Royce Da 5'9 The Bar Exam

Posted on 06.4.2007

Royce Da 5’9
Album : The Bar Exam
Release Date : June 4, 2007
Label : Traffic Ent

Review :

This year, "The Bar Exam" will be administered on June 5th, 2007. But it won’t be lawyers that are put to the test. MCs throughout Hip Hop will have to check their rhymes at the door when Royce Da 5’9" releases his highly-anticipated album, "The Bar Exam", which teams him up with DJ Statik Selektah and DJ Premier. Royce’s last two collaborations with the legendary DJ Premier, "Boom" and "Hip Hop", were critically acclaimed, receiving heavy video and radio rotation. He sets off "The Bar Exam" with another Premo-produced classic, "Hit Em !" The project not only features freestyles from Royce over Premo’s signature sound, but also enlists the production talent of Bink ! (Jay-Z, Amerie), Carlos "Six July" Broady (Notorious BIG, Diddy), J. Cardim (Saigon, Papoose), DC (Termanology, Army of the Pharaohs, 7L and Esoteric, Granite State), and Statik Selektah (AZ, KRS-ONE, Nas).

"The Bar Exam" also introduces M.I.C.’s newest artist, Kid Vishis. "The Bar Exam" puts Royce back in the spotlight, although he never left the scene. In between recording albums, the Detroit-native (who has come a long way from rocking shows with Eminem) co-wrote for Diddy on his hit record "Tell Me", featuring Christina Aguilera. The song, from Diddy’s album "Press Play", peaked at #1 on The Billboard 200 chart. He also had the privilege to tour overseas with his close friend Proof of D-12, months before his unfortunate passing. "[Proof and I] went through our stuff, but we were always good friends. A lot of the politics and stuff divided us, but the love was always there. That was my man," said Royce in an interview with The Source. The March 2007 Source magazine featured Royce on the cover. Also in the interview, Royce explains how a DUI charge turned into a one-year sentence after he violated his parole. But he turned his unfortunate situation around by demonstrating his strong work ethic and dedication to the game.

Tracklisting :
1. DJ PREMIER INTRO
2. HIT EM !
3. ROYCE IS LIKE
4. GORILLA PIMP
5. A MILLION MORE QUESTIONS
6. WHO WANT IT ?
7. DING !
8. AS LIVE AS IT GETS
9. WHAT YOU CALL THAT ? feat. TERM
10. I’M STRAPPED feat. JARETTA
11. I RUN DETROIT
12. IMA LET YOU TELL IT
13. DOWN BOTTOM
14. KEEP ON PUSHIN
15. STREET HOP
16. KID VISHIS FREESTYLE
17. THE DREAM featuring RELL
18. DJ PREMIER OUTRO
19. SOUND THE ALARM (REMIX)
20. KID VISHIS "THEY CALL ME"