Royce Da 5’9” & Vevo Debut Ctrl Live Session Performance Of Thou Shall w/ Kid Vishis

Royce Da 5’9” is not only easily one of the best emcees and lyricists right now in Hip-Hop and has been for the better part of the last decade plus.  But one could even argue that when it comes to the best emcees and lyricists right now, there’s really no one else doing it better, except maybe one or two other emcees.

With a stellar career spanning just over two decades now, the Detroit native is really one of the best emcees to ever touch a mic period.  Who only keeps getting better with age, as evident from his latest solo album, The Allegory.  Having worked with such legends as Eminem and Dr. Dre from the very jumpstart of his career in 1999.  When he appeared on the track, Bad Meets Evil, from Em’s multi-platinum commercial breakthrough major label debut album, The Slim Shady LP.  He would appear later that year with Eminem, as Bad Meets Evil on, Nuttin’ to Do.  The two Detroit natives, friends and frequent collaborators, would have beef a few years after that for several years, before reconciling in 2011.  When they would release their lone project, Hell: The Sequel, in June of that year.

Royce would go on to independently have huge success as a solo artist throughout the years.  First with the DJ Premier-produced single, Boom, in the early 2000’s.  That started a string of great collaborations throughout the years, with him and Preemo, such as, Shake This and Hip Hop.  Then later on the duo forming the group, PRhyme, by 2014.  Royce would start to see the most recognition he received as an emcee through his very critically-acclaimed mixtape series, The Bar Exam, in the late 2000’s.  Which was also around the time he would of course join Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I, to form the supergroup, Slaughterhouse.  With the group releasing their self-titled debut in 2009.  As well as their second album nearly three years later, not long after signing with Eminem’s Shady Records.

His time with those groups and the many great collaborators he has worked with over the years, only helping sharpen his pen lyrically.  By the time he started releasing solo work again.  First with his very critically-acclaimed solo albums, Layers, in 2016, Book of Ryan, in 2018 and of course, The Allegory, this year.

Royce has truly contributed a lot to Hip-Hop over the years.  But especially even more so over the better part of the last decade, which is why it should be no surprise that he is the latest to be apart of Vevo’s latest new original live series, Ctrl.  Both Vevo and the talented and always lyrically sharp emcee debuting/premiering earlier today, the very lyrically stellar and amazing, Ctrl Live Session, performance of one of the most lyrically standout tracks from his recent album, with the Kid Vishis featured, Thou Shall.