Royce 5’9″ album Layers is planned for April 15 release. However, the Detroit, Michigan gold-selling MC shares his self-released sixth LP four days early. Layers is the first Nickel Nine album since 2011’s Success Is Certain, and unlike previous albums, seemingly covers every facet of Ryan Montgomery’s life and career.

With penetrating verses, Royce goes into detail about his sobriety, marriage, and role in the industry. Songs resonate at a deeper level, as the Bad Meets Evil MC uses single “Tabernacle” to chronicle one of the greatest and saddest days in his life, happening just hospital floors apart. “Wait,” produced by Jake One, celebrates the turning of tables from Royce and his former classmates, critics, and those who conveniently turned on the kid from 9 Mile. The title track merges the Slaughterhouse vet with Pusha T and Rick Ross for a musical massacre of machismo. “Hard,” part of which Royce spit acapella to unveil the album’s contents, examines 5’9″‘s truly unique place in Hip-Hop as “the flyest backpacker, ever.”

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Seventeen songs deep, Royce seemingly leaves no aspect of himself off the table in this conceptual self-reflection.  The project is co-executive produced by Mr. Porter (of D12 fame), with work by DJ Khalil, S1, Melanie Rutherford, and others. On “Shine,”  5’9″ raps “I ain’t leavin’ here without a classic.” Layers certainly may be Royce’s most complete, and revealing work to date. Time will tell the rest.

To pre-order Layers, click here.

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