Young artists really surprise me. Those that are 25 and under and have garnished a big enough following to support themselves. It is impressive to say the least and makes for a great story at the same time. I’ve mention a couple of them in my articles, Megan Thee Stallion, Summer Walker, Dreezy, and most recently $tunna 4 Vegas. Denzel is no different at 24 years old he’s been known for years which is noteworthy in my eyes and should be celebrated. Being a southern born artist is also a plus for myself, (if you know me, then you know how much love I have for the south and southern artists). This album took me by surprise but I was not disappointed one bit with it.
I’ve spoken about Miami and Florida as a whole a couple times on other articles. With Uncle Luke to thank for the evolution of Hip-Hop it’s been passed down to artists like Denzel to carry the torch for the town. Although he’s only 24 Curry is not new to rap whatsoever. With his first mixtape coming out in 2011 you he’s been rapping since middle school which is impressive. I didn’t hear about him until either my senior year of High-school or Freshman year of College. However, I was impressed with what I had heard of his music from the first listen. I remember riding down with my friend Brett and asked him “Who’s that!!!” when Denzel came on.This project lerft me with a similar feeling.
Although his first mixtape came out in 2011, his first album would come out two years later in 2013. Although Curry is a Florida artist, there are a couple of tracks on “Nostalgic 64" that give me an old school New York feel. When I hear songs like “Dark & Violent” & “Widescreen” I could hear Joey Badass on it. The biggest takeaway from this album though probably would be his voice, it still sounds young and not as bass heavy as it is today. I keep mentioning progression but I think it’s still one of the coolest things not only in Hip-Hop but life as well.
I know Curry had a resemblance of his sound in his first project, but I believe “Imperial” is where his sound was solidified. Loud but dope beats, loud lyrical rapping, and some brash content is what he does well. It is a different sound but it is a similar template to Uncle Luke in the 80’s repping for “THE U” The fact that he was able to get Rick Ross on a record as well is a great look too. With Ross being from Florida as well it’s great to see support for each other. Lastly, as I mention in the previous paragraph I could hear Joey Badass on some of these tracks. Guess who was featured on this album along with Rick Ross.
“TA1300” dropped in 2018 and got a lot of eyes and ears on it as well. A very electronic sounding album with a mixture of sounds it’s still a great listen. When you pay attention and get passed either the cover, or the type of beats you have substance in his lyrics. Denzel talks about problems in America for black people and much more on the project.
For more insight on “TA1300”, the process and some meanings listen to his interview last year on “Sway In The Morning”.
ALBUM REVIEW
One thing I admire greatly about Denzel Curry is that he doesn’t feel the need to have a million tracks on his album. In the past couple years we have had an “epidemic”, if you wanna call it that of “TOO MUCH MUSIC”. Due to the streaming wars artists are subjugated to have as many songs as possible to make as much as possible. This alone dilutes the product itself and makes some of it unbearable to listen to. As a person who has been reviewing albums this makes the process 10X harder as you must listen to so much music. At the same time I am obligated to actually pay attention to what the artist is doing to be able to give my honest and valid opinion.
Now that that’s out of the way we can continue with the actual album review. Track 1, the title track, “Zuu” starts the album off with a melodic chorus that sounds like he got inspiration from Travis Scott. It quickly switches to a harsher sound and the tone changes in an instant. Track 2 picks up where the first one left off and is a “BOP” most definitely. It sounds like a concert record where the artist would split sides and have each one sing part of the chorus on this song. After this album it has come to my attention that Curry is underrated when we talk about hooks. It’s surely a southern record with the chopped and screwed effect added in the song as well. Track 3 changes the pace and has a more relaxed feel and pace to it. When I listened to the album again, in some parts I heard “Regulate” by Warren G and the late great Nate Dogg. Track 4 goes back to that loud but dope beat statement I had made earlier. “Birdz” brings Rick Ross back as a feature and makes great use of it of course. On a beat that sounds like it could have been on “Yeezus”, the two make magic and effortlessly do the track justice. Track 5 again goes back to being a slower, softer sounding song but still tough at the same time. Denzel flows so easy and makes a catchy tune as if the other tracks weren’t catchy as well. It’s at this moment that I wish he had more recognition than he does currently. When he switches flows at the around the 2:00 minute mark it just makes you bop your head more and more. When he does it again at the 2:16 minute mark it makes you appreciate rappers like Curry. This track really made me solidify what I said about the south and southern artists on my “Moneybagg Yo” article.Track 6 is “Speed Boat”, here Denzel is rapping a lot about money. This makes sense as to be able to purchase a speedboat you need a lot of cash on you. The track aligns more with the one before it as it isn’t as loud or hard hitting as some Curry tracks can be and it is also the first half of the album.
When we start the second half on Track 7, we have a quick interlude. Denzel takes digs at those who ever doubted him, didn’t believe in him or though he wouldn’t make it. Track 8 is the funniest skit I've heard on an album and it was a breath of fresh air. Titled “Yoo”, the track is a recorded conversation and one person is talking about putting together a party while the other simply responds “YO” to everything. It might not sound funny reading it, but hearing it will have you laughing no matter where you are. Arguably the most Florida track comes out next and as he;s rapping he’s paying homage to “Trina, Trick, Rick, and Plies”. Track 9 makes you want to have an old car with massive sub-woofers and just play music cruising down the street. Track 10 is a twerk anthem and he does it the southern way. If I were to make any suggestions, I would have added Megan Thee Stallion and Trina to either Track 9 & 10, or even both. Track 11 is another short skit which is a shame because so far this album has no skip-able songs in my book. This one isn’t either but it makes me want a track even more than I was before. “P.A.T.” is the mosh pit song on the album. At a concert when this song plays “DO NOT BE IN THE CIRCLE” unless that’s what you came for of course. If that’s the case have all the fun in the world. Track 12 is tougher than the rest and is a grunge sounding song that might turn some people off but I like it as it is experimental.
SCORE
STANDOUT TRACKS
- “ZUU”
- “RICKY”
- “BIRDZ” (FT. RICK ROSS)
- “AUTOMATIC” (PROD. TAY KEITH)
- ★ “CAROLMART” (FT. ICE BILLION BERG)
RATING — 8.6/10
While listening to this album I was honestly surprised how much I liked it. When “TA1300” came out I didn’t truly give it a chance but this one made me go back and listen to it. I remember why I instantly liked Denzel Curry’s music. Seeing him on Sway in the morning was dope too as he is a down to earth person. He has his niche and his audience and is on the right path hopefully it all pays off.
