Rapper, songwriter, and producer Ryan Montgomery – born on July 5, 1977, in
Detroit, Michigan – is better known by his stage name Royce Da 5'9". Influenced
by hip-hop artists like Tupac Shakur, LL Cool J, Nas, N.W.A., Jay-Z, Redman, and
The Notorious B.I.G., Royce Da 5’9” began rapping when he was 18. In 1997, he
formed Bad Meets Evil, a hip-hop duo with up-and-coming rapper Eminem. Royce Da
5’9” appeared on Eminem’s debut album, The Slim Shady LP (1999), and, through
his association with Eminem, he was introduced to Dr. Dre and the label Game
Recordings. However, that didn’t pan...