The Allegory
by Royce da 5'9"
  • Record Label: eOne
  • Release Date: Feb 21, 2020
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 49
  3. Negative: 1 out of 49
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  1. therealbear
    Feb 28, 2020
    6
    It's a 6. The album has good enough audio production, and lyrical has a lot to say, but still it feels like this album does not give the best of what it can be. Sometimes lack of diversity pulls down a project, sometimes acting all underground drives the concept right there and it does not fulfill it's purpose as music to the masses ,since the message is said to be for everybody to learnIt's a 6. The album has good enough audio production, and lyrical has a lot to say, but still it feels like this album does not give the best of what it can be. Sometimes lack of diversity pulls down a project, sometimes acting all underground drives the concept right there and it does not fulfill it's purpose as music to the masses ,since the message is said to be for everybody to learn something.… Expand
  2. BCNick22
    Feb 22, 2020
    9
    Wow! What a surprise this album is... I wasn't expecting much because I was disappointed with the last prhyme album (and I'm a DJ premier fanatic). I've always thought of Royce as a solid guest emcee but he has finally put out his own classic album in 2020 no less! I'm a 90's hip hop head and this sounds like it belongs back in that golden era. Beats are almost all.dope. Lyrica hot. MuchWow! What a surprise this album is... I wasn't expecting much because I was disappointed with the last prhyme album (and I'm a DJ premier fanatic). I've always thought of Royce as a solid guest emcee but he has finally put out his own classic album in 2020 no less! I'm a 90's hip hop head and this sounds like it belongs back in that golden era. Beats are almost all.dope. Lyrica hot. Much respect Royce! Surprise of the year so far! Light years better than Em's latest record...… Expand
  3. Neal_
    Feb 26, 2020
    10
    Royce Da 5'9" just keeps improving and improving. The entire album can be understood through Plato's famous 'Allegory of the Cave'. A rough outline of this is as follows:

    A group of people live in a cave, they have done all their lives, as well as their parents and children etc. Just out of sight there is a fire that projects images or shadows against a wall. The group are very    Royce Da 5'9" just keeps improving and improving. The entire album can be understood through Plato's famous 'Allegory of the Cave'. A rough outline of this is as follows:

    A group of people live in a cave, they have done all their lives, as well as their parents and children etc. Just out of sight there is a fire that projects images or shadows against a wall. The group are very interested in these shadows, they have no way of knowing that these shadows are only shadows and consequently a very limited reflection of reality.

    One day, someone find s a way to escape the cave and uncovers the truth about the shadows and their true meaning, believing that this would greatly enlighten the group of people in the cave. Instead, this person is criticized for challenging the status quo.

    Plato believed that enlightened person to be a 'philosopher' who understands the truth, and believes that the truth must be fought for despite the fact a lot of people do not even want to hear the truth.

    Royce, with this masterpiece has applied this concept to his own experience, growing up in Detroit, the Rap Game, the prison system, politics. Each song is a reflection of how people are blind to the truth, Royce plays 'the philosopher'.

    I believe that this album is an absolute masterpiece and speaks to a lot of issues faced by society as whole in an intelligent and nuanced way.

    10/10    … Expand
  4. lyekay1
    Feb 25, 2020
    10
    Absolute masterpiece, story telling and lyricism is the best I've heard so far right up there with Eminem.
  5. dubsv
    Mar 8, 2020
    10
    Royce 5'9 is a top tier mc he had a lot of good concepts n lyrical talent to deliver
  6. 1mavin
    Feb 24, 2020
    10
    Definitely his most Cohesive Musical Project till date..
    This is our first 2020 hiphop best album yet...
  7. nickwebdev2020
    Feb 24, 2020
    9
    Same rating as Eminem's MTBMB. Both different type of artists in terms of output but both lyrically talented and my favourite current artists. Baring couple of tracks that dont fall under my taste, all strong ones. True Hip hop is back.
  8. nikkum012
    Feb 23, 2020
    10
    Great ! Royce always shows how great lyricist he is,this decade is a big W for Royce
  9. paije_breaks
    Mar 28, 2020
    7
    Let's look beyond the anti-vax BS lines

    The Allegory is a loose concept album - while its theme and focus definitely get diluted - there are definitely some excellent moments. This theme of “Woke” when at its best - is presented brilliantly on this project. Take the track Dope Man & Overcomer. These tracks are lyrically heavy - and carry the theme of allegory very well. I also wanted    Let's look beyond the anti-vax BS lines

    The Allegory is a loose concept album - while its theme and focus definitely get diluted - there are definitely some excellent moments.

    This theme of “Woke” when at its best - is presented brilliantly on this project. Take the track Dope Man & Overcomer. These tracks are lyrically heavy - and carry the theme of allegory very well. I also wanted to point out that they sound really good and unique to Royce. In fact, this entire project was self-produced by him. I really enjoyed the scattered soundscape he put together. It's a very minimalist sound, that really provides space for those dense bars. But It's not perfect - there are some misses - For instance Rhinestone Doo Rag - the sampled effects sound misplaced and forced. And The production on On the Block is dull. But on the flip side, there are some very strongly produced tracks - I mentioned Dope Man and Overcomer - Young World can be added to that list - chops up and distorts multiple samples included pray by Jay Z, Hey Young World by Slick Rick among others. In these songs, he uses distorted samples as a tool to further drive home the allegory theme - and the message of re-evaluating what you think you might already know.
    I know a lot of people are writing this album off due to the anti-vax lines. Those statements and claims that he made are wrong - they are incorrect and I don’t agree with it being presented as facts. However, I can understand why someone like him would have paranoia surrounding that.

    So with all that - I’m not going to completely write off this project - it's flawed, sure I don’t agree with all the stances, some of the tracks are boring, and the subject matter can feel unfocused.
    But to counter - it also has moments of cultural awareness, has some unique & powerful production, along with excellent features - the Griselda crew, Vince’s Staples, and overall excellent rapping by Royce.

    7/10

    FAVORITE TRACKS: MR & MRS GRACE / DOPE MAN / FUBU / YOUNG WORLD / OVERCOMER

    or you could watch - https://youtu.be/PkbQPRKfJb4    … Expand
  10. Plofkip
    Feb 22, 2020
    9
    The allegory by Royce da 5'9" is a nice sounding album while he also tackles a lot of social problems especially surrounding black people in America. He does this in his normal fascion meaning his wordplay, rhyming and rapping is top-notch. Besides this he also takes some shots at people like Trump and Yelawolf. The features on this album always feel like they have value and add somethingThe allegory by Royce da 5'9" is a nice sounding album while he also tackles a lot of social problems especially surrounding black people in America. He does this in his normal fascion meaning his wordplay, rhyming and rapping is top-notch. Besides this he also takes some shots at people like Trump and Yelawolf. The features on this album always feel like they have value and add something to the track, to me the most outstanding was Ashley Sorrell who appears on no less than 3 tracks and always sounds really good with the instrumentals and in combination with Royce.… Expand
  11. drepoo
    Feb 23, 2020
    8
    This is for sure the best Royce album, a great evolution from The Book of Ryan
  12. ErnestoTell
    Feb 25, 2020
    8
    Gran álbum, con buenos samples y pocas colaboraciones, además las letras son muy buenas con mucho contenido social, cultural y político, lo que se agradece en un álbum de hip hop, aunque en mi opinión muy largo y algunos tracks innecesarios, tampoco creo que sea el mejor álbum de Royce.
  13. Shenossih
    Mar 24, 2020
    10
    People tend to criticize the production, but y'all better stop craving only trap beats fr. This album is wonderful. A thoughtful album. Now let's wait for BME album.
  14. Bellator06
    Aug 19, 2020
    5
    good lyricism (not great) but the album gets boring really fast , production was meh , overall a mediocre project

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. RapReviews.com
    Mar 10, 2020
    70
    While handling all of the production himself is a valiant effort, it’s evident that Royce had a wobbly experience with it in that it isn’t fully consistent. Even so, “The Allegory” is another solid effort from the Detroit rhyme sayer.
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  2. AllMusic
    Mar 10, 2020
    80
    Intense and thrilling, The Allegory is a powerful work with uncomfortably realistic and poignant snapshots of American life that linger long after the last song has finished.
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  3. Pitchfork
    Feb 27, 2020
    58
    His beats are generally chunky sample flips and simple loops, but he also has an ear for a good sound. But if you’re listening to a Royce album it’s because you want to hear the guy rap. To his credit, Royce has the rare effect of a rapper’s extreme technical ability making him seem limber instead of rigid.
    Read full review
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