Nasaan & Royce 5’9″ talk about Eminem, Proof, JAY-Z, Joyner Lucas, J Dilla & more

Nasaan and Royce 5’9″ have recently sat down with Ebro Darden, Pete Rosenberg and Laura Stylez on Ebro In The Morning for a conversation about growing up in hip-hop, going major vs independent, being able to carve up your own identity, learning more about the late Big Proof, lessons learned throughout their careers, the need for more mentorship in hop-hop and more. They also got into the recent debate on if B-Rabbit (played by Eminem) really won the second round of his famous 8-Mile battle against Lotto. Royce 5’9″ also talks about his recent collaboration with Detroit Pistons honoring J Dilla with new merchandise for Detroit’s 313 Day.

Nasaan on discovering his pass after meeting Eminem
I’m more so proud of myself. Just being a creative artist overall. Rapping is cool. I was saying this story the other day — I went to the studio with Marshall one time. He was just talking about how much he love rap. Then I was like, ‘yo, he’s different.’  That’s not for me. And I kind of had to find out what was for me. I’m just like creative. I direct, edit all of my music videos. They are all crazy.

Royce 5’9″ on learning things from Eminem businesswise and forming communication skills
Young men are not communicators, old ones either. I didn’t start to being able to communicate until therapy and I was in my late 30s. That’s when I really, actually learned how to talk to my wife, talk to my kids, so it’s tough. If you get thrown into the business like me, Marshall, kind of snatched me up and just threw me in the business. I ain’t know how to make records. All I knew how to do was rap really well.

Nasaan on his relationship with his father, Big Proof.
I was so young that I kind of make out who he is through stories from him [Royce], other people’s experiences and whatever YouTube videos are remaining. He passed when I was super young and at he was at his height of his career. He was never really home. They were always on the road. So, I don’t really know my father. That sounds bad but I don’t really knew him on personal level. Sometimes I find myself digging stuff about him.

Nasaan on his relationship with Eminem
We are cool. Anytime I need him, he is there. I don’t really like bother them or just go that way cause I’m still just growing and still kind of figure things my own. I’ve always been like that. It’s weird that you asked me about my father cause I used to run from that so much. Don’t kill me [Royce] but I think being a rapper’s son is so f–king corny. I used to hate people telling that but I had grown to it and realize it’s kind of a blessing

Royce 5’9″ about hip-hop being competitive and the importance of mentorship
We didn’t really have OGs, mentors. I think mentorship is the biggest void that’s in the marketplace in terms of black culture today. The generations that came before us…Me and Marshall came, Marshall was stomping through and I was right behind him, stepping. All of the guys that we looked up were like Gods, they just looked at as like competition. They didn’t necessarily embrace us. It would have been cool to get that embrace.

Royce 5’9″ on Joyner Lucas and his approach on creating music
When I first seen Joyner Lucas, the way he was able to paint this pictures that he would have in his mind before even laying the verse or raps down in the studio, he already knew what he wanted it to look like. That was incredible to me. I had a conversation with him one day. He was not really happy with the way things were going in terms of productivity in his career and he was just like ‘I should just direct my own videos.’ I was like ‘You should!’ He went and did it. And the first one he directed connected more than anything he had ever released before. And I can only attribute that to him seeing the vision all the way though and it resonating with people because of that. We received it the way he intended for it to be received because he was involved in every step of the way and I think it is no different from what I’ve been in my career, just a sonic side. Even with the Slaughterhouse, I was the guy in the group who was there at the very beginning of the session and I was always the last one to leave. It’s just the way I like to work. I even do that with Preem when it’s not even necessary. When we were working on Prime stuff, I be all involved in the mix and Preem was like ‘Get out of the way!’ It is just my way.

Royce 5’9″ & Nasaan on internet’s recent discussion on if B-Rabbit won a battle against Lotto in 8 Mile.
“The internet just looking for reasons to discredit Marshall. Even in his own movie. That s–t was not even close. Lotto did good though.” said Royce. Nasaan added: “I think Marshall took it over the top with the theatrics too. And just how animated he was.”

Royce 5’9″ on his plans for new music
Me and Preem are working on PRhyme 3 but I’ve been taking my time with it cause I have few other things that I’ve been working on that I can’t quite discuss it. I’m more excited about these two things in particular that I’m working on right now probably more than anything I’ve ever been a part of. I’d love to give people a rap album right now but it is not just happening like that. I’d love to go in and just do Bar Exam right now but the bar is so low. I don’t know if I’m not motivated, I just don’t feel it. I look at people that I look up to. Like Hov for instance. I don’t personally think like he needs to do another album again, ever. I just feel like what he’s doing now on an executive level is way more beneficial to the culture than any music that he can do at this juncture but when he was at a point in his career where the music was the most important, pertinent thing that he can contribute he gave it to us at the highest level possible.

At the end of the interview, Royce talks about J Dilla and his recent collaboration with Detroit Pistons for J Dilla-inspired merchandise. You can watch the entire interview of Nasaan and Royce below: