Denzel Curry | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Denzel Rae Don Curry |
Also known as |
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Born | [1] Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S. | February 16, 1995
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2011–present |
Labels |
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Formerly of | Raider Klan |
Website | denzelcurry |
Denzel Rae Don Curry (born February 16, 1995) [1] is an American rapper. [2] Born and raised in Miami Gardens, Florida, Curry started rapping while in the sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape in 2011, which was influenced by underground Florida rapper SpaceGhostPurrp. The mixtape was later featured on SpaceGhostPurrp's social media, giving Curry attention in the local music scene and resulting in him joining the former’s hip-hop collective Raider Klan.
Curry left Raider Klan in 2013, releasing his debut studio album, Nostalgic 64 , in September of that year, while still in high school. He has since released three extended plays: 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms in 2015, 13 in 2017, and Unlocked (a collaboration with Kenny Beats) in 2020, and four studio albums: Imperial in 2016, Ta13oo in 2018, Zuu in 2019, and Melt My Eyez See Your Future in 2022. Ta13oo, Zuu, and Melt My Eyez debuted at numbers 28, 32, and 51 on the Billboard 200 chart, respectively, with Melt My Eyez returning at number 17 after the release of an extended edition. All of his projects have garnered significant critical acclaim.
Denzel Rae Don Curry was born on February 16, 1995, in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, Florida. [1] He is of Bahamian and Native-American descent. [3] His mother is a Jehovah's Witness [4] who ran security for stadiums and his father was a truck driver. [3] Curry started down an artist's path with early poetry ambitions in elementary school before he began rapping in the sixth grade. His time was spent at a local Boys & Girls Clubs of America chapter where he challenged others to rap battles. He attended Miami's Design and Architecture High School for two years before being expelled. Curry then attended Miami Carol City Senior High School, where he started working on Nostalgic 64 while still attending class. [5] In a 2018 interview with The Breakfast Club , Curry disclosed that he was molested by an unnamed older man during his childhood. [6]
On September 24, 2011, Curry released his first mixtape, titled King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995. The whole project that Curry posted was later included on SpaceGhostPurrp's page, which prompted the birth of Denzel's music career. Following the release of Curry's first mixtape, Curry became a member of SpaceGhostPurrp's hip hop group, Raider Klan. [7] [8]
In 2012, he released his second mixtape, titled King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996, which caught the attention of fellow American rapper Earl Sweatshirt and other members of Odd Future. [9]
Curry's third mixtape, titled Strictly for My R.V.I.D.X.R.Z., was released after the death of Trayvon Martin, who also lived in Carol City and went to the same high school as Denzel Curry. His style of rap and the name of the record were heavily inspired by Tupac Shakur. [9]
In late 2012, Curry met his manager Mark Maturah, and under his guidance, released his first studio single, "Dark & Violent", featuring J. K. The Reaper and Nell, to SoundCloud.
In 2011, a mixtape named "Curry Wuz Here" surfaced on YouTube, and the release date was claimed to be January 16, 2011.
The group Raider Klan was disbanded, which led to Curry deciding to embark on his solo rap career. [10] On September 3, 2013, Curry released his debut full-length album, titled Nostalgic 64 . The album features guest appearances from JK the Reaper, Lil Ugly Mane, Mike G, Nell, Robb Bank$, Stephen A. Clark, and Yung Simmie, among others. [11] In 2014, Curry was featured on Deniro Farrar's track, called "Bow Down" (included from Farrar's Rebirth EP) [12] and Curry was featured on Dillon Cooper's track, called "Eyes of the World" (included from Cooper's X:XX mixtape). [13] Curry himself has stated that he was heavily inspired by Outkast's record, Aquemini, saying he drew the cover for Nostalgic 64 while listening to the record. He also was inspired by Goodie Mob and CeeLo Green, and other southern music.
On June 9, 2015, Curry released his first double EP, 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms , which contained his breakout single "Ultimate". The song went viral, and was played over Bottle Flip videos among others. It has amassed over 200 million streams on Spotify and earned 65 million views on YouTube. His first release in 2016 was the single "Flying Nimbus".
His second full-length album, titled Imperial , was released on March 9, 2016, then re-released later on Spotify as the deluxe version on October 14, 2016. [14]
In June 2016, Curry appeared in XXL magazine as part of their 2016 Freshmen Class. As part of this appearance, Curry performed a 'freshman cypher' alongside Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, and Kodak Black. As of March 2021, this cypher has received over 180 million YouTube views, by far the most for the XXL channel. [15]
On May 13, 2017, Curry uploaded a track titled "Hate Government [demo]" to his SoundCloud account. In the weeks that followed, he released two more demos for songs titled "Equalizer [demo]" and "Zeltron 6 Billion" featuring Lil Ugly Mane. After these releases as well as a series of cryptic posts on social media (seemingly portraying another alter ego called Zeltron), he released an EP titled 13 on June 25, 2017. [16] All of the demo tracks were included on the EP as well as two other new songs. On August 18, 2017, Curry released another song called "Skywalker." [17] Later that year, on September 22, a remastered version of 32 Zel was released, including a remix of "Ultimate" featuring Juicy J. [18]
Since he started releasing demos for songs on 13, Curry made several mentions of his third studio album titled, Ta13oo . 13 serves as a sampler to Ta13oo, and no release date for the album was announced. On February 28, 2018, he appeared on the song "Kristi," by artist ASAP Ferg, which also featured IDK. [19] It was first performed live in Austin, TX on March 10, during their collaborative tour. [20] On March 16, 2018, he uploaded the song "Uh Huh," once again featuring IDK, onto his official YouTube channel. [21]
On April 2, 2018, Curry released the lead single off of Ta13oo titled "Sumo" on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. [22] On May 24, 2018, Curry released the second single off the album titled, "Percs". Curry then released the third single titled, "Clout Cobain", on July 13, 2018, and announced that his album Ta13oo, would be released in three acts: The first act, Light, was released on July 25, followed by Gray on July 26, and Dark on July 27. Each previously released single represents one of the album's acts, as "Sumo" represents Light, "Clout Cobain" represents Gray, and "Percs" represents Dark, which come together cohesively to form Ta13oo.
On February 14, 2019, Curry performed a cover of "Bulls on Parade" by Rage Against the Machine on the Australian radio station Triple J as part of Like a Version, which was met with widespread acclaim. [23] His cover went on to place 5th on that year's Triple J Hottest 100 countdown.
On May 8, 2019, Curry released "Ricky", his first single since the release of Ta13oo. The song is titled after his father, whom the song is inspired by. On May 22, 2019, Curry released a second single titled "Speedboat" and announced the release of his next album Zuu for May 31, 2019. [24]
On July 15, 2019, Curry made his television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , performing a medley of "Ricky" and "Wish" from his album Zuu. He also revealed that he had cut his signature dreadlocks. [25]
On July 24, 2019, Curry joined artists such as Germ, City Morgue, Trash Talk, Shoreline Mafia, Night Lovell, Pouya, and Turnstile on a nationwide tour titled "Grey Day Tour", which was created by the hip-hop duo $uicideboy$. The tour was completed almost a month later on August 23, 2019.
On January 6, 2020, Curry released a project titled 13lood 1n + 13lood Out , featuring fellow rappers Ghostemane, Xavier Wulf, ZillaKami and AK of The Underachievers. The project was initially announced in November 2018. [26]
On February 7, 2020, Curry released Unlocked, an EP collaboration with Kenny Beats. The release was accompanied with an animated short film. [27] In August 2020, Curry was featured on the soundtrack to the Madden NFL 21 game, on the song "Lemonade", with singer Yungblud. [28] In October 2020, Curry was featured on $NOT's track "Sangria". [29]
On March 5, 2021, Curry released Unlocked 1.5, a remix of his previous collaboration with Kenny Beats. The remix album features new production from Robert Glasper, The Alchemist, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Sango, Jay Versace, Godmode, and Charlie Heat, as well as new features from Smino, Joey Bada$$, and Benny the Butcher among others. [30]
In June 2021, Curry appeared on FX Network's The Choe Show, hosted by David Choe. [31]
Curry was featured on the September 2021 song "Bleach", released on rapper ZillaKami's debut album, DOG BOY. [32]
Curry collaborated on the track "Dynasties and Dystopia" from the Netflix series Arcane , alongside Gizzle and Bren Joy.
On January 5, 2022, the official trailer for Curry's fifth studio album, titled Melt My Eyez See Your Future , was uploaded to his YouTube channel. It was revealed that the album would contain guest appearances from artists such as T-Pain, 6lack, Slowthai, Rico Nasty, J.I.D, and Thundercat, among others. Curry said the project would feature a new, more mature sound, different from his previous works: "Y'all are not going to hear the same type of Denzel anymore." [33] On January 24, a single titled "Walkin", along with a Western-inspired music video directed by Adrian Villagomez, was released. Curry also said the album "is made up of everything that I couldn't [include] on Ta13oo or Imperial because I was going through depression [and] anger issues", and would take inspiration from traditional hip-hop, drum and bass, trap, poetry, and jazz. [34] The same day, a North American and European tour promoting the album (with guest acts Kenny Mason, Mike Dimes, Redveil, and PlayThatBoiZay) was announced. [35] On February 24, Curry released another single from the upcoming album, "Zatoichi" featuring Slowthai. It was accompanied by a music video also directed by Adrian Villagomez. [36] On March 18, Curry announced the album would be released on March 25. [37] On March 21, a third single, "Troubles" featuring T-Pain, was released [38] along with a music video. [39] The album was released on March 25, 2022. [40] It debuted at number 51 on the Billboard 200 chart, [41] and at number 23 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [42]
Curry recorded a song featuring rapper Reason, "1st Quarter", as a contribution to Apple Music's "collection of exclusively commissioned new songs from Black creatives", [43] titled Juneteenth 2022: Freedom Songs. He commented: "It's an accomplishment to make it through the first quarter of my life. Especially as a Black man in America". [44]
Curry's song featuring PlayThatBoiZay, "Let It All Hang Out", was included in Elvis—a biographical movie about Elvis Presley that premiered in June 2022—as well as on the movie's soundtrack album.
On June 24, 2022, a collaboration between Dot da Genius, JID, Curry, and Kid Cudi, titled "Talk About Me", was released, along with a music video directed by Cole Bennett. [45]
On June 29, 2022, Curry performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. [46] On July 21, he performed "Walkin" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . [47]
On September 30, 2022, Curry released Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition). The album features reimagined versions of songs from the original album with live instrumentation performed by the Cold Blooded Soul Band, which performed with Curry on his NPR Tiny Desk Concert and The Tonight Show performance. [48]
On May 5, 2023, Curry released his live project Live At Electric Lady, which featured new versions of Melt My Eyez songs and a rendition of Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know" with Bilal. [49]
He co-wrote the track "Paid" from ¥$ (Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign) album Vultures 1 , released on 10 February 2024.
On February 27, 2014, [50] Curry's brother, Treon "Tree" Johnson, [51] died as a result of complications after being tased by the police in Hialeah, Florida. Officers responded to an emergency call made by a man claiming that Johnson was beating two dogs with a metal pipe. Officers then employed physical force, pepper spray, and a taser in an attempt to restrain Johnson. He succumbed to his wounds, and he ultimately died after being transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. His family argued that the incident was a case of police brutality. [52] Curry has spoken about Johnson's death and police brutality in interviews and in his music. One example of this is the lyric "Cops killing' blacks when the whites do the most," in his song "The Last." [50] [53] [54] He has also inculcated upon this theme in his cover of Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine. [55]
In 2022, Curry signed onto the Musicians For Palestine pledge, refusing to perform in Israel following the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. [56] In November 2023, Curry signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war and an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip. [57]
In January 2021, Curry found out that he is related to St. Louis rapper Smino through the discovery of a shared uncle. [58]
"Walkin" is a song by American rapper Denzel Curry, released on January 24, 2022 as the lead single from his fifth studio album Melt My Eyez See Your Future (2022). It was produced by Kal Banx.
Markese Money Rolle, known professionally as SpaceGhostPurrp, is an American rapper and producer from Miami, Florida. He is the founder of the now-defunct American hip hop group Raider Klan as well as co-founder of Black Money Boys.
David Lawrence Brewster Jr., known professionally as Dave East, is an American rapper. East began his career in 2010, and gained attention in 2014 for his eighth mixtape, Black Rose. Its release garnered the attention of fellow New York rapper Nas, who signed East to his record label Mass Appeal Records in a joint venture with Def Jam Recordings.
Richard O'Neil Burrell, better known by his stage name Robb Banks, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in New York City and raised in Broward County, Florida, he gained recognition with the Raider Klan movement in 2012. In that year, he released his debut mixtape Calendars and its follow-up, Tha City the following year. He is best known for his association with fellow South Florida-based cloud rap artists, namely XXXTentacion and the group Members Only, as well as his 2013 singles "All the Way Live" and "On Me". He signed with 300 Entertainment to release his debut studio album, Year of the Savage (2015).
Miles Parks McCollum, known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He first gained recognition in August 2015 for his viral hit "One Night" from his debut EP Summer Songs. He then released his debut mixtape Lil Boat in March 2016, and signed a joint venture record deal with Motown, Capitol Records, and Quality Control Music in June of that year.
Destin Choice Route, better known by his stage name JID, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and songwriter. He is a part of the musical collective Spillage Village, founded by EarthGang in 2010. He signed to J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records in 2017. He is also a member of the hip hop supergroup Zoink Gang, with Smino, Buddy, and Guapdad 4000. His fluent rapping style and usage of wordplay has been highly acclaimed by several music critics.
American rapper Denzel Curry has released five studio albums, five mixtapes, three extended plays and 35 singles.
Andrew Lamont Thomas, better known by his stage name Yung Simmie, is an American rapper from Miami, Florida. Thomas has been performing since 2009 and has till date brought out a catalog of mixtapes and freestyle renditions, apart from making a few guest appearances in music videos of other artists. He has also been a member of SpaceGhostPurrp's hip hop group, Raider Klan. With over 10 recordings to his credit, Yung Simmie has toured several parts of Europe and the United States independently and as a member of Raider Klan.
13 is the second extended play (EP) by American rapper Denzel Curry, released on June 26, 2017, by PH Recordings and Loma Vista Recordings. The EP features guest appearances by Ronny J and Lil Ugly Mane. It also features production by FNZ, Eric Dingus, Vae Cortez, and Ronny J, among others.
Ta13oo is the third studio album by American rapper Denzel Curry. It was released on July 27, 2018, through PH Recordings and distributed by Loma Vista Recordings. The album serves as the follow-up to Curry's second studio album, Imperial, released in 2016, and the 13 EP, released in 2017. Ta13oo features guest appearances from Twelve'len, GoldLink, Nyyjerya, JID, JPEGMafia, ZillaKami, and additional vocals by Billie Eilish. Production was handled by FnZ, DJ Dahi, Ronny J, Illmind, Charlie Heat, and Mickey de Grand IV, among others.
Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne, known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God, is an American rapper. He is best known for his association with XXXTentacion, with whom he formed the hip hop collective Members Only in 2014. He is notable for his nostalgic-themed musical production and public image, of which is often clad with multi-colored durags. He signed with Victor Victor Worldwide, an imprint of Republic Records to release his debut commercial mixtape You Will Regret (2017), which entered the Billboard 200 and spawned the platinum-certified singles "BabyWipe", "Take a Step Back", and "Catch Me Outside".
Junius Donald Rogers, professionally known as ZillaKami, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is a member of the hip hop duo City Morgue and a former songwriter for 6ix9ine.
Kevin Pouya, known mononymously as Pouya, is an American rapper from Miami, Florida. Considered as a pioneer of the early underground rap scene that began on SoundCloud in 2012, along with discovering the well known hip-hop duo Suicideboys in their early career, Pouya has developed a long-lasting core fanbase as an independent artist.
Zuu is the fourth studio album by American rapper Denzel Curry, released through PH Recordings and distributed by Loma Vista Recordings on May 31, 2019. The title is a nickname for his home city, Carol City, Miami, Florida.
Akeem Ali Douglas Hayes, professionally known as Guap aka Guapdad4000, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is also a member of the hip hop supergroup Zoink Gang, with JID, Smino, and Buddy. He released his first mixtape Scamboy Color on December 6, 2017. His debut studio album Dior Deposits was released on October 25, 2019.
Unlocked is an EP by American rapper Denzel Curry in collaboration with American record producer Kenny Beats. It was released on February 7, 2020, by PH Recordings and Loma Vista Recordings. The album was accompanied by a short film that was released on February 6, 2020.
Melt My Eyez See Your Future is the fifth studio album by American rapper Denzel Curry, released through PH and Loma Vista Recordings on March 25, 2022. The album includes features from Robert Glasper, Buzzy Lee, Saul Williams, Bridget Perez, T-Pain, 6lack, Rico Nasty, JID, Jasiah, 454, and Slowthai, and production from Cardo, FnZ, Thundercat, JPEGMafia, and Kenny Beats, among others. It was preceded by the singles "Walkin", "Zatoichi", and "Troubles". The album received widespread acclaim from critics, with reviewers praising Curry's lyrical abilities and the album's production.
Edwin Kenneth Green Jr., better known by his stage name Kenny Mason, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer from West Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his distinctive sound which consists of a fusion between grunge rock, hip hop, and elements of shoegaze.
Marcus Morton, better known by his stage name Redveil, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Prince George's County, Maryland. He produces most of his own instrumentals, occasionally also making beats for other artists. He has self-released three albums, Bittersweet Cry, Niagara, and Learn 2 Swim, as well as one EP, Playing w/ Fire.
"Talk About Me" is a song by American record producer Dot da Genius and American rappers JID, Denzel Curry, and Kid Cudi. It was released on June 24, 2022, through Dot da Genius' HeadBanga Muzik Group imprint, as the lead single from his upcoming debut studio album. It was accompanied by a music video directed by Cole Bennett for Lyrical Lemonade.
The star keyboardist Robert Glasper [...] leads an ensemble helmed by singer/rapper Denzel Curry[.]
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