Royce da 5’9″ talks about in a new interview with NME.
Royce da 5’9″ continue the promo run for his latest album ‘The Allegory‘ as he caught up with NME to talks about his project, Eminem appearing on the skit called ‘Perspective‘ where he spoke on Black Music, Eminem’s beef with Lord Jamar, and much more. Check out some of their conversation below and the full interview here.
NME: On the new album [The Allegory] you have an interlude that features Eminem. Why the decision to have him speak on a skit instead of rapping?
Royce da 5’9″: That’s just how it happened. We were having a deep conversation and I was just like, ‘Yo man listen, you know how crazy that sh*t sounds, right?’ If I sent you a beat do you think you could say what you just said over it?’ He talked for about 12 minutes and then Paul [Rosenberg] took it and edited it down and then they sent it over. But the original conversation was way iller.
NME: What do you mean?
Royce da 5’9″: When he’s talking to me he’s not having to be so careful about how he comes across. He knows he can trust me so he’s more candid. I understand where he’s coming from in every area and he understands where I’m coming from in every area so it’s a way for both of us to get out how we feel. We were talking about white privilege and his perspective on it and he had a lot of ill points that I think people would’ve enjoyed hearing.
NME: In a recent interview on Crook’s Corner Eminem addressed being a ‘guest’ in the House of hip-hop in response to Lord Jamar’s comments about him.
Royce da 5’9″: You know what? At the very beginning, when Lord Jamar first started talking about it, that’s one of the first things Marshall said to me: ‘I hope black people know that I know I’m a f**king guest in the house of hip-hop.’ He was talking like that way back then. So the fact that Lord Jamar has taken it and flipped it to make it seem like Marshall was disagreeing with him ain’t right. That’s not what (Eminem) has a problem with. He doesn’t have a problem with you saying he’s a guest, he has a problem with you grouping him in with motherf**kers that come into the culture, walk all over it and dip out. You ain’t talking about a motherf**ker that just rhymes words. Let’s get this sh*t right man, he’s a master at this.
I watched this man get booed off stage plenty of nights trying to find his place in the black community. He respects the culture and he gives to the culture. There’s never been a day where he’s treated the culture like he wasn’t a guest.
NME: In that same interview Eminem said whenever he gets on a record with you or Crook he gets anxiety because you’re such elite MCs.
Royce da 5’9″: That’s what he said?
NME: That’s what he said.
Royce da 5’9″: Nah, I think he just means I dress better than him.
NME: Do you ever feel that way (gets Anxiety) when jumping on a record with anyone?
Royce da 5’9″: Anxiety? I’m not so sure that it’s anxiety but I do understand what Em’s saying. For me, if I’m doing something with Marshall, or Crook, or Joe (Budden), or Joell [Ortiz], I just think a little bit more than I usually would. I don’t necessarily get worried but that’s because I’m not as competitive as Marshall is. Being out-rapped is not that big of a deal. Somebody has to make sure that we’re making a song. And sometimes if you do sh*t with Marshall he won’t let you out-rap him. He doesn’t care about the song… It’s like, ‘I don’t mind getting out-rapped by you, bro. It’s not that big of a deal.’ I don’t think it’s gonna be career suicide for me or anything. But yo, he be acting like somebody gonna throw him off a cliff if he gets out-rapped.
Do you ever feel that way when jumping on a record with anyone?
“Anxiety? I’m not so sure that it’s anxiety but I do understand what he’s saying. For me, if I’m doing something with Marshall, or Crook, or Joe [Budden], or Joell [Ortiz], I just think a little bit more than I usually would. I don’t necessarily get worried but that’s because I’m not as competitive as Marshall is. Being out-rapped is not that big of a deal. Somebody has to make sure that we’re making a song. And sometimes if you do sh*t with Marshall he won’t let you out-rap him. He doesn’t care about the song… It’s like, ‘I don’t mind getting out-rapped by you, bro. It’s not that big of a deal.’ I don’t think it’s gonna be career suicide for me or anything. But yo, he be acting like somebody gonna throw him off a cliff if he gets out-rapped.”
He said he’s really affected by you two. “I don’t know why. When I come in the studio I don’t want no problems, man. I’m just your friendly neighbourhood rapper guy.”
The Allegory, Royce Da 5’9″‘s latest album, is available now. The Allegory is Royce da 5’9’s ninth studio album. On February 21, 2020, it was released by eOne Music. Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, KXNG Crooked, Cyhi the Prynce, DJ Premier, Eminem, Grafh, Sy Ari the Kid, T.I., Vince Staples, Westside Gunn, and Cedric the Entertainer are among the artists who participate on the album.
Check out the full interview here on NME.
