Slick Rick Talks “VICTORY,” His Upbringing & More With Zane Lowe [Video]

Slick Rick sits down with Zane Lowe to discuss VICTORY, his upbringing, storytelling, and the possibility of releasing more music.

Slick Rick’s conversation with Zane Lowe arrives as another look inside the world of VICTORY, the landmark project that brought The Ruler back with his first full-length album since 1999’s The Art of Storytelling.

Across the interview, Rick speaks with the calm confidence of someone who has never needed to overexplain his place in the culture. The discussion moves through his upbringing, the making of VICTORY, and the possibility of more music, with Zane Lowe giving him room to reflect on the craft that made him one of hip-hop’s defining storytellers in the first place.

VICTORY is not framed as a nostalgia exercise here. Rick talks like an artist still thinking in scenes, voices, details, and characters, which is why the album’s visual approach makes sense next to the conversation. The project, executive produced by Slick Rick and Idris Elba, reconnects him with the cinematic side of his writing while pulling in appearances from Nas, Giggs, and Estelle.

For longtime listeners, the interview works as a reminder of how singular Slick Rick remains: measured, funny, stylish, and still fully aware of the power of a story told with precision. Watch the full Zane Lowe interview below.