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.
You Don't Know Me
Royce da 5'9" Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Money.. and murder..
This is life, understand me
You don't know me
Nah.. nah.. nah
[Royce Da 5'9"]
Niggaz got the wrong views on this long uz'
As far as life, I've been lied to, looked down upon
I had fights, too many to count 'em all, I'll round them off
I been shot at, went back and got the drop on hoods
Never been robbed, knock on wood, I don't buy that
Yo the streets is in you, we make +Scary Movies+
No beefs to be continued, only +Sequel+ is lonely and peaceful
It's funny to see, niggaz want to be like me
Who like me? Who represent the D like me?
Fuck the scribbles, I get right to the drawin
My head's on straight, I know right where I'm from, and right where I'm goin
Gimme one hit, per summer money come get - take it, it's yours
Who's the king? Mummy un-stitched, the ruler
The one and only, fuck the pesos, now that we work
That's only a tenth of the dollar I'm worth - you don't know me
[Chorus: repeat 2X]
You don't know me, you just know what you hear
This is nothin you heard, it's just somethin you know when you hear
Just makin you know when you hear, it's over this year
I could even be phony, you don't know me (naw)
[Royce Da 5'9"]
I'm hot though, disagree? You do not know
about the streets, or the rap, you just macho
I won't stop - every broke nigga got a opinion
for every dollar he don't got; fuck them
Some of these niggaz hatin me in my own city, but fuck them too
I'm only here because of y'all niggaz, so what sent you?
I'm only wishin niggaz'll stop dissin
and pay attention to that little dot on the mitten I live in
I don't compete, I teach
First lesson - I'ma show the competition how to get beat
It's easy, you don't know me (no)
You act raw, but is it really you?
Look, just gimme my money, that's all I ask for, I'm chillin
I got lessons to tell, I rhyme like I'm desperate as hell
He who prevails will always keep records for sale
No matter what the case is
I blew the fuck up, and now I'm back to rub it in the faces of haters
You don't know me
[Chorus]
[Royce Da 5'9"]
You might not like, you gon' respect it
Cause I flows 'til I'm restless, I keep stressin who the best is
You don't know me homie; you'll never hear
a real nigga's name in my mouth, I talk about the phony only
y'all missin the fact, that figures I'm paid
And I'm still itchin to scratch a wack nigga, now that's dedication
As long as rap's as segregation, I can only speak for myself
And all I can tell you is you don't know me (naw)
[Chorus] ? repeat 2X
[Outro]
Yo.. yeah
My name is Royce 5-9
That's all you know, huh?
Get to know me first
Nah nah, huh?
The song "You Don't Know Me" by Royce Da 5'9" is about the misconception of people's perception of him. The song explains that people only know what they hear about him and not the reality behind his life. The intro of the song mentions the harsh reality of life, which includes money and murder. It is said that people have the wrong interpretation of Royce and his life, and he has nothing to prove to them. He is confident in himself and his music, and despite being lied to, looked down upon, and having had many fights, Royce has always prevailed in the end.
The chorus repeats several times to emphasize the idea that others do not know Royce as well as they assume they do. Royce Da 5'9" shares that he is a hot and competitive rapper who has haters in his city, but he's okay with that. He only wishes that people would stop dissing him and pay attention to the reality of the situation. Royce states that all he wants is to get paid, and he's content with that. He rhymes like he's desperate to succeed and keeps records for sale.
The song "You Don't Know Me" reflects the harsh reality of hip-hop culture and how people misconstrue the reality of someone's life. It's about being confident in yourself and your capabilities despite what others may think. The song's chorus is repeated twice to emphasize the fact that people don't always know the real story behind someone's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Money.. and murder..
Life is about money and murder, it's harsh and not everyone's cup of tea.
This is life, understand me
Life is not always easy, you need to understand and accept this fact.
You don't know me
People cannot know the true essence of someone based on the things they hear or see.
Niggaz got the wrong views on this long uz'
People have the wrong ideas about weapons, but I have no reason to prove myself to anyone.
I'm nothin to prove, while you bluffin I use, I'm gon' shoot
I have nothing to prove, while others bluff, I use my weapon, and I will shoot when necessary.
As far as life, I've been lied to, looked down upon
I have had a rough life with people lying and treating me poorly.
I had fights, too many to count 'em all, I'll round them off
I have been in countless fights, I cannot keep track of all of them.
I been shot at, went back and got the drop on hoods
I have been shot at, but I took revenge against the people who did me wrong.
Never been robbed, knock on wood, I don't buy that
I have not been robbed yet, but I do not want to jinx myself by talking about it.
Yo the streets is in you, we make +Scary Movies+
The streets become a part of you, and we make music that reflects the harsh truths of the streets.
No beefs to be continued, only +Sequel+ is lonely and peaceful
I do not want any more conflicts, only peace in the future.
It's funny to see, niggaz want to be like me
People want to emulate my success and become like me, but they do not know the true essence of my being.
Who like me? Who represent the D like me?
Who else can represent Detroit, Michigan like me?
Fuck the scribbles, I get right to the drawin
I do not waste time and words, I get straight to the point.
My head's on straight, I know right where I'm from, and right where I'm goin
I know my roots and my goals, my mindset is focused.
Gimme one hit, per summer money come get - take it, it's yours
I release one hit song every summer, and if you like it, support me by buying it.
Who's the king? Mummy un-stitched, the ruler
I am the king of rap, no one can dethrone me, I reign supreme.
The one and only, fuck the pesos, now that we work
I am unique and do not want to focus on earning money, just making music we are proud of.
That's only a tenth of the dollar I'm worth - you don't know me
I am worth more than that, but people still do not know me fully.
You don't know me, you just know what you hear
People's perception of me is based on things they hear and read, but they do not know the real me.
This is nothin you heard, it's just somethin you know when you hear
I speak the truth, and it's easy to tell when you hear it.
Just makin you know when you hear, it's over this year
This year, my music will make a lasting impact on people's lives.
I could even be phony, you don't know me (naw)
Even if I pretend to be someone else, people still cannot know the real me until they get to know me.
I'm hot though, disagree? You do not know
I am a great rapper, and anyone who disagrees does not know rap music.
about the streets, or the rap, you just macho
People pretend to be tough and know hip hop, but they do not actually understand the complexities of the streets or the rap game.
I won't stop - every broke nigga got a opinion
I will keep going and continue to make music, despite having critics who do not support me and people who cannot speak to me on equal footing financially.
for every dollar he don't got; fuck them
People who judge me without understanding my financial status are irrelevant to me.
Some of these niggaz hatin me in my own city, but fuck them too
Even people in my own city who hate me are irrelevant to me.
I'm only here because of y'all niggaz, so what sent you?
I am only successful because of the support of my fans, so what fuels the hate from my critics?
I'm only wishin niggaz'll stop dissin
I wish people would stop hating and dissing me.
and pay attention to that little dot on the mitten I live in
I wish people would focus on Detroit, the place I come from, and where I still live.
I don't compete, I teach
I don't try to compete with others, I share my knowledge and teach people.
First lesson - I'ma show the competition how to get beat
I will teach the competition how to lose and be beaten by me, their superior.
It's easy, you don't know me (no)
It's easy to underestimate me, but people still do not know the real me.
You act raw, but is it really you?
People pretend to be tough, but is that really who they are?
Look, just gimme my money, that's all I ask for, I'm chillin
All I want is to earn what I am owed, and I will be content and relaxed.
I got lessons to tell, I rhyme like I'm desperate as hell
I have important messages to share, and I deliver them with passion.
He who prevails will always keep records for sale
Successful rappers will always sell records, and I am one of them.
No matter what the case is
Regardless of the situation,
I blew the fuck up, and now I'm back to rub it in the faces of haters
I became incredibly successful, and now I am going to rub it in the faces of the people who doubted me and hated on me.
You might not like, you gon' respect it
Even if people do not like me, they will eventually respect me.
Cause I flows 'til I'm restless, I keep stressin who the best is
I constantly flow and make music until I cannot anymore, and I strive to be the best rapper.
You don't know me homie; you'll never hear
People do not truly know me and my life story, and they never will.
a real nigga's name in my mouth, I talk about the phony only
I only talk about fake people and do not want to spread gossip or rumors about genuine people.
y'all missin the fact, that figures I'm paid
People miss the fact that I am successful and wealthy.
And I'm still itchin to scratch a wack nigga, now that's dedication
I will never stop challenging myself and others in the rap game, and that is true dedication.
As long as rap's as segregation, I can only speak for myself
As long as the rap world is divided, I can only speak for myself and my experiences.
And all I can tell you is you don't know me (naw)
No matter what I say or do, people still do not know the real me.
My name is Royce 5-9
My name is Royce Da 5'9'', and that is how people know me.
That's all you know, huh?
People do not know anything about me other than my name, and that is unfortunate.
Get to know me first
People should take the time to learn about me and my life story before making judgments or assumptions.
Nah nah, huh?
People often underestimate my true ability and potential.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TRACY K. BONHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ashdgreat1
I had this mixtape on repeat the whole summer of 2003 rt.i knew then royce was special its taken way too long for him to get the recognition he derserves imo.
StreetWarrior24
One of Royce's best tracks ever. 🔥
Illmatic
This mad.. should have made an album.. Royce is underrated
terry Brooks
LOVE THIS !!! NICE ONE
coldfya
was this longer version released on an album?
Kayem x Khepri
Cali Boy Back In Highschool Like How Can These Niggas Sleep On Royce?
Illmatic
Alchemist is sick..
terry Brooks
Check out AKALA fire in the booth SIKKK!!!!