In case you somehow didn’t remember or didn’t read up, here’s some CliffsNotes: Slick Rick is that nigga. Always has been. In the off chance you did forget, he uses his new track “I Did That” to serve up a heavy-handed but sincere reminder. Flaunting all the imaginative flair of his own Wikipedia page, Rick uses the throwaway interlude to list his accomplishments in a series of undeniable one-note summations: “Icon fashionista. Storyteller. I did that.” It’s a collection of mic-drop cultural imprints from a figure who no longer needs to tell you. If Rick still did require an introduction, Victory, his first album in over 25 years, would do the job pretty well. Defined by wit, breezy soundscapes, and the same conversational agility that made him a legend nearly 40 years ago, the LP sees Slick Rick in cruise control of all his preternatural gifts. While there are some lame detours, it’s proof that, in spurts, he can still take you on an indelible journey.
