Ryan Montgomery, alias Royce Da 5'9", is an American rapper hailing from Detroit, Michigan, widely regarded as one of the most underrated MCs in the rap industry. Despite navigating a career marked by numerous career upheavals, he has managed to release three full-length albums, a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft. Royce is renowned for his exceptional freestyling skills, boasting an impressive track record of never losing a single rap battle.
A significant turning point in his career came when Rockstar Games recruited Game Records, the label on which Royce was signed, to create the rap music radio station "Game FM" for Grand Theft Auto III. Several artists from the label, including Agallah, Sean Price, Black Rob, and Royce Da 5'9", were featured on "Game FM". Royce himself contributed three singles: "We're Live (Danger)", "Spit Game", and "I'm the King". The song "I'm the King" was specifically edited for the game and is arguably superior to the original album version.
As an underground rap artist, Royce gained widespread recognition with his successful underground hit "Boom", which was later included on his debut album, Rock City 2.0. However, it was his collaboration with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem that brought him the most recognition. The duo formed a group called Bad Meets Evil, with Royce occupying the "Bad" half and Eminem the "Evil" half. Bad Meets Evil produced several hits, including "Scary Movies" and "Bad Meets Evil", with the latter track featuring on Eminem's album The Slim Shady LP. The group's tenure was short-lived, however, due to an altercation between Royce and Eminem's clique, D12, prompting Eminem and Royce to cut off all connections. Royce is generally considered to have emerged victorious from the feud, as evidenced by his scathing track "Malcolm X", which called out the entire group.
In 1999, Royce contributed as a ghostwriter for Dr. Dre's album, 2001, on the song "The Message". Since then, he has released three albums and three mixtapes, solidifying his position as a respected figure in the hip-hop world.
