Royce 5’9″ Talks Mental Health, Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef, Eminem & More

In a recent Instagram live stream, Detroit lyrical heavyweight Royce da 5’9″ took to the digital stage alongside his wife to mark their 24th anniversary and reconnect with his audience. The stream served as a vulnerable and insightful update on his life, health, and views on the current state of hip-hop culture. For fans who have noticed his recent silence, the conversation provided much-needed context regarding his personal and professional journey over the last several months.

The most striking revelation was Royce’s candidness about his recent absence from the music scene. He revealed he has been “out of commission” for a significant period due to a persistent speech issue that made recording and even phone conversations nearly impossible. Describing the ordeal as a dark period that tested his mental and emotional strength, Royce shared that he is now taking baby steps to get back into the booth, prioritizing his overall health and recovery above all else.

Turning his attention to the music industry, Royce weighed in on Jay-Z’s recent comments regarding the utility of rap battling. Royce interpreted the stance not as a dismissal of the art form itself, but as a poignant question of whether the personal toll and “bad energy” of high-stakes conflicts are truly worth it. He echoed this sentiment, noting that the intensity of modern industry clashes can often overshadow the music they are meant to inspire, leading to a toxic environment for creators.

The veteran MC also touched on the highly publicized rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, describing the aftermath as messy. Royce expressed concern over how the battle forced fans to pick a side, creating a divisive atmosphere in the culture that he found draining to follow on social media. While acknowledging that such friction can sometimes be necessary to move the needle, he admitted he wasn’t a fan of the negative energy that permeated the entire landscape during that time.

On a personal note, Royce celebrated a monumental milestone: 24 years of marriage. He spoke about the perseverance required to maintain a relationship as a man and an artist in the music industry, characterizing long-term partnership as a constant effort that requires daily commitment to sustain. He took great pride in this accomplishment, viewing his long-standing bond with his wife as one of his most significant life achievements, standing parallel to his musical legacy.

Resilience was a recurring theme as Royce discussed his ongoing journey with sobriety. He shared his strategy for managing triggers, which involves immediately recalling the negative consequences that drinking once brought into his life to break the cycle of temptation. He reflected that if he could stay sober through the health challenges of the last few years, he feels confident in his continued abstinence, noting that the thought of alcohol now repulses him because of the clarity he has gained.

Despite his health hurdles, Royce hasn’t lost his passion for the craft and mentioned his admiration for artists like Stove God Cook$. He expressed an intention to eventually collaborate with him and Westside Gunn, though his primary focus remains on his personal well-being for now. He also shared a glimpse into his creative process, revealing that he rarely uses pen and paper anymore, instead opting to type verses into his phone or freestyle directly while engineering his own sessions to keep the creative flow as natural as possible.

Royce was also asked about new Bad Meets Evil project with Eminem, on which he replied: “I don’t even know what Marshall has been doing. Pretty sure he’s recording but I don’t know what he’s working on or what he’s doing.” You can watch the full livestream here.

Eminem Royce 5'9"