Rapper Royce Da 5’9” came up in the Detroit hip-hop scene in the late '90s and early 2000s, when it was starting to get really hot. He joined up with Eminem under the name Bad Meets Evil. Since those early days, he’s taken off on his own as a solo rapper and a member of rap super group Slaughterhouse.

It’s been a big summer for Royce. He released his newest solo album, Success is Certain, last month. After a ten-year hiatus, he joined back up with Eminem to release a Bad Meets Evil record, Hell: The Sequel, which dropped this summer at #1 on the Billboard charts. On top of that, he is currently working on finishing up Slaugherthouse’s new album, with group mates Crooked I, Joe Budden, and Joell Ortiz.

Royce Da 5’9” will perform at the Blind Pig on Sept. 6 with special guest Kid Vicious. Casper Da Ghost and DJ AMF will warm up the crowd.

The road to Success is Certain hasn’t been without its potholes. A falling out with members of D12—followed by a public “beef” war, trouble with the law, and having to negotiate the rough waters of the music industry—hasn’t made success easy. However, things have gotten a lot better with time.

The title of his newest album is similar to that of his 2004 album Death is Certain, but with a much more positive outlook. “It’s just me evolving,” Royce says.

“Whatever mood I’m in at the time is going to show in my music. When I did the Death is Certain album, it was a very dark period in my life. I was an angry kid, and it kind of reflected in my music,” he explains. However, nowadays, “I feel like where I am is the opposite of where I was mentally and creatively. The title Success is Certain is just me expressing how much more optimistic and mature I am. Now, I’m a glass is half full type of thinker.”

Royce’s track “I Ain’t Coming Down” specifically references resolving past beefs, which included writing songs that bashed rappers he was falling out with. “I’ve definitely evolved passed beefing with anybody. For anybody in their 30s, there’s no reason why you should have a beef with anybody. You learn how to treat people, and you pretty much put out into the universe what you want come back to you,” he says.

In the last few years, he has rekindled a longtime friendship and working relationship with Eminem, and after a 10-year gap, the pair released an album as Bad Meets Evil, Hell: The Sequel. The duo has been performing songs off the album together at Eminem’s shows; however, there are no plans for a separate tour as Bad Meets Evil. The album features guest spots from other big names, including their hit “Lighters” featuring Bruno Mars.

Eminem raps with Royce on his popular track “Writer’s Block,” off Success is Certain. Royce says their own songwriting process together “is pretty simple. We basically just get together and one of us will come to the table with a beat. We turn it up loud on the speakers and just throw words around with each other. There’s no type of ritual, no liquor or drugs, just the music.”

Success is Certain was Royce’s last obligation with Gracie Records, and he is now a free agent. He will eventually sign with someone, but for now he is “just enjoying my freedom,” he says. “I like the idea of not being signed to anybody at the present moment. I’m going to put all of my focus into the Slaughterhouse album. After we do that album, I’ll look into exploring where I want to take my next solo album.”

Royce is hyped for his Blind Pig show. “The show is definitely going to be a mixture of songs from all of my various projects that I’ve put out over the years. I’m bringing Kid Vicious with me, and we have really good chemistry. The fans can just expect a lot of energy,” he says.

He is looking forward to playing a show at the more intimate venue where everyone can feel like they are in the front rows. “The Blind Pig is a very historic joint. The name itself is iconic, so I’m just excited to be able to go out there and rock real energy into the crowd,” he says.