i think royce is underrated! he needs more promotion and really needs to do a cd with 9th wonder or premier. this cd is a very good one. royces lyrics are consistantly dope and entertaining its just sometimes the beats and hooks on here are not typical royce. that doesnt really take away from it its still a solid and above average effort! real hip hoppers go support this!
Royce is hella ILL on every track! He is far above what everyone likes or whats hot in rap/hip-hop right now!
"Street Hop" is definetly no "Death Is Certain"...but that's good. Let me explain. Royce Da 5'9"'s second "Death Is Certain", was very personal and introspective, mainly due to his personal and professional woes (feuding with Eminem and D12), beefs in the streets, etc. "DIC" is a classic album because it had a consistent theme of morbidness, insecurity and seriousness. However, Royce ahs been there, done that and naturally wants to do something new. The concept behind "Street Hop", is an album of songs that are hardcore in nature while at the same time exhibiting skilled lyricism and creativity. DJ Premier executive produced the LP, and as an executive producer he served as a legendary ear for what is good and bad snd sequenced the tracks. Now I have read several reviews of this CD, and have pointed out that the album would have been better if the 19 tracks would have been trimmed to 14-15 songs. However, the perceived filler material is bearable considering the bad songs on other high-profile rap releases of 2009. Royce has been working on this album for 3 years and has delayed its release for many reasons: devote time recording with his brothers-n-arms Slaughterhouse (Dope LP) a must-have if you don't have it, his imprisonment for DUI and ghostwriting duties for a rapping CEO. Let's get to the music.
I'm going in random order.
"Dinner Time"-Royce Da 5'9"'s lyricism doesn't shine any brighter on this album than this track. The Source should include one of his two verses from this song for "Hip-Hop Quotable". Royce sounds most like Eminem with the intensity of his voice, and rhythmic rhyme cadence. If you heard Eminem's verse from "Forever", you will have chills going down your spine when you hear how similar and unique they sound considering they used to rhyme together in a group called "Bad Meets Evil". This only reminds me why there is no other rapper Em has rhymed with that can match him line for line other than Royce. 50 Cent is good, but he aint Royce. Em get Royce in the studio asap. Especially when y'all both live in Michigan.
"Far Away"-the next track is just as ill. At the beginning, Royce starts the song singing (has a decent voice)like a r&b singer giving the impression this would be sappy and soft, but Royce interupts the track to rhyme for real. It's a short track clocking at 2 minutes and 55 seconds, but the song is ironic. Smooth r&b groove with hardcore lyrics. Peep what he says about Juelz Santana and Naughty By Nature.
"Count For Nothing"-Is classic Royce. Boastful, and funny. This should be a single. It's radio-friendly enough to appease radio-programmers and lyrical enough to satisfy the streets and backpackers.
There's too many tracks on this CD to review every song, but this is Best Rap Album Of The Year. I love "Relapse"-Eminem, "OB4CL2"-Raekwon, "Smoke N Mirros" by B-Real, "Survival Skills"-KRS-1 and Buckshot, "Deeper Than Rap"-Rick Ross, "Wizard of Poetry"-Ghostface and "BP3"-Jay-Z AND many more, but in a year when Hip-Hop has seen its best year for rap music in a long time, no album in my opinion was as enteraining and thought-provoking than "Street Hop" and I challenge anyone who says different.
The only thing i can say is that Royce has finally become a true MC. He found his voice after a couple of months in jail and his made a truly good album. There are songs that aren't as good as others but, there are some good hits. If you followed Royce during the whole mixtape scene then you'll like this album
I was happy with this album. Royce the 5'9" is rapping harder then I ever heard him before. He has always bragged about being such a great rapper but I never really saw it before. This time he impressed me and is showing that potential now. He is better lyrically than in the past. The production is good. There are definitely a handful of great songs on here and really everything else is pretty descent. If you liked Royce the 5'9" at all before, get this one cus this is him at his best.
