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Hip-Hop fans were hit with unexpected news after Royce Da 5’9” opened up about a serious health struggle that has been impacting his life and music for years. In a new Rolling Stone interview, the Detroit lyricist revealed that he has been battling lingual dystonia — a rare neurological condition that causes involuntary spasms in the tongue, making it difficult to speak or record.
According to Royce, the disorder came with a series of complex medical challenges that left him searching for answers. “There’s some kind of interruption in the nerve firing off in my tongue,” he explained, noting that the spasms affected his speech and ability to perform in the studio.
Doctors discovered widespread inflammation in key areas of his nervous system. “My cranial nerves and my vagus nerve were all inflamed,” he shared. Royce also learned he has a genetic condition known as the COMT gene, which slows dopamine processing — a vital brain chemical tied to mood, coordination, and focus.
“And when I did a neurochemistry test, [I found out] the left hemisphere of my brain produces less dopamine than the right,” he continued. “So not only is it less dopamine, but it’s an imbalance as well. When your dopamine is low, that’s like Parkinson’s, ADHD… I had involuntary movements in my face and in my tongue. So they went on this long thing where they would put me on all these different kinds of medicines.”
Royce revealed that he endured several misdiagnoses while trying to understand the source of his symptoms. Despite the long road, he says he’s now “almost through it” and has begun recording again.
“I wish I was recording when we were doing this album,” he said, referring to his recent role as executive producer for Big L’s new posthumous album, Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King. The project has Hip-Hop fans buzzing, and many are now even more impressed knowing Royce was fighting a silent battle behind the scenes.
As the Hip-Hop community reacts to the news, messages of support continue to pour in for one of rap’s sharpest pens and most respected voices.
Wishing Royce Da 5’9” a full recovery and continued strength — the culture can’t wait to see him fully back doing what he loves.
