Best known for his association with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, they became acquainted in 1997 and formed the hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil the following year.

Their 2011 single, "Lighters" (featuring Bruno Mars) peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of their debut extended play (EP), Hell: The Sequel (2011).

[6] He moved to Oak Park, Michigan when he was ten years old, later acquiring the nickname "Royce" in high school after wearing a chain with an R pendant resembling the Rolls-Royce symbol.

Royce's name comes from his height, 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm), but the numbers five and nine have been in his life numerous times as he "found his calling" as a rapper in 1995 and in his song "Tabernacle" he discusses his grandmother dying on the fifth floor of a hospital and his first son being born on the ninth.

He started rapping at age 18, influenced mainly by Ras Kass, Redman, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Esham, Heltah Skeltah, LL Cool J, Nas, Jay-Z, Detroit's Most Wanted, and N.W.A.

[9] Royce appeared on Eminem's debut studio album The Slim Shady LP (1999), in which he was featured on a song called "Bad Meets Evil".

He had rejected an offer beforehand from Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment of $250,000 and unlimited beats, a move that he called his "biggest regret" in a 2016 interview with Complex.

When the project was heavily bootlegged, Royce was dropped from Columbia in early 2002; he later signed to Koch, where he re-recorded some of the album, eventually releasing it on November 29 as Rock City (Version 2.0).

Despite poor album sales, the DJ Premier-produced single "Boom" gained Royce some underground recognition and eventually resulted in the two working together more closely.

Proof and Royce were arrested and jailed overnight in adjacent cells, where they talked out their differences and ended the feud.

During this time, the rivalry between Royce and former friend Proof reached a boiling point in the streets of Detroit, on an occasion where the two rappers drew guns; they were subsequently arrested and left to work out their differences while spending the night in neighboring cells in jail.

The time spent in jail led to the artists ending their feud and subsequently embarking on two overseas tours together.

[12] Though Royce had planned other projects involving Nottz and his former crew, D-Elite, these were cut short after a sentencing to one year in jail for a DUI.

Later worked on his Premier-assisted retail release, Street Hop, the lead single of which was "Shake This", also produced by DJ Premier.

Joe Budden collaborated with Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5'9" and Nino Bless on a track titled "Slaughterhouse" on his digital release, Halfway House.

Based on the reception of the track, they decided to form a supergroup, minus Nino Bless, and named it after the first song they made together.

[17] The album features production from DJ Khalil, Mr. Porter and The Alchemist, plus guest appearances from Pharoahe Monch, K. Young and The New Royales.

[19] In September 2014, Royce da 5'9" and DJ Premier spoke about the album, saying: "I want people to appreciate the fact that we didn't compromise in lieu of the environment.

On March 29, the free pre-album Trust The Shooter EP on the mixtape website Datpiff was released to positive critical consensus.

In July 2015, Royce collaborated with Lazarus and was featured on the single Underdog which was released under Russell Simmons' All Def Digital channel.

[27] That same year, Royce confirmed via social media that his supergroup, Slaughterhouse, had disbanded following the departure of Joe Budden.