Like Black Thought, Royce Da 5'9" is one of rap's handful of masters; the type to take something like a Funkmaster Flex freestyle very seriously. What was once the premiere platform for up-and-coming rappers, it seems like the radio freestyle is beginning to hold the same weight it did in the late '90s/early '00s, and it's thanks to the OGs like Royce and Tariq.
Honestly, I could have picked any one of the four verses he spit in those 11 minutes for this column, but decided to go with the first one because of its "get on the 'Gram wearin' a Roc Nation hat" line. A lot of cats will have you thinking they work for Roc Nation due to those hats and I'm glad somebody called them out. Royce went so hard, Black Thought had to send him a DM to acknowledge that he might've gotten beat. (I like Black Thought's freestyle a little better, for the record.)
Whatever the case, we appreciate the elders setting the bar when it comes to Flex freestyles in the Year of Our Lord 2018. Roc Marciano took home last month's best rap verse for his verse on "Muse," now it's Nickle's turn.
Go get that PRhyme 2.
