"Rock City"

« Rock City » is the example of a collaboration between two gifted Detroit rappers: Eminem and Royce da 5.9. « Rock City » sounds like an ode to Detroit. People who have enjoyed the song have probably also liked the « Rock City » video.

The video introduces you into a black suburb. A mom discovers the « Rock City » CD and is so shocked that the CD lands into the trash. But the angry mom is unable to escape to Eminem and Royce who will appear on her TV screen.
The song « Rock City » also refers to Detroits various and rich musical influences. There is also a clear allusion to the second Detroit race riots wave from the 60s in Royces mouth:

« I’m takin shit back to the riots in the sixties »

Royce shares his vision of Detroit with us. Detroit is the city of the hustle, you just can escape hustlers, they are everywhere you go, from the suburbs to the ghetto.
Hustling is a theme that has been exploited by many Detroit artists like Shane Capone, Backstab the Kingpin. It is present in Proofs song « Boom » ( « boom » is the slang term for « hustle ») from the Promatic album.

A good definition of the term « boom » can be found in the urban dictionary:

« Street slang for hustling that originated in Detroit:

That man’s out there booming on the block. »

(by Alex Skov)

Detroit, the city of plants where workers get exploited. Detroit, the city of pimps, dealers and hoes.
Not only pleasant details belong to Royces description of a rough city that remains also a musically rich city. Some call it « Rock City ».

Eminem, who is very conscious of Detroits musical potential, is working hard for local emcees promotion:

“I remember seven, eight years ago, when Detroit was growing, it was like a seed that was growing and all I ever heard and all anybody was talking about was wanting to be the first person to blow up Detroit and the first person to get on and the first person to do this and the first person to do that. Everybody was just fighting for Detroit to have a voice,” he says.
“Once I got on, I realised it wasn’t about that. I knew there was so much talent in Detroit, period. There’s probably 10,000 MCs in Detroit that have it in their heart to just do hip-hop and just be something and they have that drive.”
“What I’m trying to do is bring the industries here, bring the record labels here and make them realize there’s talent in Detroit, and to start looking.”

Detroit might correspond to the description of a rather depressing city, but the talents of its numerous local emcees make it appear in an interesting light. So come on, rock with Eminem and Royce on this wonderful ode to « Rock City ».feat. Eminem
“Rock City, Royce, 5’9, Slim, Shady”
*skirt* “COME ON!!”

[Royce the 5’9″]
Can’t stop the hustle, Royce nickel nine
Glock stops the tussle, nine shots’ll bust you
Pine box’ll stuff you, fuck you!
“Fuck you!”
I am not the tussle, niggaz don’t know me
*skirt* “COME ON!!”
I’m Detroit’s king nigga
*skirt* “Wow!”
Rock City’s where niggaz pimp hoes and ball
Strip hoes in bars, still close the malls
“Arms, and ya city’s got the..” [3x]
Titties saggin lookin like they got four arms
Gold bottles, green bottles, Cris’ to the don
Niggaz get popped for sellin weed shaked with seeds
If you hate me you hate the D (*vocal scratch*) please!
I’m takin shit back, to the riots in the sixties
Think I’m lying? Visit me (Where you live?)

[Hook] + (Eminem)
“Rock city.. rock on!” (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city” *scratches* (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city.. rock on!” (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock wit me” *scratches* (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city” *scratches* (Come on the block wit me)
“Rock city.. rock on!” (And come and rock wit me)

“Rock.. city.. come on”
“Rock.. on.. city.. come on!”

[Royce the 5’9″]
Suburban and city niggaz hustle together
Long as it’s money envolved, niggaz’ll tussle together
Long as the hustle’s a hustle, the green is green
White is white, nigga we buyin if the price is right
So (*scratch*) drop the mics
Everything’s on cock, from the shots to the dice
We are not into hype
You can’t say we can’t work
Either we some plant workers or we some niggaz that plant work
(“What”) Detroit bitches is bout it
You can just ask any one of ya niggaz that visit about it
Any Seven Mile bitch know how to get rich
She’ll fuck you till you sleep PLUS lie to ya bitch
PLUS she’ll suck and swallow up outta ya dick
And she’ll keep a sugar daddy that’ll buy her some shit, come on!

“The city with the bars, where the goons with the cars,
to produce, here we are..”

[Royce the 5’9″]
New casinos, car shuffles, numbers to bet
Disrespect and get a new smile under ya neck
A city full of thug-ass niggaz, and punk-rockers
Alotta niggaz act like Pac so cops watch ’em
And shot blocks up in the black or the light Timbs
White boys, look, act, and rap like Slim (“Hi!”)
Fight Music, knife users never respect it
Guns talk (*scratch*) high schools with metal detectors
A city full of Tommy Hirst thumpers
Brandt Hill roopers, Barry Sanders runners, stunners
Cal Diz but we connects like whoa!
Type of weed, no need to test like ‘dro
Type of cats who got dough, they like (“So!”)
You real, then you might go.. (Where?)

[Hook: 2X] + (Eminem)
“Rock city.. rock on!” (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city” *scratches* (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city.. rock on!” (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock wit me” *scratches* (Come on and rock wit me)
“Rock city” *scratches* (Come on the block wit me)
“Rock city” *scratches* (And come and rock wit me)

[Royce talking] + (Eminem)
Detroit Rock City (“Slim Shady”)
Won’t you come on the block with us? (“Royce the 5’9”)
Won’t you just come and rock with us? (“Royce the 5’9”)
Next Level (“Rock City”)
Royce the 5’9″ (“Rock”)
Slim Shady (“Rock City”)
Uh uh, won’t you come and rock with us? (“Rock City”)
Won’t you come on the block with us? (“Rock wit me”)
Won’t you come and rock with us? (“Rock wit-“)
Rock City.. touch it… (“Fuck!”)