Royce Da 5’9” and DJ Premier are cut from the same cloth, frequent collaborators from overlapping generations of rap culture, the former inspired heavily by the latter. They are both proof of rap staying power; Premier is practically a symbol and Royce is a savvy veteran who has managed a lengthy career without settling. The two stumbled upon the works of producer and composer Adrian Younge separately — primarily his work with Ghostface Killah on last year’s terrific Twelve Reasons To Die —and upon suggestion from Royce, set out to make a full collaborative project, one that both Royce and fans have been after for quite some time now. The three artists have a shared vision, and together they seek constantly to reinterpret the soul and funk that Hip Hop was built on.
Adrian Younge fills in the margins for PRhyme, which is both the name of the duo and the name of their first project as a unit, but the palpable chemistry between the pairing at its epicenter is what’s prominently featured. This is no frills Hip Hop with a blue-collar, workmans approach to craftsmanship from two artists of the same ilk with the same devout belief in rap conservativism. Younge provides the ingredients and Preemo constructs labyrinths wherein Royce works. The Detroit rapper is the type of emcee born to spit over vintage Premier loops — an artisan with a level delivery who unpacks tightly constructed raps in the pockets in boom bap beat breaks. When given his space, like on the eerie, tempo-turning “Wishin,” it’s easy for him to exercise his dexterity and he is at his best when rattling off as many bars as he can fit in a 4/4 time signature in a given phrase (“I walk by a so called tough guy, watch him tuck his chain in / No snatching though, watch what you put my fucking name in / Kind of like an armless actor playing an action role / I’m out on the west copping like Axel Foley, ask the police / But at least I’m active though”). Comparatively, slow-flowing guest Common serves as an unofficial gauge of his words-per-minute. DJ Premier had a hand in creating the Rap standard that Royce so heavily abides by, and he knows how to replicate it. The two are a match made in Rap purist heaven making Rap that is an endless nod to the Golden Age.
Part of the magic of PRhyme lies in its murky depths, which come courtesy of Younge’s soulful live compositions sampled by Premier in a rare deviation from his typical exploratory tactics. Premier has always had a penchant for sampling whatever he stumbles upon, but the refined selection of this endeavour, despite mildly restricting the great producer, makes for a cohesive listening experience. While there is no diversity in source material there is in sound, and Younge’s wide-ranging works make for a dark, gritty soundbed. The sounds pop crisply beneath evenly measured flows, both from the album’s leading man and a host of very capable guests, creating harmony.
The rich soul sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s is repurposed by Premier with deft chops to create a stage that allows Royce Da 5’9” to be the lyrical exhibitionist he is. He balances cadences and routinely flips schemes from the opening tip on the title track: “Me and Chris we veterans, but when youngins call you vet / You start to feel like Hardaway with that UTEP, two step / They come in the league like A.I with they new look and that crossover / move, and they make that old shit seem useless”. On “Microphone Preem,” he showcases his signature charm and matches it with insane assonance like, “But all jokes aside like I ordered fries / I’m liable to store somebody’s corpse in the closet, I’m organized / Before police was interrogatin’, I was livin’ the story of my life / And Morgan Freeman was narratin’.” Royce is a student of rap with a natural gift, and when partnered with one of the greatest producers of all-time he is in rare form, even by his lofty standards.
Rap history plays a major role in the framing of PRhyme, shaping its sound and its texture — to quote Royce, the project was made to “make Hip Hop history” — and this intrinsic “throwback” quality makes it simultaneously endearing and sometimes remarkably out of touch. On the lead single, “Courtesy,” the Detroit emcee is both incredibly self-aware (“I used to rap about death; now I’m only concerned to live / I value relationships — still, I keep it competitive / Chances are if you see throw the match it ain’t to lose the fight it’s to walk away from a burning bridge”) and incredibly disconnected (he condemns radio success as a breach of uncompromising Rap ethics like he wasn’t a part of “Lighters” or DJ Premier didn’t make a song with Limp Bizkit) all at once. “You Should Know” is a lecture on what should be consider substandard. There are features from third eye rappers Jay Electronica and Ab-Soul. The whole thing is a monument to Rap’s idealized past. At times it reads like an act of aggression, like Rap classism. Both Royce and Premier know what they are and they must play to their strengths. But even then, at times, PRhyme is limited by its closed-mindedness.
That isn’t to say that PRhyme isn’t a marvel that begets nostalgia and recalls some of the best qualities of classic Rap music. When most in sync, PRhyme is a hive mind conjuring up projections of the past, a well oiled machine producing a brand of ‘90s Rap revivalism that never sounds dated. When Royce Da 5’9” raps alongside ScHoolboy Q and Killer Mike (who stands on all the same Rap principles as Royce, but with a more inclusive attitude) on the brilliant “Underground Kings” he is comfortably right at home. He raps with swagger: “They call me The Benz Owner / I put Lorenzos on it / Then go and pick your chick up in it and friend zone her.” There are punches set up perfectly, many of which unfold over several bars, some of which — like a gun bar from “U Looz” that references The Expendables cast — would transition perfectly as filler in a battle. “To Me, To You” peppers schemes with bits of double-time. The entire project is a testament to great, knotty Rap, even when dismissive of the modern rap climate. Together with one of the architects of Hip Hop, one of the most gifted technicians ever curates an album that doesn’t compromise. PRhyme can be closed off to the Rap of today, but their rendition of the Rap of yesteryear will always have a place in any era.
PRhyme, Cole, Ghost, and Wu. Not a bad week for hip-hop.
sorry, Preemo fell the fuck off…with exception of 1 maybe 2 tracks this shit is weak…anybody who know the original samples and aint total dummy when it comes to production can hear that production wise album lacks creativity and finesse…I’d rather hear Royce over original instrumentals by Younge. What happened to Gang Starr Preemo?
Stop hatin u fuckin NERD!!!! Came out dope regardless… Enjoy the music. Samples don’t have to be flipped in a clever way all the time. Remember Primo is a DJ first Producer second.
Finally someone else who isn’t just masturbating over this album and agrees that Preemo was really weak with the exception of a couple of tracks.
This album isn’t half as good as people are making it out to be but it’s sadly still amongst the better releases this year.
I literally heard the first track off the new Ghostface project and was more impressed by that one song as a whole than like 7 outta 9 of the Preemo beats.
36 Seasons is shitting on PRhyme from my perspective.
I listened to this album like 10 times already… Bumps so hard in the whip….This def gotta be Royce da 59 and Primo’s most impactful album to date. I really wanna say it’s a classic,
Dopest album of the year so far. Listen to this and then listen to shady XV, Royce really is in his prime, while Eminem isnt even near his. Not that that has anything to do with this album. This is just so dope, I’ve had it on replay for a week now. 5 stars
Dope album. It should be a full LP, not EP. U looz is too short. I don’t like the features. I thing they were rushing with the album, they didn’t take their time. Royce was killing it. Primo could’ve done it better, I think Royce was in the drivers seat the whole album, and I think Primo should’ve step up and dictate tempo, and direction where album is going, as more experienced. I would love to give it 5/5, but it’s more 3/5, so let it finally be 4/5.
Very dope album. The rhymes and production are on point for this album. From a hip hop perspective, J Cole, Ghostface, and PRhyme are the three best albums I have heard this year.
1. How can you call Premo a producer? The only thing he does is steal other peoples music by sampling. For STANS i like Premo so stop the bullshit
2. Premo is done since 1998 he didnt switch up his sound. Its 2014 and not 1998! Real artist evolve and do new things or stop making music because they are old and and sound boring. Fact hiphop is music for young people.
3. Royce uses 30 words in a sentence to show fans he is complex but a real mc needs 4 or 5 words to make his mark. Most words by Royce have no meaning and are just unnessary.
4. This EP not ALBUM is nice but nothing special! Want real hiphop then check 80’s and 90’s hiphop. This shit aint no fucking classic
5. Fuck all you STANS.
fuck outta here faggot
LMAO- Who is this CLOWN!!
Premo has a right to evolve like other producers, so stop hating and calling him washed up. Adrian Younge is a heavy influence on this project. Personally, I feel Premo’s music is extremely predictable – the same ‘ole boom-bap and scratching. It’s nice to hear a tweak to his production. 5’9″ is always sharp and doesn’t disappoint. The features are all good. This is a solid EP. Not great, but very solid way to round out 2014. 3.75/5
Evolve into what? Preem sticks to the roots. BBOY Hip-Hop. Two turn tables and a mic. HIP HOP/ STREET MUSIC!! You can’t like the tree and not the roots.HIP HOP is not R& B or any other form of music.
@ Bosho
Who are you nigga? Hiphop is just sampling old pop, blues and rock records. Aint nothing original about sampling you dumbass. Only thing original is rhyming in hiphop. Greatest rap records were inspired by the greatest pop and rock records.
If you dont know anything about rap then stop commenting.
BTW Premo sounds the same as 30 years ago. Probaly you gonna be the same dumb motherfucker in about 30 years.
Y whatever your lame ass name is -fuck you talking bout. You got to be a dumb ass pop faggot. You the type we mash out when we lames like you in the REAL HIP HOP arena. Real hip hop heads know preems the man. GO Tweet Taylor Swift somewhere you maggot mutherfucker!!
Album on repeat. 5/5
Dope as fuck.
I really enjoyed this album (and review, for that matter). Royce sounds so great over this production, which goes to show how much impact Premier has on the project. Despite what “Rimoslav” said about the album being too short, I thought it was perfect. It’s concise as far as the number of tracks go but Royce can pack so much into his lyrics.
Also thought the features fit really well. Ab-Soul’s verse on “Dat Sound Good” may be one of my favorites from him in a while.
Seems like an album that I’ll be able to come back to and enjoy listening to for a long while – well done Prhyme.
I was impressed. Its good
The sickest straight 35 minutes of bars all year
AOTY.
Album is great 4.5/5
So big K.r.i.t’s shitty album is better than prime. FOH.
shitty? I guess its all subjective.
DOPEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR
TOTALLY AGREE MY G- EASILY!!
Nope it’s nice, but J.Cole has the dopest album of the year
2014 FOREST HILL DRIVE!!!
Dope album. 4 outta 5.
A great but compact album. I give it an easy 4.5 but will round up
If you rate this less than 5 you gay
4.5 rounds up to 5. A very good album with quality production.
Know what…I think this album is the best of this year. My lord this album is banging. 4.5 stars
Between this and Blasphemy for my favorite of ’14
on some strictly rap and music shit…here’s my list…
freddie gibbs and madlib have the 2014 dopest album. easy. the longest and dopest. that album keeps getting better the more i listen to other people’s stuff. it’s easy to forget how crazy pinata is.
second place would be between run the jewels, prhyme, lecrae, or school boy q. maybe yg. black milk. pharoah monch album was intense too. isiah rashad should be up here too on the strength of his sound being so different.
third is between krit, ab-soul, maybe cole, stalley, or logic, azealia banks. somewhere in that third tier. great projects. but somewhat repetitive or unfocused at times.
*i didn’t listen to rhapsody yet, but i feel like she would be up here.
WHAT ABOUT ONYX WAKEDAFUCUP AND THE NEW GHOSTFACE…NOTHING THAT DROPPED THIS YEAR COMES CLOSE FUCKER
some descent choices, but missing is #1 & #2 albums of the year:
YC the Cynic- gnk
Cormega- Mega Philosophy
Not a bad song on this disc. A rare feat. Every time it’s over I’M left wanting more.
Microphone Preem has a mediocre beat, but other than that it’s all good.
until i looked at the draft that said………FUCK U COCKSUCKER IM SICK OF THE SPAM ON HERE…STAY AT HOME AND SELL CRACK TO PREGNANT WOMEN FOR ALL WE CARE…FUCKIN LOSERS
Ras Kass album is fantastic, PRhyme is dope and sonically rewarding, Pharaohe album got like a month of my life. Wise old people are getting rewarded for the years or engagement. Good looking out.
Classic like them pickles made by Vlasic.
Over Fucking Rated. Royce Da 5’9″ blew his load on Bar Exam 3, and has done nothing but continue to fall off since. His lyrical rhetoric on this tape is about as tired as Premier’s redundantly formulaic production technique. Eminem’s affinity for technicality has fallen hard upon his apprentice, habitualy bloating what could be good verses. This album is happy hour how it crams bars. Just because hip-hop currently sucks doesn’t mean we should herald mediocrity. 3/5*. J Cole is a fucking bum BTW.
Oooooh KILL EM
You clearly didn’t listen to the same Album,shit would be a classic if it had more songs!
“This album is happy hour how it crams bars”. That’s funnier than any Eminem punchline from the past decade.
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I checked with the BBB and was told that it is all legit. How they can sell gift cards, laptops, cameras, and all kinds of goodies that we all want for 50-90% off, I don’t know I do know that I bought my son an ipad there for less than $100 and my husband a $250 Low gift cards for $48. Why would I even think about shopping anyþlace else ?
One of the best of the year
too dope
People like this reviewer kill me. Keeps saying it sounds dated to the 90’s, but good 90’s…blah blah blah…this ISSSSS hip hop. What it was, What it is, and what it will always be. Is he comparing it to modern dumbed down artists with simple lyrics to say, that is the sound of today? If so, this article is more of an insult to fans of today’s music than the so called “rap yesteryear” sound of this album. This was a backhanded review in my opinion. This album is a great listen at only 9 songs and Primo definitely stepped outside of his usual box on a lot of these songs. Listen to the snares on a lot of those for instance. Nowhere near typical. Anyway, Classist or not, this album is a perfect collab between Adrian Younge,Preem & Nickel 9…This sound has always been around,and continues to be around and improve, so it can’t be a throwback. It’s what it is.
“Primo definitely stepped outside of his usual box on a lot of these songs. Listen to the snares on a lot of those for instance.” yea some just don’t have a snare…shit’s innovative as fuck
ILL,
Instant Classic.
Beats n rhymes….like it’s supposed to be.
dopee
G.O.A.Y. (Greatest Of All Year)
This is alright , royce da 5’9 is a boring rapper though
royce da 5’9 is garbage real talk , but dj premier is a legend i have respect for .
as expected…#Geatness
best of the year with run the jewels 2
fuck this guy
MC EIHT WHICH WAY IZ WEST GEEAH
Classic
IMO This album and PTSD are the best Hip Hop albums of 2014
Great body of work!!! Straight Fire!!!
Real hip-hop…nuff said.
well it’s just nothing special. please don’t call everything a classic just because your childhood fav is on the cover. medicore stuff from a pretty predictable producer and a highly overrated rapper.
Best album of the year ? GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE WITH THAT BULLSHIT . Royce da 5’9 is one of the most corniest rappers ever , he’s just plain corny . Not hating just telling the truth .
oh and mc eight is so much better right? lmao fuck outa here
Seriously, what the fuck are you guys listening to? Royce is wack? Boring? This album is overflowing with run-it-back worthy verses from Royce and literally every guest appearance.
I dunno, maybe I come from a simpler time where quality rhymes over quality beats was a winning formula. You new niggas are stupid.
Thank You! couldnt have said it better myself
This album is short and sweet. Royce is on point, Premier is on point, PRhyme is on point.
Royce is boring , he trys to be lyrical but isn’t saying shit . Give me one good line from Royce Da 5’9 i’m waiting , not hating . Just speaking the truth . Never could feel him as a rapper .
I’ll give it another listen to see if it grows on me but first listen , i thought it was pretty average to weak .
Album is dope. Preem and Royce both on point…
nice
Dobry album 🙂
I’ve been a fan of Royce for a long time…but I do I kinda see why people think he is corny at times. All he does is talk shit on records! To me he is the “best rapper who raps about nothing.” He has the def has the lyrical ability to take it in another direction but rarely does (see: Part of Me). This album is on point with 4 out of 5. Royce over Premo with all these guest features is almost an hiphop overload!
Royce Da 5’9 raps about jibberish , shit that don’t mean nothing . Give me one good Royce verse , i’m waiting ? He is just a rapper who thinks he’s lyrical but really is trash and mad corny .
Compare this to MC Eiht’s tracks like – Thicker Than Water , Streiht Up Menace , All for The Money , You Can’t See me , One Time Gaffled Em Up , Growing Up In The Hood , It’s A Compton Thang . I CAN GO O AND ON FOREVER . YOU GET THE POINT . GEEAAAAH CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR MC EIHT’S NEW ALBUM WHICH WAY IZ WEST WITH DJ PREMIER AND BRENK SINATRA . IT’S GONNA BE CLASSIC THE TRUE DJ PREMIER COLLABO ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN 2015 . BE ON TEH LOOKOUT FOR THE STREIHT UP MENACE GEEEAAAH
fool do you listen to music, or do you skip through it?
“From humble beginnings, though we live lavishly now/And what we couldn’t afford to get, we would have it somehow/Stayin’ at grandma’s, puddled in front of the open oven/Rubbin’ our hands together like Baby with cameras around”
Also FOH with that MC Eiht dick riding bullshit. This album goes hard.
4.5/5
Dope
Great album
wonderful album
Not a very good album , Royce is a jibberish rapper . But Premier is legendary . REST IN PEACE GURU . GANG STARR 4 LIFE MOMENT OF TRUTH 4 LIFE
Royce aint jibberish.. His style of rap is just a lot more lyrically based than the west coast shit you prefer. Do you think Crooked I is trash too?
Jibberish???…boy you need to listen to the album again and visit rap.genius.com
Why people keep talking about Guru when discussing this album?
Classic
This should hip hop album of the year not Iggy
WHAT? who in the fuck gave Iggy album of the year?
This album was a solid 4 – not a classic – but.. if you listen to them on Combat Jack, the album was started as an EP and not a full album, its a brilliant album and whenever Preem drops an album its like fucking Christmas in my opinion.
She won album of the year in the American Music Awards and will most likely also win the Grammy. It’s BS, I know, but it’s just the facts.
I swear.. some of yall are like kids who need to have their crust cut off their sandwiches, or their dinner cut up into little chunks before they’ll eat the food. If a rapper doesnt just outright say something, he’s spitting nonsense? What is the difference between a rapper and just some beat poet reciting some shit on the corner?
I get it.. some yall just aint down w/ the more lyrical wordplay and metaphorical delivery kinda music (which ironically is what rap originally was meant be).. But to say Royce doesn’t spit anything is just ignorant. Do he gotta rap on a DJ Mustard beat or down south KRIT (not a diss, Cadillactica is one of my top 3 favorite albums of the year besides this one) beat to get your attention? So if you can blast it in the whip or dance or bob your head to it, its wack?
I will admit, the very first time I listened to this album all the way through, I thought it was like a 3.9/5. But I was sooooooo fucking wrong. This is one of those album that gets better every single time you listen to it. Royce put his whole foot into this album lyrically. There are bars and verses on here that you’d never catch when you hear it the first time.
Example, the Jay Electronica assisted track was almost skippable when I first heard it. Now? Lyrically its probably the best track on this CD.
I respect MOST of the opinions on here but for real, if you thought this album was sup par lyrically, you didn’t LISTEN to this album. You just skimmed through it. It wasnt PERFECT. Common feature was ok, Mac Miller was ok (Soul lyrically went in on that track by the way). But man.. I listened to almost all the major releases that came out this year. I cant think of any that were LYRICALLY BETTER than this one.
I have one nit-picky comment. I feel like Underground Kings was a little out of place but I still love the song and everyone delivers on their verse. Other than that I honestly believe this album is perfect. This is straight rap. Royce has quotables every song. The features all deliver. Premier makes unbelievable beats.
All of you fools been knocked the fuck out for not giving the real star of the show credit, my man who provided all the real live instruments for preemo to sample, my man Adrain Younge, without him this album wouldn’t sound as hard as it does now, Royce bodied the bears provided by preemo who never ever fails on anything he does. Salute to PRyhme, looking forward to more in the future.
Beats”””””” not bears hahahahah
Dope
Greatness + Legendary Greatness = ?
you do the math
Royce da 5’9 is wack as fuck , he raps about nothing . Just listen .
FOH
Crazy dope! Ignore troll haters that have nothing better to do that keep hating on the album.
Wooow
Dope as f***
Maad Beats and stories
Unbefuckenlivable….. Royce the 5’9 has handed out the one of the most lyrically mind bending projects of the past five. Preemo & Adrian Younge don’t help things because musically, the mood is chilling! And rightfully so man because my nigga Royce evokes such a visceral performance as a poet… You just get entangled and absorbed in this whole fucken album fam…. This niggas showmanship?!?!?! Loaded Lux would be proud…. 10/5 …
sss
s
The is the best album I heard since OWNERZ Prim and Royce!
I heard the album back to back, but I recently was on my Spotify and it came true the mix…
When I saw the clip “prepare for below spit” and the beat!
Done talk! Primo and Royce! the truth because “that sound good right there”
Homie-Sitio/ like Im trying to say homicide in spanish! BLESS and LOVE!
5/5 for me