A few weeks ago, I wrote about Vince Staples and his new album Dark Times(which I reviewed positively at the time but has been growing into a top album of the year for me since it came out). In that review, I mentioned how I have always thought Vince was always a bit underrated and never truly broke through in the manner that his talent indicates he should. I have always felt very similarly about Denzel Curry. He has been an artist I would consider mainstream-adjacent and a “rapper’s rapper” for many years. Denzel Curry has teetered on the edge of Hip Hop superstardom for most of his career but has never quite been considered to be on the level of some of the top artists in the genre. If you were to ask his peers what they think of him, though, he is mostly revered for his outside-the-box approach to music as well as his lyrical complexity. Denzel Curry has been putting out music since the early 2010s and has dropped multiple high-quality projects that show his eclecticism. Since 2018, he has been on a solid and impactful run. 2018’s Ta13oo and 2019’s ZUU are considered to be among the best Hip Hop albums of those years by many Hip Hop fans and critics. His 2020 collaborative project with Kenny Beats called Unlocked was also very well received. In 2022, he dropped what many people(including me) would consider to be his best album yet, Melt My Eyez See Your Future. Not only does Denzel show his introspective lyricism on this project, but he also expands his range even further as it is his most experimental effort yet. Denzel Curry is now back with a new mixtape that is said to be heavily inspired by Three 6 Mafia called King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2. With all of that being said, here is how I feel about this new project from Denzel Curry. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2 gets going with the ‘KOTMS II INTRO,’ which is the first of a few skits performed by Kingpin Skinny Pimp. The inclusion of Kingpin Skinny Pimp is an ode to Three 6 Mafia; he is considered a pivotal member in the origins of the Memphis Trap sound that Three 6 Mafia popularized. This intro has an old-school mixtape feeling to it. ‘KOTMS II INTRO’ consists of Kingpin Skinny Pimp talking over a funky melody that sounds like it is being played on a tape in a car. Kingpin Skinny Pimp just introduces the project and sets listeners up for the ride they are about to go on. The melody for the ‘KOTMS II INTRO’ is the same as the one on the following track ‘ULTRA SHXT’ with Kev Nyata. This groovy and trippy melody definitely has a very early Three 6 Mafia feeling to it, reminding me of tracks like ‘Poppin My Collar.’ The beat for ‘ULTRA SHXT’ is extremely distorted and super powerful. The way this bass pounds makes this the perfect song to cruise around in the car while lighting up. Both of the rap performances on this track have a rapid cadence and strange tone that is so reminiscent of Three 6 Mafia. Both rappers certainly do their thing on this one. I especially dig Kev Nyata on this one, as his higher pitch just slides on this instrumental so nicely. ‘ULTRA SHXT’ is a good way to bring listeners into this unique style of Trap music. ‘SET IT,’ which features Maxo Kream, has a much tougher and darker sound than the first track. This one resembles some of the harsher stuff that Three 6 Mafia made back in the day. The melody for ‘SET IT’ has such a foreboding and ominous tone, as if something bad is on the horizon. The beat for ‘SET IT’ is just as intense as the melody. The way the bass pounds makes this one feel larger than life. Once again, Deznel Curry and his features kill it on this one. Denzel’s rapid-fire flow somehow enhances the energy of the track. It is easy to see why Maxo Kream sounds so good on this one, as his gruff tone and smooth flow sound so natural on this track. Maxo Kream’s voice also interestingly contrasts Denzel’s and gives the song texture. ‘SET IT’ is a banger I know I will be returning to frequently, as I immediately downloaded it. ‘HOT ONE,’ which features A$AP Ferg and TiaCorine, was the first single released in anticipation of this record. Although this track garnered a lot of hype from the Hip Hop world, for some reason it underwhelmed me when it came out. The instrumental does not feel as powerful as the first two. Those songs feel more like a modern version of a Three 6 Mafia track, but this one feels more like a free YouTube Three 6 Mafia-type beat. I do not think it is necessarily bad, but it does feel lackluster. The only artist whose performance I am into on this one is Denzel Curry. His flow is great and he does deliver some memorable bars. TiaCorine and Ferg just don’t fit this song in my opinion. I know I am in the minority about ‘HOT ONE,’ so maybe it will grow on me. ‘BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE’ with ThatMexicanOT was the second single released in anticipation of this record. I am not going to lie, this one underwhelmed me as well. I feel the same way about this instrumental as I feel about ‘HOT ONE.’ For me at least, there is something about the instrumental that just feels uninspired. The rap performances on ‘BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE’ are both good, though. ThatMexicanOT especially kicks ass on this track; his off-kilter flow and witty wordplay do make ‘BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE’ decently captivating. Once again. ‘BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE’ is a song that I want to grow on me so I can understand how so many other people feel about it.
‘HEADCRACK INTERLUDE’ sees KingPin Skinny Pimp talking over a pretty mean melody with a much more aggressive tone than his first appearance. On this one, he seems mad, as he talks about going after someone that has pissed him off. Like the first interlude, the melody for the next song, ‘G’Z UP’ with 2 Chainz and Mike Dimes is the same. This dark melody has a similar sinister feeling to the one we got on ‘SET IT.’ I may even argue this one is even more alarming; it is certainly more bold. As one would expect, the beat for ‘G’Z UP’ is as hard-hitting as the melody and makes this song feel so massive. I would say that Denzel Curry’s performance is probably the least memorable one on ‘G’Z UP.’ 2 Chainz and Mike Dimes just rap in a bold and impactful manner that really goes well with the instrumental. ‘G’Z UP’ is such a banger, and it would be the perfect song to add to a workout playlist because it infuses me with adrenaline. ‘LUNATIC INTERLUDE’ has a melody that sounds a lot like that Tokyo Drift theme song that is big on TikTok. This is the first interlude that has Kingpin Skinny Pimp rap. He spits with a staccato flow over this frantic little instrumental about how he is about to go psycho on everyone. Unlike the first two instances, the next song, ‘SKED’ with Project Pat and Kenny Mason, does not have the same melody as the preceding interlude. ‘SKED’ was actually released in October of 2023. I guess that this would technically be the first single from this record. To me, it does not feel that way, though. For one, I first heard about this Three 6 Mafia theme when ‘HOT ONE’ was dropped; when ‘SKED’ came out, I saw it as a one-off single. This song intrigues me, as I can hear the Three 6 Mafia influence in the drum pattern/beat, but the melody does not have a Three 6 feeling. This melody has more of a modern Florida Trap feeling that makes me think of XXXTentacion. The main Three 6 Mafia feeling of ‘SKED’ obviously comes from Project Pat. I would also say he outshines the other artists. Denzel Curry and Kenny Mason are solid, but Project Pat steals the show with this crisp and classic rapping style. ‘SKED’ is a tough track that I am happy I was reminded of with the release of this record. ‘CHOOSE WISELY INTERMISSION’ is yet another skit delivered by KingPin Skinny Pimp. The sound of the melody for this intermission is a lot sweeter and softer than anything before it. The light tone this one has is welcomed after how heavy the album has been. In this intermission, KingPin Skinny Pimp drops some knowledge about continuing to work hard and do what you need to do.
‘COLE PIMP’ with Ty Dolla $ign and Juicy J does not have exactly the same melody as the intermission before it, but it does have a very similar tone. This song easily has the lightest feeling of anything on the record. The melody has a classical and ethereal sound, driven by a sweet piano riff complemented by heavenly synths. The beat for ‘COLE PIMP’ is not nearly as punchy as most of the rest of the record. It definitely has a softer feeling that is meant to fit the melody. To be honest, Ty Dolla $ign and Juicy J outperform Denzel on this one. They both sound so much more natural on this instrumental. Denzel’s verse is fine, but he kind of gets drowned out on ‘COLE PIMP.’ I appreciate the sentiment of trying something completely out of the blue with the track, but it does not grab me as much as some of the tougher tracks. The melody for ‘WISHLIST,’ which features Armani White, has a somewhat similar tone to the track before it, but this song is a lot more boisterous and energetic. The melody for ‘WISHLIST has a very triumphant tone. The synths that drive the melody have a grandiose horn sound to them that makes the song so bright and joyous. The beat on ‘WISHLIST’ is pretty fast-paced and raucous. Its rowdy, rapid drums will get any dance floor jumping when it comes on. Both Denzel Curry and Armani White certainly match the energy of the track. They each rap with distinct and zestful tones and flows that make this song feel so jubilant. I could see ‘WISHLIST’ becoming a sleeper hit. It has such a hype sound that can make people want to party. After the sunny feeling of the last two tracks, Denzel brings back the grime in the biggest manner with the song ‘HIT THE FLOOR,’ which features Ski Mask The Slump God. This is probably actually the hardest-hitting song on the record, which is saying a lot. It also is the one that sounds the least like the others. Similar to the other instance on this record that felt a little farther away from the Three 6 Mafia theme, ‘SKED,’ one can hear the influence of that Memphis Trap in the way the drum pattern is arranged. The intricacy of the drums does have that classic Memphis Trap tempo. That is the only thing about this track that makes me think of Three 6 Mafia, though. The melody, if one can call it that, is extremely grating and harsh. It sounds like it came out of some cyberpunk dystopian future where the world is falling apart. One would think that Denzel Curry and Ski Mask would excel in this kind of instrumental. That expectation is correct, especially when referring to Denzel Curry. The way he is constantly changing his tone gives this song texture, and his crisp, on-your-face flow matches the intensity of the instrumental nicely. ‘HIT THE FLOOR’ is a massive banger that can get anyone pumped up when it comes on. The last song from this record is the last single that was released in anticipation of this record, ‘HOODLUMZ’ with PlayThatBoyZai and A$AP Rocky. Whereas the other 2024 singles from KOTM VOL. 2 sort of underwhelmed me, this track got me very excited about the potential of this record. ‘HOODLUMZ’ has such a foreboding and gritty sound that is so reminiscent of old-school Memphis Trap music. The creepy and squeaky melody that drives this track is so reminiscent of that old Three 6 Mafia. The way the drums pound on ‘HOODLUMZ’ makes the song so brash and fun; as I sit here writing about it, I can not help but want to get up, jump around, and headbang. Not only do Denzel, PlayThatBoyZai, and Rocky match the energy of this instrumental; they actually amplify it. They all rap with diverse and interesting flow and rap with gruff, bold tones that somehow make the song feel even more huge and harsh. Frankly, ‘HOODLUMZ’ is an absolute banger and is among my favorite songs of the year so far. This is a great final track for KOTMS VOL. 2. The album officially closes out with one more interlude by Kingpin Skinny Pimp. ‘KOTMS VOL. 2 OUTRO.’ On this track, KingPin Skinny Pimp ends things abruptly, stating over a distorted version of the ‘HOODLUMZ’ that this is the end of the album. The track ends with what sounds like someone turning off the car radio tape recorder that we heard on the intro track. This is a cool way to send this record off, as it truly gives the album a retro mixtape feeling.
As I stated in the intro paragraph, one of the most appealing things about Denzel Curry and his music in the past has been his willingness to push the envelope and step outside the box. He has always been someone who goes in a different direction than his peers sonically, trying to expand Hip Hop music and incorporate sounds that one may not expect. Another thing he has been praised for is his introspective lyricism and ability to be so real in his music. Weirdly, we do not really get either of these things KOTMS VOL. 2. Instead, this project is an ode to one of Denzel’s favorite artists in every way. From the instrumentals to the rapping styles to the way this project is arranged, everything about KOTMS VOL. 2 is directly inspired by Three 6 Mafia. Now obviously, this is not a very original-sounding project. It does not have the kind charm that some of his previous projects in that regard. It is still very good for what it is. If you are a fan of old-school Memphis Trap, you would definitely love this project. KOTMS VOL. 2 is arranged very well and it is a powerful piece of music. It is not perfect, as there are a few songs that feel a bit lackluster compared to the rest. Overall, though, it is super enjoyable if you like this kind of Trap music. KOTMS VOL. 2 is a fun dedication from Denzel Curry to one of his favorite artists, and he does well by the legends that are Three 6 Mafia on this mixtape.
EAST SIDE VIBES 