feel hesitant stepping back into the spotlight, or did this album feel like destiny? It might've been a little hesitation, but you're just having fun. We just bringing it to the marketplace and see what happens. There's no pressure or nothing. We're bringing it to the people to see if they like it. Feed them. When did you feel like this project was ready for public consumption? When we were in the studio with Idris doing our thing, I checked the reactions of people. But then I saw people in their happy place. Once I saw that, I'm good. I see him and his people's happy. A little dancing. Popped a little Moet. We were having a good time. What made you go the visual album route? It was saving time. People make songs and do videos anyway. So why not just speed this up real quick? Video and rap both at the same time. Boom, let's keep it moving. ... This is like watching a movie. You want to expand the picture. Not only do you hear my voice and the music, which is the essence. You get ... visual picture as well. You produced the bulk of the album. Why did you decide to go that route instead of enlisting other producers? In my creative process, I need to have a lot of input or it's not going to be authentic Rick. Too many hands, it's not going to pop. So many hands is going to distort stuff. I do my own music most of the time. What's the importance of rap storytelling in 2025? It's an open space. It hasn't been filled, the whole storytelling thing. Before it gets too lost back into braggadocios, one frequency. Expand your horizons. You don't always have to be rough. Be romantic. Be humorous. Be vulnerable. Go all over. Be a politician. Use your imagination. Go places, so we can take stories and give to our people's imagination. Associated Press
Japan Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Slick Rick returns after 26 years with 'Victory' album and proves hip-hop storytelling still reigns
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr Hip-hop legend Slick Rick is proving his creative spark is far from fading. The English-born rapper — known for his signature eye patch and masterful storytelling — returned to the booth with his first new project in nearly three decades. He's reminding the world of his timeless rap prowess on his visual album, 'Victory,' released Friday. It marks Slick Rick's first album since 1999's 'The Art of Storytelling.' This new project is largely self-produced, with the rapper handling 95% of the production and sharing executive producer duties with Emmy-nominated actor and occasional rapper-DJ Idris Elba, who appears on the album alongside Nas, Giggs and Estelle. 'You was a young adult, then a middled aged man and now you're an older man, so my mentality has to grow with it,' said Slick Rick, known for his rap classics such as 'Children's Story,' 'La Di Da Di' with Doug E. Fresh and 'Mona Lisa.' His debut album, 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick,' in 1988 hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop charts. 'Victory' was four years in the making, with Slick Rick, now 60, writing and recording the album between his birthplace of London then France, while the visuals were filmed in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa. Slick Rick believes his voice still resonates in hip-hop. He said the subjects he tackles have grown with him. 'Can't always be children all the time,' he said. 'We grow and talk about things that interest us at this age.' In a recent interview, Slick Rick spoke with The Associated Press about how storytelling plays a role in today's rap, his relationship with Elba and how hip-hop has no limitations. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: How did you and Idris hook up? SLICK RICK: We met at a party and then we clicked. His people reached out to me, and they wanted to make an album. They flew me to England and France. I hung out with Idris at his cribs, and we just did what we do. We just had fun, And then when we was finished, we said, 'Yeah, we're ready to bring it to the marketplace.' AP: Did you ever feel hesitant stepping back into the spotlight, or did this album feel like destiny? SLICK RICK: It might've been a little hesitation, but you're just having fun. We just bringing it to the marketplace and see what happens. There's no pressure or nothing. We're bringing it to the people to see if they like it. Feed them. AP: When did you feel like this project was ready for public consumption? SLICK RICK: When we were in the studio with Idris doing our thing, I checked the reactions of people. But then I saw people in their happy place. Once I saw that, I'm good. I see him and his people's happy. A little dancing. Popped a little Moet. We were having a good time. AP: You blended hip-hop melodies with various sounds including reggae and house music. What was your vision behind this musical approach? SLICK RICK: It's what Black people like. We're not just hip-hop. We like reggae. We like house music. Let's say like the Beatles or Barry Manilow. We go all over the place. Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross. We go places. We try to entertain ourselves in different areas of existence. AP: What made you go the visual album route? SLICK RICK: It was saving time. People make songs and do videos anyway. So why not just speed this up real quick? Video and rap both at the same time. Boom, let's keep it moving. ... This is like watching a movie. You want to expand the picture. Not only do you hear my voice and the music, which is the essence. You get ... visual picture as well. AP: You produced the bulk of the album. Why did you decide to go that route instead of enlisting other producers? SLICK RICK: In my creative process, I need to have a lot of input or it's not going to be authentic Rick. Too many hands, it's not going to pop. So many hands is going to distort stuff. I do my own music most of the time. AP: What's the importance of rap storytelling in 2025? SLICK RICK: It's an open space. It hasn't been filled, the whole storytelling thing. Before it gets too lost back into braggadocios, one frequency. Expand your horizons. You don't always have to be rough. Be romantic. Be humorous. Be vulnerable. Go all over. Be a politician. Use your imagination. Go places, so we can take stories and give to our people's imagination. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Geek Tyrant
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Video Explores The Episode That Defines STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION — GeekTyrant
Filmmaker Andrew Muir, known for his YouTube channel The Art of Storytelling, has released a thoughtful new video exploring an episode that many fans say defines Star Trek: The Next Generation : Season 5's 'Darmok.' In the video, Muir dives into why this episode, centered on communication, metaphor, and mutual understanding, and how it stands out among the franchise's most meaningful. 'I recently asked my audience which episodes of 'Star Trek the Next Generation' they considered to be the best. And one of the titles that consistently came up was 'Darmok'. I found it interesting that of all the great episodes in this series …people chose a story about language as their favorite.' 'Darmok' follows Captain Picard as he's transported to a planet alongside the Tamarian captain Dathon, whose people speak exclusively in metaphor, cultural references that the universal translator can't decode. What starts as a confusing and seemingly hostile encounter slowly shifts into something much deeper. 'Tamrians speak primarily in metaphor using proper nouns to reference specific people and places that the translator has no context for. The Tamrians, frustrated by the failed discussion, decide to transport both captains to the surface of a nearby planet. 'The Tamrian captain Dayan has two blades so Picard naturally assumes this is a duel. But it soon becomes apparent that Dayan has something else in mind and it's not aggressive… it's revealed that there's some kind of predator-like beast that's hunting Picard and Dayan. So Picard finally accepts the blade, but it's too late.' Muir breaks down how the episode is about empathy, effort, and the limits of technology in truly understanding someone else's experience. It's that struggle and eventual connection that makes 'Darmok' resonate so strongly, even decades later.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Slick Rick returns after 26 years with 'Victory' album and proves hip-hop storytelling still reigns
LOS ANGELES — Hip-hop legend Slick Rick is proving his creative spark is far from fading. The English-born rapper — known for his signature eye patch and masterful storytelling — returned to the booth with his first new project in nearly three decades. He's reminding the world of his timeless rap prowess on his visual album, 'Victory,' released Friday. It marks Slick Rick's first album since 1999's 'The Art of Storytelling.' This new project is largely self-produced, with the rapper handling 95% of the production and sharing executive producer duties with Emmy-nominated actor and occasional rapper-DJ Idris Elba, who appears on the album alongside Nas, Giggs and Estelle. 'You was a young adult, then a middled aged man and now you're an older man, so my mentality has to grow with it,' said Slick Rick, known for his rap classics such as 'Children's Story,' 'La Di Da Di' with Doug E. Fresh and 'Mona Lisa.' His debut album, 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick,' in 1988 hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop charts. 'Victory' was four years in the making, with Slick Rick, now 60, writing and recording the album between his birthplace of London then France, while the visuals were filmed in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa. Slick Rick believes his voice still resonates in hip-hop. He said the subjects he tackles have grown with him. 'Can't always be children all the time,' he said. 'We grow and talk about things that interest us at this age.' In a recent interview, Slick Rick spoke with The Associated Press about how storytelling plays a role in today's rap, his relationship with Elba and how hip-hop has no limitations. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. SLICK RICK: We met at a party and then we clicked. His people reached out to me, and they wanted to make an album. They flew me to England and France. I hung out with Idris at his cribs, and we just did what we do. We just had fun, And then when we was finished, we said, 'Yeah, we're ready to bring it to the marketplace.' SLICK RICK: It might've been a little hesitation, but you're just having fun. We just bringing it to the marketplace and see what happens. There's no pressure or nothing. We're bringing it to the people to see if they like it. Feed them. SLICK RICK: When we were in the studio with Idris doing our thing, I checked the reactions of people. But then I saw people in their happy place. Once I saw that, I'm good. I see him and his people's happy. A little dancing. Popped a little Moet. We were having a good time. SLICK RICK: It's what Black people like. We're not just hip-hop. We like reggae. We like house music. Let's say like the Beatles or Barry Manilow. We go all over the place. Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross. We go places. We try to entertain ourselves in different areas of existence. SLICK RICK: It was saving time. People make songs and do videos anyway. So why not just speed this up real quick? Video and rap both at the same time. Boom, let's keep it moving. ... This is like watching a movie. You want to expand the picture. Not only do you hear my voice and the music, which is the essence. You get ... visual picture as well. SLICK RICK: In my creative process, I need to have a lot of input or it's not going to be authentic Rick. Too many hands, it's not going to pop. So many hands is going to distort stuff. I do my own music most of the time. SLICK RICK: It's an open space. It hasn't been filled, the whole storytelling thing. Before it gets too lost back into braggadocios, one frequency. Expand your horizons. You don't always have to be rough. Be romantic. Be humorous. Be vulnerable. Go all over. Be a politician. Use your imagination. Go places, so we can take stories and give to our people's imagination.
Hamilton Spectator
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Slick Rick returns after 26 years with ‘Victory' album and proves hip-hop storytelling still reigns
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hip-hop legend Slick Rick is proving his creative spark is far from fading. The English-born rapper — known for his signature eye patch and masterful storytelling — returned to the booth with his first new project in nearly three decades. He's reminding the world of his timeless rap prowess on his visual album, 'Victory,' released Friday. It marks Slick Rick's first album since 1999's 'The Art of Storytelling.' This new project is largely self-produced, with the rapper handling 95% of the production and sharing executive producer duties with Emmy-nominated actor and occasional rapper-DJ Idris Elba , who appears on the album alongside Nas , Giggs and Estelle. 'You was a young adult, then a middled aged man and now you're an older man, so my mentality has to grow with it,' said Slick Rick, known for his rap classic such as 'Children's Story,' 'La Di Da Di' with Doug E. Fresh and 'Mona Lisa.' His debut album, 'The Great Adventures of Slick Rick,' in 1988 hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop charts. 'Victory' was four years in the making, with Slick Rick, now 60, writing and recording the album between his birthplace of London then France, while the visuals were filmed in the United States, United Kingdom and Africa. Slick Rick believes his voice still resonates in hip-hop. He said the subjects he tackles have grown with him. 'Can't always be children all the time,' he said. 'We grow and talk about things that interest us at this age.' In a recent interview, Slick Rick spoke with The Associated Press about how storytelling plays a role in today's rap, his relationship with Elba and how hip-hop has no limitations. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: How did you and Idris hook up? SLICK RICK: We met at a party and then we clicked. His people reached out to me, and they wanted to make an album. They flew me to England and France. I hung out with Idris at his cribs, and we just did what we do. We just had fun, And then when we was finished, we said, 'Yeah, we're ready to bring it to the marketplace.' AP: Did you ever feel hesitant stepping back into the spotlight, or did this album feel like destiny? SLICK RICK: It might've been a little hesitation, but you're just having fun. We just bringing it to the marketplace and see what happens. There's no pressure or nothing. We're bringing it to the people to see if they like it. Feed them. AP: When did you feel like this project was ready for public consumption? SLICK RICK: When we were in the studio with Idris doing our thing, I checked the reactions of people. But then I saw people in their happy place. Once I saw that, I'm good. I see him and his people's happy. A little dancing. Popped a little Moet. We were having a good time. AP: You blended hip-hop melodies with various sounds including reggae and house music. What was your vision behind this musical approach? SLICK RICK: It's what Black people like. We're not just hip-hop. We like reggae. We like house music. Let's say like the Beatles or Barry Manilow. We go all over the place. Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross. We go places. We try to entertain ourselves in different areas of existence. AP: What made you go the visual album route? SLICK RICK: It was saving time. People make songs and do videos anyway. So why not just speed this up real quick? Video and rap both at the same time. Boom, let's keep it moving. ... This is like watching a movie. You want to expand the picture. Not only do you hear my voice and the music, which is the essence. You get ... visual picture as well. AP: You produced the bulk of the album. Why did you decide to go that route instead of enlisting other producers? SLICK RICK: In my creative process, I need to have a lot of input or it's not going to be authentic Rick. Too many hands, it's not going to pop. So many hands is going to distort stuff. I do my own music most of the time. AP: What's the importance of rap storytelling in 2025? SLICK RICK: It's an open space. It hasn't been filled, the whole storytelling thing. Before it gets too lost back into braggadocios, one frequency. Expand your horizons. You don't always have to be rough. Be romantic. Be humorous. Be vulnerable. Go all over. Be a politician. Use your imagination. Go places, so we can take stories and give to our people's imagination.
