Bad Half Entertainment is pleased to announce that on Friday, April 15, label head, Royce 5’9 delivers his sixth solo LP, the aptly titled, Layers. The 17-track collection, finds the Detroit MC in peak form with his signature irreverence allowing him to easily navigate topics both personal and worldly with songs ranging from autobiographical to anecdotal to political.
As one half of Bad Meets Evil with Eminem, one quarter of Slaughterhouse with Joe Budden, KXNG Crooked, and Joell Ortiz, and one half of PRhyme with DJ Premier, Royce 5’9 has already contributed to some of the best hip hop albums of the last 15 years. This most recent solo effort, Layers, the first he’s recorded since getting sober, is different. My career is a true testament that everything is possible with hard work, dedication and determination, Royce told Complex. Layers is 100 percent Royce 5’9. I love rapping and creating music with Marshall, Slaughterhouse, and Premier because they all inspire me creatively in different ways.
I haven’t released a solo album in five years and I’ve been through a lot with my sobriety and different situations; and now its time for me to tell my [new and updated] story. Executive produced by Royce and Mr. Porter, the album opens with the powerful Tabernacle, a vivid recounting of the most significant night in Royce’s life to date. And while it does set the bar for the quality of music to be expected, it certainly doesn’t set a tone for the styles or subject matter that follows.
On songs like Pray and Hard, Royce at once asserts his position in the Rap pantheon while thumbing his nose at doubters. The skit Lincoln begins a four-track long saga of infidelity done wrong presented with such reality and creativity that one might wonder how true the tale holds. Nickle’s ability to straddle between dense lyricism and commercial appeal is further bolstered by impressive appearances by Pusha T and Rick Ross on the title track. With the lyrical content and creativity supported by production by S1, Antman Wonder and Mr. Porter, Layers is certain to find its place among this year’s top releases.
