Uploaded April 2016 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Royce Da 5'9 speaks on the current state of rap, competition in hip-hop, how some young rappers need to be punched in the face before entering the business, Lil' Wayne's comments, and more.
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I've learned some valuable lessons covering the music industry for almost a decade now, many of them learned the hard way. I've tried to save younger artists from making the same mistakes that have killed the careers of hundreds of rappers I've seen come and go, but more often than not I'm ignored. Or worse, treated as a dream killer. A grumpy old man shaking his cane on his front lawn at those damn kids.
Fair enough. To be young is to feel invincible and unique, outside of the bounds of everything that's come before. I was no different, so maybe you just have to actually touch fire before you can truly comprehend what being burned feels like.
Royce da 5'9" knows exactly what I'm talking about. He's seen ever facet of the music industry in his decade-long career, from passing on a deal with Dr. Dre to prison time to platinum album success, and in the latest video from our exclusive sit down with the Layers emcee he says that hip-hop is no longer a contact sport, which is producing a new generation of artists who aren't tough enough to build enduring careers.
Royce then went on to explain that while hip-hop is currently competitive, the root of that competition lays in numbers; who has the most Twitter followers, who can rack up the most views on their YouTube channel or streams on their SoundCloud, which can provide overnight success, but doesn't necessarily build the infrastructure for a lasting career. These are wise words, but words I suspect will largely be written off as "old head complaints" from exactly the people who would benefit the most from hearing them.
So it is, so it has been, and so it will always be.
Videos focused on underground and independent hip-hop so you know tomorrow's biggest hip-hop stars before they blow, plus coverage of the best and most noteworthy mainstream artists. From dope songs to classic albums, must-hear mixtapes to buzzing rappers, DJBoothTV is the authority in hip-hop.
Shot & Edited by @EriksonCorniel
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Royce Da 5'9 speaks on the current state of rap, competition in hip-hop, how some young rappers need to be punched in the face before entering the business, Lil' Wayne's comments, and more.
Subscribe to DJBoothTV: http://djbooth.it/djboothsubscribe
I've learned some valuable lessons covering the music industry for almost a decade now, many of them learned the hard way. I've tried to save younger artists from making the same mistakes that have killed the careers of hundreds of rappers I've seen come and go, but more often than not I'm ignored. Or worse, treated as a dream killer. A grumpy old man shaking his cane on his front lawn at those damn kids.
Fair enough. To be young is to feel invincible and unique, outside of the bounds of everything that's come before. I was no different, so maybe you just have to actually touch fire before you can truly comprehend what being burned feels like.
Royce da 5'9" knows exactly what I'm talking about. He's seen ever facet of the music industry in his decade-long career, from passing on a deal with Dr. Dre to prison time to platinum album success, and in the latest video from our exclusive sit down with the Layers emcee he says that hip-hop is no longer a contact sport, which is producing a new generation of artists who aren't tough enough to build enduring careers.
Royce then went on to explain that while hip-hop is currently competitive, the root of that competition lays in numbers; who has the most Twitter followers, who can rack up the most views on their YouTube channel or streams on their SoundCloud, which can provide overnight success, but doesn't necessarily build the infrastructure for a lasting career. These are wise words, but words I suspect will largely be written off as "old head complaints" from exactly the people who would benefit the most from hearing them.
So it is, so it has been, and so it will always be.
Videos focused on underground and independent hip-hop so you know tomorrow's biggest hip-hop stars before they blow, plus coverage of the best and most noteworthy mainstream artists. From dope songs to classic albums, must-hear mixtapes to buzzing rappers, DJBoothTV is the authority in hip-hop.
Shot & Edited by @EriksonCorniel
Check out more of DJBooth here:
djbooth.net
twitter.com/djbooth
facebook.com/djboothnet
