You Gon' Learn
by Eminem (featuring Royce da 5'9")

Album: Music to Be Murdered By (2020)
Charted: 52
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Songfacts®:

  • Here, Eminem teams up with Royce da 5'9" to reminisce on the days before they blew up. Royce stresses the importance of resilience, his family, and God in helping him overcome his various struggles. Em's verse starts with his recounting his determination and perseverance to climb out of poverty. There are also threats aimed at younger members of the hip-hop community who don't respect him as a father figure.
  • Eminem and his fellow Detroiter Royce da 5'9" have worked together on many tracks. The pair first teamed up in the late '90s and released a collaborative album Hell: The Sequel under the name Bad Meets Evil. "You Gon' Learn" is one of three features by Royce on Music to Be Murdered By.
  • Royce also contributes to the production. The rapper told Billboard he recorded the track for his own album, but when he played it to Eminem, Em started added his own magic to it. Royce told his pal, "You can have it if you want it. Don't get it twisted. What's mine is yours. You're still my good friend."
  • Bronx newcomer White Gold handles the chorus. He has never worked with Eminem before, but contributed to Royce's 2019 track "Black Savage."
  • "You Gon' Learn" samples Billy Preston and Syreeta's 1980 hit duet "With You I'm Born Again" throughout the verses.
  • So how did White Gold end up on the track? The singer explained to Genius that he originally recorded "You Gon' Learn" with Royce da 5'9 for the Detroit rapper's album. Half a year later, Royce's manager Kino Childrey called him. Kino said: "Em heard it and was like, 'Yo, I want the record and I want the dude that's on there as the hook.'" It was as simple as that.

    White Gold had to keep his contribution secret for around six months, which was "one of the hardest things to do."

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