There’s something exciting about experiencing hip hop through a visual artists eyes, seeing their interpretation through their brush stroke or their image of hip hop in a piece of handmade artwork. One such local visual artist that is taking the hip hop art world by storm is the super talented Sophie Al-Bazouni aka Sophieaye,representing South Western Sydney and capturing the art of hip hop through her incredible painted portraits of some of the genres greatest.

As a deep seeded fan of hip hop and its culture, Sophieaye was always drawn to the music and its message from a young age, as a fan of the legendary Tupac and Notorious BIG. Starting out with a passion for drawing characters and hip hop artists in particular, Sophie eventually started dabbling in painting and her passion for the music and culture spilt over into amazing pieces that captured the essence of the artists who inspired her daily life. Taking part in this years celebrated 4 Elements Hip Hop festival in Bankstown in March, Sophieaye’s works hung pride of place in the gallery foyer of the Bankstown Arts Centre leading into the festival and garnered praise and attention from festival goers and council members alike. She has since gone on to ignite her local hip hop community with her impressive works and building a name for herself and her beautiful portraits of influential hip hop leaders such as Tupac, Notorious BIG, Lauryn Hill and the like.

In her first interview ever ( as she excitedly exclaims), this Bachelor of Fine Arts student shares what motivates and drives her passion for painting hip hop portraits and how she hopes her artwork is received by those who are drawn to it. Very excited for this truly talented, humble and inspiring young artist putting her passion to higher purpose.

Thanks so much for your time Sophieaye, I truly appreciate it. How has life been treating you thus far?

Thank you for the opportunity! Life has been good, I can’t complain. Busy as always, I’ve got a lot coming up!

Your artwork is something that is truly unique and symbolic of the art and culture of Hip Hop. How would best describe your artwork, what it is you create and what you enjoy most about the process of creating these hip hop inspired pieces?

When people ask what I do, I always say that I paint Hip Hop portraits. I’ve explored other subjects but that’s mainly what my practice has consisted of. I couldn’t tell you the amount of times I’ve painted 2Pac and Biggie. My English teacher once told me to write about what I know, so I took that advice and applied it to my art. Music is second to art for me, and it’s a lot easier to paint something which you’re passionate about.

How does inspiration come to you and how does the world itself play a part in your creative process?

It usually comes from the songs themselves, especially the lyrics and the flow of a song. Whenever I listen to a song I paint it in my mind. The way certain lyricists can rap, I want to be able to paint. I love the atmosphere that’s created with Hip Hop, music is the first thing I pay attention to when I walk into a place and if it’s anything I like don’t even attempt to have a conversation with me (my friends can vouch for this).

What is it about being an artist appeals to you so and what or who encouraged you to take the first step in your artistry?

I’ve been into art for as long as I can remember, but I’ve come a long way from drawing anime characters! I could never see myself in an office job, and for a while I thought that I couldn’t make it as an artist. It’s only until recently that I realised I could, and I’ve started taking steps towards making it my career. It’s very rewarding to give something back to a culture I appreciate so much. I’ve been blessed, and there is no way I’m going to let it waste away as a hobby. I’m inspired by the rappers I paint, my high school art teacher and my mum and dad, who has never questioned me when it comes to the decisions I make. The support and love I get from my family and friends can last a lifetime. I want to immortalise the influencers and cement my name in Hip Hop culture.

When you are in your creative zone what keeps you motivated and do you have any particular rituals or music that inspires your artistic flow? What are your favourite musical artists / songs and why?

I always have something playing when I’m painting whether it’s music or something on the TV. Lately I’ve just put Fresh Prince on, or I’m listening to the latest album drop (currently SchoolBoy Q’s Blank Face LP). Sometimes my friends keep me company with good conversation and argheli but I’ve found that to be a bit distracting! My favourite rapper is Biggie because I love his flow, voice, lyrics, everything about him. I have a large list of favourite artists and songs so this could take a while but my top five albums are:

1. Illmatic – Nas
2. GKMC – Kendrick Lamar
3. Ready to Die – Biggie
4. Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill
5. Friday Night Lights – J.Cole

Where are your collections currently featured at the moment? (Art Galleries, Museums, Public Spaces) and what is the general public feedback on your works?

I have my largest work to date hanging at BMCP, a shisha cafe in Parramatta. I’m a regular there and it’s always the first place I recommend to people! Right now I’m working on my first exhibition so I’ll have some works hanging very, very soon. I’ve always had the best reception to my work, it motivates me to keep doing what I do. Usually it starts with “Did you do that?!” followed by “Can you paint me?” In all seriousness though it’s very humbling and really warms the heart.

What do you hope is the feeling that people get when they look at your incredible pieces?

I just want to take them back to a place where they listened to a certain song and make them admire their favourite artist even more than they probably already do. I’m just painting what I love and I want viewers to feel that love when they see my work.

Your motto in life?

Love Yourz. “What’s money without happiness? Or hard times without the people you love?”

For more information on Sophieaye and her artwork visit her on:

http://www.sophieayeart.com

Always Hip Hop

Ms Hennessey

“Dazzling and unified…..Soweto Gospel Choir was as much to look at as to listen to. The human spirit – this you couldn’t miss” The Los Angeles Times, 2012

“Boasting two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, SA Music Awards, and having performed at the Oscars all in just 10 years, easily makes this the world’s best choir” City Press, South Africa May 2013

Just two of the endless reviews that this phenomenal internationally renowned choir have and continue to receive no matter the continents their exalted voices travel too. And they are set to return to Australia in late June for a nationwide tour that will again inspire, uplift and engage audiences of all ages, colours and creeds, as the unifying essence of music is supposed to do.

Hailing from the township of Soweto in Johannesburg South Africa, The Soweto Gospel Choir have been in the business of soul whispering and healing through music since the choir was first founded in 2002 by choir leaders David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer. Amassing a more than 30-member ensemble, the choir blends elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae and American popular music into an electrifying sight and sound visual experience that has and continues to capture the world over. From the powerful and majestic voices to the colourful outfits and uplifting ambience, The Soweto Gospel Choir is food for the mind and soul. Over the past 16 years in the international arena, the choir has performed with the likes of Robert Plant, Bono, Akon, Keri Hilson, Peter Gabriel, Black-Eyed Peas, Shakira, Angelique Kidjo and John Legend.to name a few and have performed for the late South African President Mandela, former US President Bill Clinton, Oprah, Quincy Jones, Archbishop Tutu, Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Harry, The Lord Mayor of London and many more.

With two albums ‘ Blessed’ and ‘ African Spirit’ that have both received The Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album in 2007 and 2008, the choir also collaborated with artist Peter Gabriel on the song from the Disney movie WALL-E called ‘Down to Earth’, which was also nominated for Best Song in 2009. From State performances for global leaders to lending their vocals to rock concerts and everything in between, the Soweto Gospel Choir are undoubtedly the most recognised and respected international choir in the world and it is a position they do not take lightly.

Catching up with choreographer, choir master, tenor, dancer and founding member Shimmy Jiyane about the upcoming Australian tour called “Faith”, he took some time out his busy schedule to shed some light on the choir’s inspiring journey thus far and what motivates the members to share their majestic voices so effortlessly with the world. I am so excited to share this interview and a small window into the musical world of a sound so rich and transcendent of my childhood growing up in my hometown of Johannesburg, the colours, the rhythm and the pulse of a country that has birthed a choir that continues to mesmerize the world over.

Hello Shimmy and thanks for your time. How has life been treating you?

Life has been good just working hard with the choir on our new album and show.

You hail from my native homeland of South Africa and for that I am most proud. South African music, be it gospel or beats has been getting considerable love from the global market of late and serving as inspiration for many other countries musical communities and has done so for years. The Gospel Choir is world-renowned and synonymous for its depth and beauty of sound. How would you best describe the power of this gospel and the message behind it music?

Soweto gospel choir’s sound comes from our proud musical traditions, taught to us from an early age in our homes, schools and churches. We are known for our beautiful African harmonies that are unique to the choir and to African music in general. We truly love singing and enjoy passing this on to our audiences, so the beauty of this love translates into our music and our message is one of upliftment and joy. Our audiences are affected by the sincerity of our belief in God and in our genuine energy and love for life. We don’t need to preach our message, you just need to listen to our voices that come from the soul.

Who are the Soweto Gospel Choir, how many singers does it consist of and what keeps you all so committed to this union?

SGC actually comprises 42 members in total, 21 of who are on this tour. The choir is our family and we’ve been together for 14 years, so the love of our musical family and of our wonderful musical journey, keeps us committed to this union.

We are so excited to know that you will be visiting Australia for a tour soon. What can we expect from your show and what are you currently working on musically that you can share with us over here?

We are so excited to be coming to Australia and bringing our new show called Faith with many beautiful, diverse voices from South Africa as well as dancers and drummers. We have some new costumes and a variety of percussive instruments unique to South Africa. There are some fun and energetic routines as well as some gentle, soulful numbers, and our repertoire includes traditional and gospel songs representative of our different cultures and faith as well as some classic international favourites.

How would you say South African music is received by the global audience? What makes its sound so special and unique?

Soweto gospel choir comes from the background, where even the shades of a tree, not a brick and mortar building, can house a church service. The harmonies, the energy and the intensity of South African music is what makes it so exciting for international audiences and keep in mind, that every song has its own African movements, so that adds a uniqueness that is greatly appreciated.

Where can we find you online?

www.sowetogospelchoir.com

What would you say is the greatest motivation for the choir in doing what you all do?

We love to sing!

 For more information on The Soweto Gospel Choir visit: www.sowetogospelchoir.com

Catch the Soweto Gospel Choir on their Australian Tour:

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/Soweto-Gospel-Choir-tickets/artist/917963

Hip Hop and Beyond

Ms Hennessey

She is one of the greatest vocal exports out of New Zealand, with a voice and demeanour as regal as the soul queen she was born to be. Aaradhna is a force to be reckoned with as she continues her steady climb from up and coming singer to a bona fide soulstress with a  four album strong discography and a global fan base that just get enough of this Porirua born Samoan-Indian beauty.

As she embarks on her Australian tour for her newly minted soon-to-be-released album Brown Girl on Dawn Raid Entertainment, Aaradhna has remained a consistent and committed artist of her music, working with the likes of Savage, Che Fu, P Money and David Dallas over the years and travelling between new Zealand, The US and London to cultivate a sound that is unique and bold, complimenting her messages of relationships, race, politics and female empowerment on her current album “Brown Girl”. It possesses a powerful and edgier tone than her soulful and sexy Treble & Reverb release of 2012, an album that caught the ears of the US market and put Aaradhna on the global soul watch. For an artist who first explored the earlier stirrings of performance at the age of 11, singing along to Bollywood movies she would watch with her father, the stage was already set for this powerhouse vocalist, with her debut album I Love You landing on the RIANZ Top 20.

Aaradhna has always been a mysterious and almost mystical personality to me, watching her star rise organically in an industry that can break you before they make you. A lot can be said of her character steadfastly focussed on creating honest and inspiring music that lives to stand the test of time. She is humble, grounded, secure and confident in her journey and that is a strength that can be felt in conversation with her and through her music. This interview highlights a glimpse into the thoughts of a woman who has created a lane for herself in an over processed, often synthetic music world and given us her raw, pure and undiluted soul through music and that, to any music lover, is the ultimate gift of artistry.

Hi Aaradhna how are you doing? So excited to know you are going on tour soon to share some music off your new album “Brown Girl” due for release soon.

Thank you, super excited to get back on the road and perform these new song! Plus I’ve got a new band and they’re cool boys, real muso’s and I love that and what they bring to the crew.

Your career and your music has been such an inspiration to so many, back in your native new Zealand and of course on a global level too as your music and most importantly your voice resonates deep in the soul. When you sing pain or heartbreak, everyone can relate to it, when you sing praise and love, we come along on that lyrical ride with you. How you best describe who Aaradhna is and the music she creates, particularly this new album?

It’s the truth and its real, I don’t sugar coat anything, I sing because I have to, that’s my healing & thinking process, and I guess people can relate to that.

Your journey has been a work in evolution no doubt – looking back what would you say has been one of the greatest lessons for you as a woman and as an artist in this music industry!

Don’t give up! And that other people’s opinions of me is none of my business.

Your career has taken you all over the world, working and collaborating with people from all walks of life. What is it about the rhythm of life that appeals to you as a creative and how do you incorporate that into your music creation?

I go with the flow, I don’t chase anything, I let things happen in the order it’s supposed to happen, I don’t force anything, I try and just let it evolve naturally.

Can you share something with us that we may not know of you? Every person has a surprising lurking within them so what would you say is Aaradhna’s surprise?

I love Horror movies and ghost stories, and love hearing about haunted historic places in strange parts of the world, lol

Your thoughts on the soul music community today and the changes you feel it has undergone since you first started your journey?

I think it all swings back around, I’m and old soul and I’ve always loved the oldies, and also 90’s R&B, and that will always inspire me, I like the new stuff like Anderson Paak and people like that, but give me D’Angelo & Sam Cooke any day.

The importance of women, for yourself, embracing their roles as sexual, independent and powerful beings as opposed to the over-sexualisation that social media has females portrayed with young women baring all for 15 mins of fame and 1000 social media likes rather than strong self-awareness and inner security?

Yeah, it’s really sad the social media effect on young girls, I want all ladies to love themselves and be strong for themselves, keep things a little more hidden and private and never reveal all of yourself for no reason, love yourself first.

What are you hoping to achieve personally and professionally with this new “Brown Girl” album and what’s next for you?

Well I’m launching this album in London, and I’m going to do European tour for the 1^st time, I’m looking forward to going back to US and touring there, but ultimately I just want people to hear the album and enjoy the music.

Your greatest musical inspirations and why?

Singing at the Apollo in Harlem, because that’s the gold standard for Soul Music worldwide, and I did that last year, and still buzzing from that, I still have many things to accomplish, 1 step at a time.

Your constant motivation in life and why?

My family, my fiancé, and my fans, I keep going for all of them…… (and of course myself xx)

For more information of Aaradhna visit:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaradhnaPatel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaradhnaOfficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaradhna

Her Australian / NZ Tour ” Introduction to Brown Girl” this June 

Hip Hop and Beyond

Ms Hennessey

Since he first burst onto the hip hop scene back in 1998, Ryan Daniel Montgomery aka Royce Da 5’9 of Detroit Michigan has become one of the most underrated, respected and revered hip hop artists of the hip hop community. With a lyrical style and flow that is unsurpassed and at times uncomfortably raw and true, Royce has indeed solidified himself as one of the hardest working and authentic lyricist’s of the hip hop industry and with the release of his 6^th studio album this month called Layers, Royce has upped the ante another notch by gifting us with his most honest body of work to date.

Since he signed his first record deal in 1998 with Tommy Boy records which eventually led him to Colombia records and the recording of his first album Rock City (Version 2.0) which was released in 2002 and went on to give Royce major underground recognition and of course kick-started the long running collaboration between he and DJ Premier on the Primo produced single Boom off that debut album. A six album discography later and Royce Da 5’9 feels now is the time for him to share the personal side of a man, whom as an artist, battled with vices and demons almost to the point of self-destruction and he proudly celebrates his 4^th year anniversary of sobriety in September this year, with that conviction came a major awakening and sense of clarity for the rapper. He states that his current album Layers is his most personal and has come about at the perfect time for the more mature lyricist to finally shine some light on the man behind the rapper, his views, his past and even as far back as his childhood as fans will experience on his Tabernacle track, Royce has left no stone unturned in this almost therapeutic album.

From his strong bond and friendship with fellow rapper and Detroit native Eminem, whom he only refers to as Marshall, to his union with underground hip hop sensation Slaughterhouse and his successful collaboration with friend and mentor DJ Premier in their various projects from Prhyme and beyond, Royce is an artist that has never stopped respecting the foundations of a hip hop culture that helped carve him into the incredible talent he is today. He is also an artist that is encouraging of the forward movement and evolution of the genre he steers to becoming something the younger generation continue to keep relevant and poignant in the greater music industry. He has stopped the angst and war of words of his earlier years and is embracing the grown, wise and secure family man he has become, kicking out his heavy drinking and partying and replacing with music that is both personal and necessary to his artistry and to hip hop.

The following is a conversation that flowed effortlessly, speaking about what was, what is and what will be in an exchange that was honest, insightful, funny and real. Royce Da 5’9 is sans the celebrity and hype that shrouds our hip hop artists all too often, instead opting to be present in the moment of his own evolution from extraordinary rapper to one of the most powerful lyricists of our time, without ego but with a certainty that his music and message will remain a necessary part of hip hop no matter how many Layers he continues shed in the process!

Hey Royce, so awesome to speak with you – how has life been treating you?

Hey Maxine, thanks for having me. Man I can’t complain, life is good and I am doing great. If I nit-pick I can say that I would like a little bit more time with my babies but at the end of the day this is what I signed up for right so I am blessed to keep doing what I do. Man I stay busy which is a good thing as it keeps me outta trouble I guess (laughs).

You are a pioneer in this hip hop game hands down, you have put in the hard yards for years and have always kept it 100 percent real, regardless of feelings being hurt, when it comes to what and how you spit. You are many titles to your fans and critics alike but I would love to hear who Royce Da 5’9 as an artist is to Royce Da 5’9 the man and is there any separation between the two?

Thank for you that. You know what there’s less of Royce the 5’9 artist in me today than when I first started I can honestly say. I am working on bringing more of Royce the Man into the artistry side of me in recent times, especially on this new album Layers you know. There is a real sense of retrospection that is being ushered into my music now, what I right and say is more personal and reflective of my life and especially my childhood. This new album is by far my most personal body of work, being a full blown scope of who I am as a man, what some of my views are and so you are getting the full dose of Ryan Daniel Montgomery the man who’s calling himself Royce Da 5’9. There is still a divide though between the two, when I step in that booth I am the rapper, but when I head home to my family I am just a family man and I don’t get treated like a rapper, so its helps me to just carry myself between the two in the same vein. We are all regular people you know, aint no celebrity here, just a regular human being who loves to rap you know what I’m saying (laughs).

You have given us an incredible new album called Layers, major congrats on that. How are you feeling about the music you are making right now and these albums, in particular Layers? Why this personal body of work now at this stage in your hip hop career?

I appreciate that thank you. Ummm I would have to say getting sober had a lot to do with it. I will be sober four years in September so anybody who knows Royce will know that I was very forthcoming with how much I drank, I mean I celebrated Patron like I had a sponsorship with them you know what I mean, and it truly highlighted everything in my life at that time, particularly in my music. Becoming sober just brought all these memories back for me to that time when I was running around crazy, drinking and not really knowing who I was to where I am now and I just look at things so differently through my sobriety. Like the word we live in where people are gripped by terror and violence constantly, economic strains, Trump running for President and just trying to be a Black man in hip hop doing what he loves and trying to take care of his family, man I look at things so differently now and that will be reflected in my music. I also had all these memories of my childhood start to hit me that I hadn’t thought about in the 10 years I was drinking so I have been dealing with that component of my life which I felt was important to be added on this album, which is how the Tabernacle song came about. So yeah, it is what it is, don’t get it twisted though I will always love to rap just for sake of rapping and it is a layer of myself that I will never lose but I also felt it was important for myself as an artist to show my personal side and get it off my chest and if there is someone out there who is going through some things that my album might help then I have done my job as best I could through Layers.

Royce you have worked with many great names in your lifetime, namely Eminem, Slaughterhouse and no doubt the coolest collaboration in hip hop to date, DJ Premier. Energy is an important thing when an artist decides to collaborate with another as the outcome of that project is clearly indicative of what the initial vibe is like between one another. Can I ask what it has been about these particular collabos that have been concurrent and helped create some incredible music projects for hip hop? Particularly DJ Premier – you both work so damn well together – Pryme was brilliant by the way ;o)

I think it’s just being likeminded you know, we don’t just randomly collaborate. It’s about us having the same goals and respect for hip hop as well that has solidified the unified bonds we share as well. Primo and myself are two guys who are friends and share a common interest and respect for hip hop that has made our bond and collabo work you know, one of us if from an era before mine that I respect so much and we share similar vision and work ethic for the projects we work on so it’s a great experience when we create something different and we push each other a little differently which keeps us open. With Slaughterhouse, that was taking 4 emcees from different states in the US and bringing us together to give hip hop an underground feel that was so needed at the time and it worked. We didn’t really know each other personally or kick it before the group came to be so that was group brought together purely by energy, lyricist ability and respect for the rawness of hip hop.

Marshall and I, that’s easy, we were just two best friends running around hip hop and having fun as the young men we were at the time. Two guys outta Detroit and the only two at the time to get record deals, tour the world and do what no-one thought we would you know what I mean, we had some of our best times musically and personally back then and we worked well and had so much fun working together and we always have been. And that’s where I am right now in my life, I just wanna have fun with what I am doing, I spent so many years being stressed and on guard with things, always feeling I had to fight all the time to be heard and after a while you get tired of fighting and you just wanna be you feel me, so that’s a big thing for me now, positive energy and outlook on music and life.

You are a straight shooter and don’t pussy foot around topics or issues in hip hop or life that need to be addressed and it is within this honesty that is your greatest appeal to lovers of real hip hop. Standout tracks of yours that have truly resonated with me would be My Own Planet, Hip Hop, You Should Know and You Can’t Touch Me …. Thank you by the way for those tracks – they have gotten me through my own tough times. When you put pen to paper what fuels you to write the tracks you do and how important is the marriage of beat and lyric to you at that point of creation?

Thank you for listening to those tracks man I really appreciate it. I always just aspire to keep positive thoughts and feelings around me before I head into the studio and lay down a track, and if I don’t feel positive I try to keep myself or bring people that are positive and inspiring around me as that fuels me to create better. Like Mr Porter helped me out with that a lot and he would bring an energy into the studio that would light a fire beneath me and I would just be so ready to work and create after that. It’s basically just finding the inspiration, the mechanics of writing a rhyme and making it happen. You know sometimes I overwrite my tracks to the point where I have to find the best 16 bars I want to lay down in a track and keep the other words for other projects later on, I just love writing and creating so it happens often (laughs) …. I put no limit to it and just do the best I can.

Can I ask you what your thoughts are on the current state of hip hop and what you think are the pros and cons of the industry today as opposed to when you started?

I think we are in a pretty good place, um there’s a lot of good music being made, there’s also a lot of bad music being made and a lot of new styles being created and not the text book standard sound you would expect from hip hop so that’s a good thing I think. As long as hip hop is evolving and keeps changing forms and trying new variations from time to time that’ means it’s not going anywhere and that’s a great thing. Hip Hop will never go away, it will always remain but we have to keep it fresh and relevant and forward moving, we can’t be having everyone trying to rhyme like a lyrical sirpit and tear up the next emcee that’s no good as we need balance. When I think about the cons I would have to say there is not enough balance on the radio, the climate itself is a sedative to how the labels function and the labels are not functioning in a way that is conducive. They are not using their own instincts anymore but it’s all come down to numbers and how many followers the artist has and that is nothing like what I had experienced when I first came into the game you know. If I had label meetings I had to go in there and impress them with everything I had to make them hear my music and believe in taking a chance on me like I was auditioning for a record deal, now, they won’t even give you a shot unless you have social media buzz.

As far who I am listening to right now in hip hop I’m liking Anderson Paak’s album, Pusha T a lot, Kendrick a lot, Schoolboy Q is great, I pretty much try to hear everything new that comes out and of course I love my classic stuff as well, Kiss From a Rose by Seal is a favourite of mine too so yeah lots of different stuff. I’m getting older now too so my brain can’t be on ratchet mode all the time I gotta slow things down from time to time (laughs).

If you could take 4 albums with you into the afterlife what would they be?

The Chronic, Thriller, Life after Death and any Stevie Wonder album – it’s that simple for me.

Your thoughts and feelings on all the musical artists we have been losing this year in 2016 – how does that affect you as an artist if at all?

You know what, it’s just really sad and truly it just makes me feel really old to be honest! You know how it is when all your heroes start dying you be like “am I really this age man”?? I don’t remember going through any of this when I was a kid and now all of a sudden they are upon us you know, Phife Dawg, Prince, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston – gone. That’s half of my childhood right there, half the 80’s just gone. It just makes me feel old and sad for real.

What would you say your role is in this hip hop community and how to you wish for your music and message to be remembered? 

I think my role now is to be an OG and to set good a good example and role model for the younger generation on the come up. I just want to continue to be true to the sport and y legacy to be remembered as one of the true lyricists in the game, I don’t need any trophy’s or trinkets but for the general consensus to be that I was one of the great lyricists of my time and to make age appropriate music and show my peers that’s is okay to age lyrically, its ok to do that. We are living in a time now where you know hip hop is like rock and roll in a way and we have to own that and not always feel like we gotta chase these youngens around all the time. Hip Hop is not just for the kids but hip hop is for the world and I would like for the kids to look at me and say I wanna be like Royce!

For more information on Royce Da 5’9 visit:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Royceda59

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royceda59official

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royceda59

Royce Da 5’9 Studio Albums

Rock City (2002)

Death Is Certain (2004)

Independent’s Day (2005)

Street Hop (2009)

Success Is Certain (2011)

Layers (2016)

Collaboration albums

Slaughterhouse (with Slaughterhouse) (2009)

Hell: The Sequel (with Eminem) (2011)

Welcome to: Our House (with Slaughterhouse) (2012)

Shady XV (with Shady Records) (2014)

PRhyme (with DJ Premier) (2014)

New album Layers out now on ITunes.

(All Images Supplied )

Always Hip Hop

Ms Hennessey