*By Christian Smith*
On his new album, the rapper Royce 5'9" adopts a more optimistic tone while reflecting on his experiences growing up in Detroit in the 1980s.
"It's kind of an autobiographical, it talks about everything that I went through as a child," said Royce da 5'9", whose given name is Ryan Daniel Montgomery. "I reflect on it in a way where I compare it to why I'm how I am today, be that good or bad."
The new LP, "Book of Ryan," is Royce's seventh solo album and goes on sale Friday. It features some of the biggest names in hip hop, including J. Cole, Pusha T, and Royce's long-time friend and mentor Eminem.
The album is about growing up in Detroit, Royce's struggles with alcoholism, politics, and "Staying Woke," the title of a song from the album. The rapper said he got sober in September 2012, and credits Eminem with helping him make it music and contend with his addiction.
"It's almost kind of like Em was hand delivered to me from God," said Royce. "He put me in the business, and he's also the one who helped me get sober."
Royce recorded "Book of Ryan" in Detroit at his newly-constructed recording studio, Heaven Studio. He said the album and his hip-hop career are compilations of all of his good and bad decisions, and in the end he was, "happy with the way it turned out."
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rapper-royce-59-releasing-new-album-book-of-ryan).
Police charged a University of North Carolina graduate student Tuesday with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a faculty member that caused a campus lockdown amid a search for the gunman.
Tips for throwing a next-level U.S. Open party.
France will be destroying more than 100 Olympic-sized pools worth of wine.
A new movie trailer shows the story of Bayard Rustin, a forgotten activist who had a pivotal role in making the 1963 March on Washington happen.
Some stars will make an appearance at the Venice film festival.
Data gathered by The Associated Press show at least 14 of the 20 most populous U.S. cities are hosting or starting programs, sometimes called civilian, alternative or non-police response teams.
Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby and become the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.
Monday marks 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech during the March on Washington.
With back-to-school season here, it will most likely be difficult for the kids to make that transition from summer activities. Here are some tips for them to assimilate to academics.
A New Jersey family found a message in a bottle while picking up trash along the coastline that was all the way from Ireland.
