In today’s social media-heavy rap landscape, autobiographical rhymes are virtually a requirement for lyricists. Kendrick Lamar gave listeners a peek into his teenage days in Compton, and J. Cole’s fans saw him ascend from shopping his demo outside of JAY-Z’s offices up being signed to Roc Nation. But previously, it was generally enough to rap very well — and Royce Da 5’9 has been able to survive multiple false starts in the industry because of it.
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But aside from exceptions like 2009’s solemn “Shake This,” Royce has relied more on his wordplay wizardry and his conceptual prowess than on opening up about his life and his views on the world. So when his son asks “Who Are You?” on a skit from his new solo album Book Of Ryan, many of his longtime fans may have the same question. His last LP Layers (2016) began to incrementally give listeners access to him, but this new endeavor completely takes the plunge.
On the first single, the breezy J. Cole-assisted “Boblo Boat,” Royce fondly remembers childhood trips to the Boblo Island Amusement Park outside of Detroit, sharing tidbits of him losing his virginity and his grandmother catching his grandfather cheating. But at the end of the song’s first verse, he ominously speaks about he and his older brother Greg’s future of alcoholism. The bottle has been a big part of Royce’s life: he spent a year in jail after a third strike for drunk driving, and he drank up to a liter of Patron daily before his friend and fellow ex-addict Eminem helped him kick the habit six years ago.
But drug abuse runs in his blood. On “Cocaine,” Royce reveals his father’s addiction and questions whether he’s to blame for Royce’s struggles with alcohol. “Power” depicts his dad leaving his mother with a bloody nose and punching out an inebriated Greg, with the neighborhood glaring as cops took him out the house in handcuffs. But instead of taking on the resentful tone of a song like Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet,” Royce uses these songs to show appreciation for his father overcoming addiction to save his relationship with his family. “My father chose me over cocaine,” he croons. Familial demons continue with “Protecting Ryan,” a skit that shows Greg stewing with resentment in prison after taking a neighborhood fight too far under the guise of keeping his brother safe. “Strong Friend” relights Royce’s conceptual flame, as he imagines his fears and anxiety pushing him to suicide, and gives a heartfelt salute to musicians whose mental health got the best of them.
Royce’s personal songs are made more potent by restraint and discretion: “Power,” “Cocaine” and “Protecting Ryan” aren’t dazzling displays of lyricism, but he tackles every inch of the toolbox to tell the story. “Cocaine” and “Power” are both driven by mournful melodies, while the latter uses conversational raps that occasionally don’t rhyme. “Protecting Ryan” has Royce narrating without lyrics at all, painting the picture with sound effects and voice changes. Too much overt technique could have stripped these songs of their emotions, but Royce keeps the feelings palpable. Elsewhere, Royce still continues the A+ bar work that earned him his stripes, locking in with Eminem on the dizzying “Caterpillar” and verbally sparring with Fabolous, Jadakiss and Pusha T on “Summer On Lock.”
The emotiveness is also strengthened by a musicality that exceeds all of his other works. Royce enlists respected musicians like executive producer Mr. Porter, KeY Wane, DJ Khalil and S1 to craft a mix of melody, broodiness and thump while adding Robert Glasper, Marsha Ambrosius and even a surprising T-Pain appearance to harmonies that keep it easy on the ears. Still, the few missteps here are more musical than lyrical: “Legendary” is plagued by cheesy synths, and the chorus on “Summer On Lock” aims to appease to clubs while the song is a posse cut.
Book Of Ryan continues a four-year, six-album streak of top-tier lyricism, with noted personal and artistic growth in the process. His 2018 output will not only earn him noted respect as one of the best lyricists of the year but in rap as a whole. “I woke up this morning and decided there’s no such thing as being in my prime,” Royce asserts on the intro.], “You go ahead and be in yours, I can always improve.”
If that’s true, Royce just released his definitive work. And he’s still getting started.
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I love every track you don’t hear shit like this anymore. Royce is still in my top 5 no discussion.
Top 1/5
You’re bugging, William. . The lyrics on here are crazy. It’s more difficult to paint a picture while talking about your life than it is to spit random bars that don’t mean anything, and Royce was able to do just that. Crazy rhyme scheme and unorthodox rhythms while staying in topic. ?
I’m giving the album props lol, I don’t think you understood the review
2018 output will not earn him noted respect as one of the best lyricists of the year…
I thought it was a lyrical masterpiece…
“2018 output will not earn him noted respect as one of the best lyricists of the year…but in rap as a whole.”
Mr. Ketchum’s review was a good one, and I’m not saying he didn’t give it props. 4.5 is a great album. I’m only saying I disagree with the “lyricist” aspect, and I stated my reason why.
I think you missed the point of the sentence because you left out he word “only”… not “only” one of the the best lyricists of the year but in rap as a whole. The sentence itself isn’t the greatest however it is clear he is heaping mad praise on Royce. So go back, read it again and give everyone an apology for wasting our time trying to understand what you don’t understand.
I copied and pasted that part of the review. The word only wasn’t there at first. I see what just happened. Stay woke.
Garbage
2018 output will not earn him noted respect as one of the best lyricists of the year… I thought it was a lyrical masterpiece…
Did you even read the review dummy?
1/5
this album is fantastic, impeccable and immaculate on so many levels.
Royce nickel nine’s unconventional rhyming patterns, and formula that was not by the numbers, reminds me that he is human, so he won with this album. It was too dope. This is his DAMN.
This is his album, not damn
This album is epicy prolly played more then 100 times
Really? One real single and everything is skippable
His best work so far, and it has surpassed anything else that has been released this year. “this right here made him legendary”
#Classic
Not many rappers can spend 2 decades in the game and then drop their best album.
This should put an end to people saying royce is a one dimensional rappity rapper
This is an incredible piece of art. 10/10 would recommend again.
Thi
Album was incredible on every level. “Power” the most “powerful” song i’ve heard in years…
Rating needs to be bumped up because it is clearly, without question, far and away the best album of the year. So I don’t like that it is not regarded as such just because everybody rides J. Cole’s nuts.
Please remove j. Comes nuts from your mouth
Bars are BACK.. and like Em said, “takin’ an Ax to mumble rap…”!! Good shit Royce, now bring on that Bad vs. Evil pt. 2.
Got the album last week, and it’s been on heavy rotation every since… It’s currently my favorite rap release this year… prhyme 2 was also dope… Royce is on fire in 2018 (though he’s always been great…)
Best album of 2018 so far!
AOTY
Royce is working his ass off. First Phryme now this. I’m impressed
Album of the year.
Album of the yr so far, Royce really did top all his previous work.
Best release this year. No skippables
Album of the year. Easily. So much depth to this album. Royce is in my top 10 dead or alive, and hes usually one dimensional, which I have no problem with. But not this Album, every song is different from every song he’s ever made. Cocaine really hit me hard since my dad has been using cocaine since at least I’ve been little but unlike Royce, my father didn’t choose us over cocaine. He’s always tried to make time for both but that is almost impossible to do simultaneously. DUMB might be my favorite track on the Album, that beat is sick and Royce and boogie both kill it. I’m just so happy we have guys like Royce in j cole around still. 2 of the people left that know how-to make a full album of work, not just a catchy single that they hope will catch fire for a week or 2 then be forgotten about. I’ll be playing this album for the next 20 years.
Songs aren’t all perfect, but the albummakes for an overall great experience
best : caterpillar, power, strong friend, boblo boat, summer on lock
worst : anything, everything, amazing, caterpillar remix (STFU logic, please).
where’s prhyme 2 review????
Why is Royce getting better? It’s not fair!
Awesome album!
Absolute contender for AOTY
Haha the “missteps” you mentioned Legendary and Summer on Lock are my favorite 2 tracks. Great album.
Album of the year so far before the summer hits.
This album is a revelation. Royce proves he is one of the topmost lyricists in hip hop with an album that delves deep into his life. The production is amazing, the flow untouchable and the stories written in a way that sparks the imagery in your mind. Brilliant piece of work. This will go down as a classic.
An okay album by Royce standards, too many skits or short songs that could have been left out, track 2 wake could have served as a good intro then keep the album under 14 tracks.
Royce has been on a helluva run over the past 4 years. Both PRhyme albums were amazing. Layers was great, but this joint took it to another level. I appreciate the honesty and can relate to having a parent struggle and overcome cocaine addiction. This and the Cole album are all I’ve been bumping lately. Both could easily be album of the year and I doubt that there will be anything that will top either of these in 2018.
Fire
5 years in the making.. Powerful, Lyrical, Introspective, Brilliant… To me Royce’s most complete people polished work. They always said Royce doesn’t have that “1 album under his belt” Well ladies and gentlemen. This that 1 RIGHT HERE!.. BOOK OF RYAN! ???? DOPE FUCKIN ALBUM…
Absolutely accurate review.
4 best rappers in the game excluding the jay z, nas type rappers still making music.
1. Royce 59 2. Pusha T 3. J Cole 4. Kendrick Lamar
Caterpillar is the best song made this year outside of This Is America by Gambino
Sorry but it is quite blatantly the worst song on the album
You’re telling caterpillar is worse than Cocaine? What’s wrong with your ears?
Dick…On Fire This Entire Album Got the Summer on LOCK!! It is put together well..I Album Where the young /cats and olders Homies can enjoy I think Deff worth need 2 cop the Hard Copy. Enjoy the skits 2 lol some snakkkkksss..haha Features were Perfect 2 lol album made me crack up 2.. Thanks Royce Realley enjoyed this.. Some good music so far this year..Support the artist feel meeee
Takisssssssss Fuegooo
classic album, proud of Ryan and how far he has come..its taken him longer but this is the quality we always expected from him..
Pleasantly surprised by all of the praise. I think it’s a 10/10 but I’ve bought his shit since 2004 and I’ve met him. “Cocaine,” hits me even though my Dad wasn’t an addict.
This album has everything. Been bumping Royce since ’09 but now people can see why he is one of the best to ever do it.
After at least 30-40 listens I can honestly say this is an absolute classic that just gets better and better every listen
Man! yall should of gave him a 5/5 this album is CERTIFIED CLASSIC!!!!
This is Grammy worthy, and not that b.s. where they mention the most pop rap acts and one underground act that has no shot. This is up there with the DAMNs and anything Drake released over the last 5 years, easy! Happy for and proud of Royce! AMAZING work!
Thank u Royce for baring your soul. Thank you for offering what a real hip hop album is supposed to sound!
This is the Royce album we all been waiting for. More personal, he eased back and let the production breathe more but i’m not mad at that. Cocaine is amazinggggg, So glad Royce is one of my favorite MCs. This makes a supporter from 1999 proud. This is 5 mics bruh. Now please review how Great Prhyme2 was, thanks!
So good. I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.
This album was the best one of the year so far easily, might be the best of the year. The flow of the album lead to a more dramatic storytelling, it really is the story of his life. I appreciate the reality in the lyrics and the delivery changing from song to song.
Confessions of a strong friend was a very powerful song, almost broke down a the end where he quoted artists who fell into suicide.
I know that many people will dislike the album as it is not “hard enough” and does not have enough “club bangers”. I am not a fan of lyrics without meaning so this really was a great album from start to finish for me.
The only downside if the extra track with Logic. I cannot stand his whiny rant at the end of his Caterpillar verse. It lack structure, and seems to be more of a teenage angst explosion compared to the adult flow of the rest of the album. I will excuse this though as that is Logic’s ethos, and it is on the bonus tracks.
Damn this is fucking good
Classic album from a lyrical alien. Thank you Royce!
Summer On Lock is the best song lyrically and sonically, don’t @ me
Classic. So proud of Royce. Power is one of the best songs I’ve heard this decade
Great album as usual from Royce. Just so many powerful moments.
I don’t know what to say,I was still tryna understand Bar Exam 4,then he
hit us with Phryme 2,now Book of Ryan.Damn talk about overtime,Royce
puts in that work n it will take us years to fully absorb these 3 projects,salute!
Classic. Now where is the PRhyme 2 review?
Album is ok. First half is the best, the other half of it falls short for me.
This album has everything i could want from hip hop. An origin story and the idea of a future with the details from his childhood lyrically and sonically toeing the line of sounding like an Eminem song but keeping it current . Also this album is really a stage play I can see it in my mind; all royce has given us until now is a blaze of glory. His demons better understood this album is the clarity of sobriety top end rhyming and hindsight. This is the album of the year a complete experience. A book with many chapters. A masterpiece in all ways
AOTY
I’m sorry y’all but this brotha’s album should be a classic. the story content is layered and I know he touches heavily on addictions, alcohol, his childhood growing up, but the overall feel of this project is insightful, yet naked, empowering…and refreshing. Every time I listen to it, I take something new from it…
This album is a classic.
I never thought Royce could murk autobiography albums this by far is best project in 2018
Not classic but really sturdy. 4/5.
This is a 5 mic album and still best album of 2018
Flawless album…bars…production…features.. arrangement…concept…honesty 5/5 Album Of Year
A deeply personal, immersive look into the past and present life of royce. Great lyricism throughout, that puts us in Ryan’s shoes for the entire ride of 70 mins. Feels like reading a great book
Solid. Rap Album of 2k18
Top 5 of the year easy
My second best album of the year
Very underrated. You should listen to it. If you like good rap music then you will like this.
5/5
Epic Album
Classic.