The Detroit emcee revealed that they were working on a collaborative project "at one point," but busy schedules got the best of them.When artists walk through the highlights of their careers, fans get a kick out of reminiscing about their favorite moments. Royce Da 5'9" did just that with The Heaven Experience Vol. 1, a greatest hits project that recently hit streaming services, and he spoke about the collection during his chat with Rap Life Radio on Apple Music 1. Not every artist has enough in their catalog to shape a greatest hits record, and the Detroit rapper explained to Ebro Darden why he decided to pull his tracks together.
"Re-ownership of the masters. And I think that's very important. It's the start of a conversation, the right conversation," said Royce. "Encouraging artists to look at each song on every project that you do like an asset, like all your intellectual property, look at it like an asset. Because once it's on the streaming platforms, it'll just exist, and just look at it like a stream of revenue."
"So, a project like this, that's why I didn't want to call it a compilation," he continued. "I don't want it to be anecdotal. I don't want it to sound like a talking point. Everybody's doing a compilation, or this, or that. This right here, this is just like the lunatics being freed from the asylum."
In speaking of possibilities on the horizon, Royce teased that a joint project with Black Thought from The Roots was in the works and, if time permits, could still come to fruition.
"We go in all the time. We got more way more unreleased stuff than we have stuff that's actually out there. But we were actually working on an album together at one point…But I mean, it's going to take a minute to finish something like that. Tariq is real busy. It'll be times where he's sending me a verse every week, and then it'll be times where I don't get nothing from him for six months."
If you haven't already, listen to The Heaven Experience Vol. 1 below, and also, check out Royce's interview with Rap Life Radio.
About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades.
E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen.
Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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