Following the release of his entirely self-produced album The Allegory, Royce Da 5'9" has continued his epic press run with a conversation on Elliot Wilson and B. Dot Miller's Rap Radar. Within the opening moments, it becomes clear that Royce's artistic vision stretches well beyond lyricism; the way he speaks about crafting a cohesive sonic vision, tailoring his beats to best convey his chosen message.
"When I get beats from people, I always look for the proper marriage between the vocal and the beat," he explains. "That proper marriage is not created through the best rap that you can say or the best beat you can make. It's created through the right marriage. It's about hearing the beat and decided--" He remembers seeing footage of Jay-Z reacting to Timbaland's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" instrumental in the studio. "[Jay] was in there, he took a stab at it, and I remember some of the delivery not being as sharp as when he finally finished it," says Royce. "Then the recut made it perfect. That beat is phenomenal, but it may not go down in history as the best Timbaland beat. But because of what they did together it's classic."
Yelawolf, And Lord Jamar On Rap Radar">Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Around the 15 minute mark, Elliott asks whether Royce ultimately regrets taking to social media to air his grievances, specifically pointing to the time he called out Lord Jamar on IG Live. "I don't have regrets with that," says Royce. "The only thing I can honestly say I would probably switch around is anything I might have said he could have taken offense to in terms of feeling disrespected. I never want to disrespect OGs. I never want to say anything that might come across as wanting to take away from his legacy. I respect him, I respect Brand Nubian...It's just difficult to be able to say that and still disagree with something he might be saying."
"It's not like I had to defend Em," he continues. "I spoke about things when my name as mentioned. The only time I challenged him was on Twitter, I challenge him on some cool shit. I felt like I kept it respectful." Miller jokes that he didn't keep it respectful for Kid Rock, prompting Royce to double down. "I don't respect Kid Rock," he says. "I feel like everybody should be allowed to say what they want to say and feel how they want to feel. As long as everyone is willing to stand in the center of their truths if they get held accountable. I'm personally someone who is going to hold you accountable if I feel disrespected."
Wilson praises the way he held Yelawolf accountable on "Overcomer," and Royce elaborates on his seemingly hardline stance. "I consider him a friend. I hold my friend to a certain standard...I don't ask for respect, we give respect and we get respect. If I say something about somebody on a record and I'm taking a friendly jab, it's all in fun." Wilson asks whether he thinks the weight of his words landed on Yela, and Royce nods. "He knew exactly what was going on. He didn't feel the need to make a phone call or call me and clarify anything. He feels entitled. Just like he reached out to me when the antics wore out -- that's the same entitled behavior."
Check out the full conversation below, and be sure to support one of the game's greatest lyricists right here.