25 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of The Last Decade
8. Royce Da 5'9 - Book of Ryan
Mainstream rap fans might only be aware of Royce Da 5'9 for his association with hip-hop legend, Eminem. However, he has long been one of the most talented technical hip-hop artists in the entire scene, and just never really got the credit he deserved until he released Book of Ryan.
It's difficult to understand why it's taken this long for Royce to make an album that connected with fans. He can rap and his songs were good. There was just something missing. Luckily that's no longer the case and Book of Ryan not only showcases his best work as a rapper, but as a songwriter too.
It's a widely varied record which shows us different shades of Royce. Whether it's a song like "Caterpillar," where he's reminding everyone how amazing he is as a rapper or if he's being vulnerable and open about his insecurities and past on the track "Cocaine," this is the Detroit MC creating the finest solo work he's ever done support by a number of outstanding, head-nodding beats.