Royce is back. After a much needed hiatus from his two hit 2018 projects, he has returned. “The Allegory” tells a brilliant story of blackness in America and its generational effect. In his first project since the highly acclaimed and star studded PRhyme 2, Detroit’s own Royce da 5’9 delivers a poetic 22 song project that addresses race, drugs, and violence in America. “Tell Trump don’t send a tweet but send a plumber to Flint,” he raps on Young World, which also features a timely and fresh Vince Staples verse. Royce’s classic metaphors and extended similes are ever-present, again reminding us of his place at the top of the game. Few rappers can get into a studio and go bar for bar with Royce, but a trio of features from all three Griselda members give the album its grit. On Upside Down, Benny the Butcher raps, “like Rasheed Wallace I’m good with a tech,” reminding us of his (supposedly large) gun collection. Features from T.I, Oswin Benjamin, and (now) KXNG CROOKED give this album enough star power to remind us how talented Royce is. He out raps all of them… easily. A few masterfully sprinkled skits remind listeners of the shortcomings of black in America and suggest relocation, in which Royce alluded to on his feature on Eminem’s latest album. On “Perspective,” the formerly mentioned Eminem passionately speaks on race in America and its implications, along with how rap music has connected all kinds of people. There is never any doubt that Royce da 5’9 will spit the nastiest bars that give everyone that stink face; but on “Allegory,” even with punchline after punchline, he poetically delivers a current state of the union and teaches history lessons for black America, while cementing himself as a top 10 MC in the game.