The name “Royce” came from his R shaped Turkish link chain which was said to have resembled a Rolls Royce logo. During high school Royce was one of the shortest players on his basketball team, standing 5′9” at age 18.
Royce signed with Tommy Boy records in 1998 and later was slated to release his debut album Rock City. Though this relationship was premature, Royce ended up leaving the label citing creative differences.
Royce began working with well known Game Recordings who helped get him in front of the right people to negotiate a deal with Columbia Records. Royce’s Rock City debut was yet again plagued with delays, during which the album was heavily bootlegged. Though not in their favor, Columbia chose to release Rock City in limited quantity and quickly went out of print by the time Royce left Columbia.
Around this time Royce dropped the underground banger “Boom” with production by Dj Premier. Soon thereafter he joined up with Koch / Game Recordings and released Rock City (Version 2.0) independently.
Most well known for his association with Slim Shady – the two met at a concert while Slim was promoting his Slim Shady EP. The two formed a Duo called Bad Meets Evil, releasing a number of tracks including “Renegades” [Original Version], “Nuttin’ to Do”, “Scary Movies”, “She’s the One”, and “See You In Hell”, which appeared on Eminem’s album The Slim Shady LP, titled “Bad Meets Evil”.
In 2001 Royce was set to work with Dr Dre’s Chronic 2000 project as a ghostwriter. He contributed tracks including “The Message”, “The Throne Is Mine”, “Stay In Your Place” and the original version of “Xxplosive” titled “The Way I Be Pimpin’”.
Royce’s association with Dr. Dre ceased when his manager, Kino Childrey spoke to a reporter about Eminem and Dre in the studio. Royce refused to dismiss his manager and long time friend, ending his relationship with Dre.
Royce and Em had a mutual friendship with Proof. Though Royce had bad blood with D12 member, Bizarre, stemming from a earlier freestyle battle with Royce’s brother. Misscommunication escalated the beef between the pair, causing it to spiral out of control and include all members of the rap group D12.
In 2002, Royce called Eminem to request to be signed to Shady Records. Eminem declined and soon thereafter signed 50-cent to Shady Records instead.
Royce released several diss tracks including “Shit on U” (over D12’s “Shit on You”), taking shots at Bizzare of D12. Royce continued record dis tracks including “We Ridin’”, “Death Day”, and “Malcolm X”. There’s speculation that Royce and Em often wrote bars dissing each other subliminally.
From 2002-2003 Royce kept a low profile releasing releasing Build & Destroy, and Build & Destroy: The Lost Sessions Part 1 across the mixtape circuit.
In 2003, Royce’s beef with D12 finally reached its tipping point. Royce and Proof and their entourages spilled into the streets of Detroit arguing but the issue dissipated once firearms were drawn. The two rappers spent a night in jail, and settled their beef.
In 2004 Royce released his sophomore effort Death Is Certain on Koch records, as well as two mixtapes from his crew M.I.C. (Make it Count). The crew includes members Royce, Kid Vishis,and June.
2005 marked Royce’s third full length album release Independent’s Day on Trouble/M.I.C. Records.
Royce Da 5′9″ was sentenced to jail on September 19, 2006 for parole violation for a prior DUI charge. Royce was sentenced to one year in the clink at Oakland County Jail, Pontiac, Michigan. On January 9, 2007, Royce got out of jail on work-release.
Royce has a strong ghostwriting resume including the track “Tell Me” ft. Christina Aguilera for Diddy’s album Press Play.
In May 2007, Royce Da 5′9″ released a mixtape called The Bar Exam which features DJ Premier and Statik Selektah on the Wheels of Steel.
In 2008, Royce confirmed that he had officially resolved his longstanding differences with Eminem and celebrated with a reunion concert on July 12, 2008 at Saint Andrews Hall. A mixtape of the reunion concert was soon released thereafter.
Royce also had beef with other industry majors including Mistah Fab, Cashi$, and Joe Budden, Kanye West and the Ruff Ryders.
Ima Let You Tell It
Royce da 5'9" Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'ma let you tell it (Smash Squad)
And you can ask me who's the illest around (Statik)
But I'ma let you tell it
Yeah, I can probably tell you my opinion on that
But I'ma let you tell it (You show off)
Don't ask me, "Who the illest MC?"
I'ma let you tell it
Verse One:
It ain't rocket science
I know you ain't cock no iron
I know who you run behind if them shots was flyin'
I know who the crime, the crook, the lolly gag sets
The rhymes, the book, the hookers who probably have sex
The kinds, the shook ones, the pawns the rook
And how the lines would look if I'm hooked to a polygraph test
Call me papi, the best
The answer to the solution to the problem in hip hop
You copy the test
I'm the cockiest catch
You a throw
You the treat at the end of my hook
You the eaten
You a hoe
You seem to be about losin'
There seem to be parts of my style
Lingerin' in your bowel movement
I took the courage and built my
Own company
I own somethin' that's why I purchased the silk tie
This is words to live by
Watch your words
Cause words trigger the trigger herbs get killed by
Shut up it's two shooters
Bet I can give you a tip
Get a new whip
And set up a new jeweler
Get wet up this 2-2-1
Light up your head and exit your lip
And sweat up your suit coolers
All your teams involved in things
That enter in your body and end all your dreams
Enter in your shoulder
Exit out your ass
Hittin' every organ like a pinball machine
Chorus
In Royce da 5'9"'s song "Ima Let You Tell It," the chorus features the phrase "But I'ma let you tell it" repeated several times. The phrase is a way of saying that the singer is not interested in arguing or debating with the listener about who is the best MC. Instead, the singer will allow the listener to have their own opinion, even if it differs from their own. The song is partly about how the rap industry is oversaturated with mediocre and unoriginal artists who don't deserve the hype they receive.
In the first verse, Royce da 5'9" goes on to criticize these uninspired rappers and their lackluster rhymes. He contrasts them with himself, boasting of his own skills and accomplishments. He claims that he is the solution to the problems in hip-hop and the best rapper around. The verse includes various references to street life and crime, as well as a line about how Royce da 5'9" has built his own successful company.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the state of the rap industry, and how genuine talent and creativity are often overlooked in favor of surface-level hype and trends.
Line by Line Meaning
But I'ma let you tell it (Smash Squad)
I'll allow you to express your own opinion on this matter (Shoutout to Smash Squad)
And you can ask me who's the illest around (Statik)
You may inquire about my thoughts on who the best MC is (Shoutout to Statik)
But I'ma let you tell it
However, I will still let you have the final say
Yeah, I can probably tell you my opinion on that
Even though I have my own ideas about the answer
But I'ma let you tell it (You show off)
I'll give you the opportunity to showcase your viewpoint (Shoutout to You Show Off)
Don't ask me, "Who the illest MC?"
Please do not question me on who I believe is the best rapper
I know who you run behind if them shots was flyin'
I am aware of who you seek protection from in dangerous situations
The kinds, the shook ones, the pawns the rook
I understand the types of individuals involved in various situations
And how the lines would look if I'm hooked to a polygraph test
I am confident in the truthfulness of what I say and would pass a lie detector test
You seem to be about losin'
It appears that you have a tendency to lose or be defeated
There seem to be parts of my style Lingerin' in your bowel movement
It seems that even after you've passed waste, remnants of my style still remain in your mind
This is words to live by
What I am saying is important enough to be guiding principles for life
Watch your words Cause words trigger the trigger herbs get killed by
Be cautious with what you say because language can provoke people, especially those who carry weapons
Shut up it's two shooters
Be silent because there are two people present who are armed
Bet I can give you a tip
I am confident that I can provide you with some valuable information
Get a new whip And set up a new jeweler
Purchase a new car and secure a new jewelry dealer
Get wet up this 2-2-1 Light up your head and exit your lip
You will sustain severe injuries if you are shot with this type of gun
And sweat up your suit coolers
You will become nervous and frightened if such violence occurs
All your teams involved in things That enter in your body and end all your dreams
Your associates participate in activities that can lead to your death or destruction of your aspirations
Enter in your shoulder Exit out your ass Hittin' every organ like a pinball machine
A bullet can enter your body at one point and exit through another, causing damage to multiple organs
Contributed by Samantha P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bob3007
Never let someone who's not as smart as you\
Gas you up, and tell you somethin' you never knew\
Don't let people next to you, that don't want the best for you\
It's completely normal to hold on to a regret or two\
Royce da 5'9 is under-appreciated talent-wise for sure; but not enough people talk about his character... The level and amount of wisdom Royce can put into his lyrics, while keeping his visceral lyricism and ice cold demeanor, while spitting battle-rapper type punches, is just... something else.... ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO2o3rDg5hU )
Royce is without peers, on a level completely by himself... ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXi629ypSwY )
@theSededkhanli
The song 🗿
The man🗿
The singer 🗿
The instrumental 🗿
The viewers 🗿
The song listener 🗿
The saver of the song🗿
The one who added this song in his playlist 🗿
All who listens it 🗿
The nerves of the body 🗿
The blood streaming at speed of light after hearing this🗿
The comments🗿
The thoughts while writing this 🗿
My hands while typing this 🗿
The keyboard 🗿
The alphabets 🗿
YouTube 🗿
Thumbnail 🗿
Subtitle 🗿
This comment 🗿
Those who likes this comment 🗿
Those who comment in this 🗿
Those who start a convo in this comment 🗿
Those who comment '🗿' 🗿
@IProvideLyrics1924
[Intro: Gil Scott-Heron]
You will not be able to stay home, brotha
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised
[Chorus: King Green]
This right here for the number one
Number ones here with your number one
You ain't number one, just another one
Now everybody sayin' that they number one
[Post-Chorus: Royce Da 5'9"]
Ring the alarm, the caterpillar keeps firing
Ohh, we in the war, where butterflies keep dyin' (Ahh)
[Verse 1: Royce Da 5'9"]
I'm a product of Parker Lewis and Kubiak
If I didn't do this, where in the fuck would you be at?
See there's a difference between us, what I spit hit arenas
You a drip from my penis, I eat lions and sip hyenas
You number one when it come to slaughtering mics
I'm tryna be number one in my son and daughter life
Uhh, all you niggas my little rapper babies
Y'all my children, y'all bit my shit and contracted rabies
Don't you grade me next to these rappers, baby, that's degrading
My style got so many different facets
I switch into so many different passions
I'm skippin' class to be fascinatin'
My pen is like Big Ben, this shit's just a classic waiting
Your favorite rapper come at me, I just decapitate him
I hate congratulating these has-beens who had their highs
These rappers only won their matches because they strategize
I bring Attica to these patterns, and here's my battle cry
[Pre-Chorus: Royce Da 5'9"]
Ring the alarm, the caterpillar is firing
Ohh, we in the war, where butterflies keep dyin' (Ahh)
[Chorus: King Green]
This right here for the number one
Number ones here with your number one
You ain't number one, just another one
Now everybody sayin' that they number one
Kid think your number won't quit
Number one song, get your number one chick
Number one fly with your number one kick
When it's all done then your number gon' switch
[Verse 2: Royce Da 5'9"]
Hold up, wait a minute
Guess what I'ma never do? Show so much respect to you
That I feel like we're friends, so now we no longer competitors
That could be the death of you
Never let someone who's not as smart as you
Gas you up and tell you somethin' you never knew
Always stay professional, you always gon' make revenue
Don't let people next to you that don't want the best for you
It's completely normal to hold on to a regret or two
I do what I wanna do, they do what I let them do
Everything these niggas be sayin' is a fuckin' lie
It's nothing I can say to you that is realer
Remember when you praisin' the butterfly
Don't you ever disrespect the fuckin' caterpillar
[Chorus: King Green]
This right here for the number one
Number ones here with your number one
You ain't number one, just another one
Now everybody sayin' that they number one
Kid think your number won't quit
Number one song, get your number one chick
Number one fly with your number one kick
When it's all done then your number gon' switch
[Verse 3: Eminem & Royce Da 5'9"]
You're looking at Attila, the psychopathic killer, the caterpillar
Don't tell me when I'm supposed to rap until
Especially when your favorite rapper ain't even half as ill
A savage still, the track's a banana peel, attack of the silverback gorilla
You're havin' a little trouble fathomin' this is actually happenin'
Like Anderson Silva back when he snapped his shin in half
And then had the shit hangin' by a flap of skin
After he tried to plant the shit back on the mat again
Pad to pen I’m batty like eyelids when they're blinkin' a lot
You copy me, but you're not
You can't be butterflies, my offsprings are just moths
I see that thing I'ma squash it and rip the wings of it off
So ring the alarm, pull the extinguishers off of the wall
Set the sprinklers off like Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah
'Till the shingles come off the roof we'll shout at the ceiling
Slaughterhouse in the building, middle fingers aloft
Say what I think when I rhyme, in ink-pen I talk
And the language I speak is my mind
Kingpin and Penguin combined
Spit like it's King of the Dot
A singular thought I think of will help you distinguish apart
The frauds from the cream of the crop
(Wait a minute) Hold up like a flashcard
Damn dawg, is that copyin' or payin' homage?
It's sad because dad taught you to rap as a damn toddler
My dad is your grandfather, I'll have to re-hatch on you
Come back as a black wasp, half yellow jacket, you can't swat a
Sasquatch dancing on top of an ant trample it and stomp it
Smash it and stand on it, dammit, I can't stop it
The rap is a vag' and I'm goin' in like a tampon in this bitch
It's a manslaughter
Stampin' out grasshoppers, you can't be no Rap Gods
In fact you're exact opposites, you make a wack song
And can't hold a candle but even Daniel-san whacks off
You jack-offs need to come to grips like a hand job
The boom bap is coming back with an axe to mumble rap
Lumberjack with a hacksaw
Number one, but my pencils are number twos
'Cause that's all I dos with 'em, poop is my pseudonym
On the john like a prostitute when I'm droppin' a deuce
And when I'm producing them lyrical bowel movements
These beats are like my saloons
'Cause these bars always got my stools in 'em
And I don't need Metamucil to loosen 'em
Bitch, shit is real like I pooped Jerusalem
I'm 'bout to go spin another cocoon
Then I'm cuttin' you from your mother's womb
Then I'm flushin' you!
@tonydegregorio4895
You lookin at Atilla
The psychopathic killer, the caterpillar
Don't tell me when I'm supposed to rap until
Especially when your favorite rapper isn't even half as ill
A savage still, the tracks a banana peel, attack of the silverback gorilla
You're havin' a little trouble fathomin' this is actually happenin'
Like Anderson Silva when he snapped his shin in half
And then had shit hangin' by a flap of skin
After he tried to plant the shit back on the mat again
Pad to pen I'm batty like eyelids when they're blinkin' a lot
You copy me, but you're not
You can't be butterflies
My offspring's are just moths
If I see that thing, I'ma squash it and rip the wings of it off
So ring the alarm, pull the extinguishers off of the wall, set the sprinklers off
Like Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah, 'til the shingles come off the roof
We'll shatter the ceilings
Slaughterhouse in the building, middle fingers aloft
Say what I think when I rhyme, in ink-pen I talk
And the language I speak is my mind
Kingpin and Penguin combined
Spit like it's King of the Dot
A singular thought I'd think I would help you distinguish
A brother from the cream of the crop
Wait a minute, hold up
Like a flash card
Damn dog, is that copyin', or payin' homage?
It's sad because dad taught you to rap as a damn toddler
My dad is your grandfather
I have to rehatch on you
Come back as black wasp
Half yellow jacket, you can't swat a
Sasquatch dancin' on top of a ant,
Trample it and stomp it, smash it and stand on it
Dammit, I can't stop it
The rap is a vag and I can't stop goin' in like a tampon in this bitch
It's is manslaughter
Stampin' out grasshoppers, you can't be no Rap Gods
In fact you're exact opposites
You make a wack song, and can't hold a candle
But even Daniel-san wax off, you jack-offs
Need to come to grips, like a hand job
The boom bap is back with an axe to mumble rap
Lumberjack with a hacksaw
Number one, but my pencils are number two 'cause that's all I do with 'em
Poop is my pseudonym
On the john like a prostitute when I droppin' a deuce and
When I'm producing them lyrical bowel movements
These beats are like my saloons
'Cause these bars always got my stools in 'em
And I don't need Metamucil to loosen them
Bitch it is real like I pooped Jerusalem
I'm 'bout to go spin another cocoon
And I'm cuttin' you from your mother's womb then I'm flushin' you.
@VlogCreations
Royce first verse was so freakin good. Eminems flow was awesome here, reminded me of recovery/relapse flow
@owenbuttrick8409
Ross you a legend
@raginnova8167
Fuck outa here this his slaughterhouse royce is around flow. Relapse is miles above this
@tisssyyy
Ragin Nova Relapse is trash.
@topa9487
Ragin thought you were gonna say Relapse was miles below but pleasantly surprised :D
@legendary8694
Kurt Mac if you think relapse is trash I’m concerned you’re not 100% an em fan
Only true em fans like relapse and would take a Relapse 2
@ashleykirkman897
We need a new Bad Meets Evil album.
Royce & Eminem together are just peak.
@ChloefileFIN
My thoughts exactly. Hell: The Sequel is a hella dope album!
@gunotlucio
They make each other better
@masonridgewell8063
Royce definitely sounded much better on Hell The Sequel. @@gunotlucio