Royce Da 5”9 is without question one of the most diabolical emcees to ever breathe into the mic. For two decades he has backed this claim by holding his own on tracks with Eminem, DJ Premier, Slaughterhouse and many others. In preparation for his performance at this year’s A3C Festival and Conference, we’ve prepared a short list of some of our favorite Royce Da 5’9” verses.
Wishin’ (1st verse) - PRhyme
It’s no secret that some of Royce’s best work has come alongside DJ Premier. So when the two linked to create a collaborative project, PRhyme, it came as no surprise that they produced some of the best tracks in both of their extensive catalogues. “Wishin’” sees Royce delivering his usual serving of over the top punchlines over the chilling Premo production with help from Common.
Boom (2nd verse) - Rock City
In 1999, Royce Da 5’9” began to gain buzz with the release of his first single as a solo artist. DJ Premier provided a boom bap beat. And Royce provided a slew of gun and bomb metaphors to announce his prowess on the mic.
I’m the King (2nd verse) - GTA III soundtrack
Although this song features the same lyrical denseness of typical Royce songs, the real reason it get’s a spot on our list is because it brings back vivid memories of stealing cars and doing drive-bys. “I’m the King” is one of the standouts on the stellar Grand Theft Auto III soundtrack.
Remember the Titans - Mood Muzik 4 (Joe Budden)
Royce’s solo catalogue isn’t lacking but he has always had a knack for upping the ante up when paired with his contemporaries. On “Remember the Titans” Fabolous, Joe Budden and Lloyd Banks take turns dropping slick lines before Royce Da 5’9” comes through and absolutely bodies it.
Shady 2.0 Cypher (BET Hip-Hop Awards)
The cyphers are one of the most anticipated parts of the BET Hip-Hop awards each year. In 2011, Eminem brought out his Shady Interscope signees--Yelawolf and Slaughterhouse. Royce was in rare form, offering up a performance that had the whole world saying “Hi, Rihanna.”
You can catch Royce Da 5'9" on Friday, October 7th for the first day of A3C's Festival Grounds.
