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The Allegory
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The Allegory Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 49 Ratings

  • Summary: The eighth full-length studio release for the Detroit rapper features guest appearances from Oswin Benjamin, Beny The Butcher, Cyhi The Prynce, Conway the Machine, G Perico, Grafh, Kid Vishis, KXNG Crooked, Ashley Sorrell, Sy Ari Da Kid, T.I., Westside Gunn, White Gold, and YBN Cordae.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Exclaim
    Feb 21, 2020
    90
    That's right: sonically, thematically, lyrically — on every level, Royce gives The Allegory his all. And the result is the best LP yet in his 20-year-strong career.
  2. HipHopDX
    Feb 24, 2020
    84
    The Allegory plays out as Royce’s most consolidated offering yet. A definite career high-point for a rapper whose résumé spans over 20 years.
  3. Q Magazine
    Feb 21, 2020
    80
    At 22 tracks - including a spoken interlude by Eminem - there's a lot to digest here. But, Crucially, a lot worth digesting. [Mar 2020, p.120]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. New Musical Express (NME)
    Feb 21, 2020
    80
    Royce’s 2018 album ‘Book of Ryan’ was always going to be a tough act to follow, but ‘The Allegory’ stands up as an accomplished body of work, packed full of poetic intricacies and life lessons, soundtracked by the sound of Detroit; it will likely end up on the majority of 2020 end-of-year rap lists.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. 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 roughRoyce 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
  2. 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
  4. 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. NowPeople 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.… Expand
  5. 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 inThe 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
  6. 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.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.… Expand
  7. 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, loGran 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.… Expand
  8. Bellator06
    Aug 19, 2020
    5
    good lyricism (not great) but the album gets boring really fast , production was meh , overall a mediocre project

See all 14 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed Album of 2020

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