Legendary hip-hop icon Slick Rick and multi-hyphenate Idris Elba have joined forces once again to release “Badman Generation,” a new track infused with reggae and dancehall influences. The song, accompanied by a music video directed by Meji Alabi—known for his work with Beyoncé, Wizkid, and others—serves as a bonus track following Slick Rick’s visual album, VICTORY, which marked his first new LP in over two decades. A press write-up from LargeUp Agency shared that it was released in June through Idris Elba’s 7WALLACE label and Mass Appeal Records, with both artists serving as executive producers.
The recording took place at Elba’s 7WALLACE Studios in London, and the track extends the visual narrative established by VICTORY. Slick Rick and Idris Elba reportedly share a synergy that comes from their common British roots and a mutual passion for storytelling that crosses cultural boundaries.
Filmed around Brixton’s Electric Avenue, a historic hub for London’s Afro-Caribbean community, the music video captures the social and cultural tensions of late 1970s and early 1980s London—a period marked by upheaval for Black Britons.
Slick Rick, who grew up nearby before moving to New York City, describes the project as “‘Badman Generation’ is style, strength, and storytelling—rooted in the brotherhood between Idris and I infused with the grit and glory of South London [and] brought to life under the marque of Electric Avenue—home sweet home.”
Meanwhile, Elba, a London-native and seasoned DJ–though most known for his work on television and big screens–remarked, “My generation of creation was born out of originality.”
“This is actually who we are and what we experienced in life, our influences were us,” he added.
This offering continues Slick Rick’s mission to elevate Black narratives through innovative sound and visual storytelling, building on the themes explored in VICTORY and its collaborative roster, which includes Nas, Giggs, Estelle, and more, as outlined in the press release.
Stream HERE | Watch Video HERE
Watch Full VICTORY Film HERE | Stream Album HERE