Denzel Curry has been one of the most fascinating rappers to me in the last decade. Many rappers have popped off and gone mainstream-adjacent to carve out their own lane, but Denzel Curry has been one of the most prominent and unique. He is an artist who can’t really be compared to his peers and is constantly evolving. When he first came onto the scene in the early 2010s, he was known for a Horrorcore Trap sound inspired by Three 6 Mafia. He also became known for more intense, almost metal trap-style instrumentals that were super intense. Denzel Curry certainly matched the intensity of the instrumentals with his raps. His flow and tone were so intense, and his lyrics were so aggressive. Over the years, he has switched his sound and style of rapping many times. One of the best things about Denzel Curry has been his ability to adapt over the years. About 6 years ago, Denzel Curry did a joint album called UNLOCKED with the producer Kenneth Blume(formerly Kenny Beats). This album was off-kilter, and it really brought out the best zany qualities in both of their artistries. Recently, these two came together again and made a sequel album called ii. Below, I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite songs from this record, then go over some thoughts on it as a whole to close things out. Please let me know in the comments what you think of Denzel Curry, Kenneth Blume, and their record ii. 

GONE FISHING

I will say, when I first turned on this opening track on the record, I did not expect the sound that we got. ‘Gone Fishing’ is certainly pretty far from what I would expect from either of these artists, let alone a collaboration between them. The melody for this track is driven by a strange, super funky guitar riff that is kind of all over the place. The melody is also full of weird futuristic sound effects that add to the strangeness of the track. I had to look up the sample that drives this melody, and it is something I have definitely never heard of: ‘Don’t Beat Your Wife Every Night’ by Raymond Scott. The beat has kind of an old-school 1990s element that really works with this melody. Denzel Curry’s flow on this track almost has an old-school feeling as well. The way he is rapping kind of reminds me of MF Doom, and it really fits this instrumental well. ‘Gone Fishing’ is a really cool opener that gets this album going in a fun way. 

CANDLELIGHT

‘Candlelight’ has emerged as a fan favorite from this project so far, and it is honestly pretty easy to see why. The instrumental for this song sounds like something straight out of the 1970s. The guitar riff that drives this track has such an old-school Funk element to it that is so cool and fun. There are some vocals that come in and out that really add texture to the instrumental. Denzel even starts singing the sample towards the end of the song, proving how catchy it is. The beat on this one is slow and steady, picking up power and emphasis as the song progresses. Denzel’s flow and tone on this track are actually pretty high key. They honestly contrast the calmer nature of the instrumental and create a cool juxtaposition. ‘Candlelight’ is a super catchy Hip Hop bop that can get stuck in anyone’s head when it comes on. 

CROWN (FEAT. WESTSIDE GUNN)

There is nothing on this album that necessarily feels “modern,” but ‘Crown’ with Westside Gunn probably does have the most current(ish) kind of instrumental. I am not going to lie and say this instrumental totally fits into the 2020s, but it does not feel as retro as all of the other songs. This is due to the beat, which is the most Trap-adjacent thing here. The melody for this track is so funky and cool. The melody is driven by a groovy sample that has a tone of reverb. I love how the vocals almost sound reversed, as it gives such an interesting texture to the track. Westside Gunn brings the exact kind of energy you would expect him to. His flow fits so perfectly on this track, and all of his weird ad-libs lighten up the track and make it fun. Denzel has super good chemistry with Westside Gunn and also slides on this instrumental. The lower tone of his vocals creates a cool contrast with what we get from Westside Gunn. ‘Crown’ feels like the most underrated song of this project so far, and is a major highlight for me. 

DIFFERENCE (FEAT. YEBBA)

Denzel Curry and Kenneth Blume end the record with arguably the best track here. ‘Difference’ with Yebba is definitely a standout. If you are a producer who loves crazy looping, this one feels like a fever dream. The melody has such a retro video game feeling to it. The piano riff, bassline, and guitar riff that drive this one are so analog-sounding, reminding me of the melodies on old PlayStation games. The best is a little more punchy and upbeat than most of the other tracks, making this one hit harder. Denzel’s quick, sing-songy flow matches the instrumental so well and makes the track pop. The hook we get from Yebba brings a softness to the song that provides some nice variance as well. Denzel Curry really goes out with a bang on ‘Difference,’ and I love it. 

Going into this record, I honestly did not know what to expect. I will admit that I had decently high expectations because I hold both Denzel Curry and Kenneth Blume in high regard. I have always thought both of them are very good at what they do, and they are both capable of going in a multitude of directions with their music. Even though I had no expectations, I definitely did not see ii having this kind of sound. I do not think I have heard either of these artists dive into this particular kind of Hip Hop very often. In fact, these days, pretty much no one does. I mentioned that there has to be a lot of influence from MF Doom while writing about ‘Gone Fishing.’ To be frank, the late, great MF Doom is all over this project through the instrumentals and the rap flows. His energy almost permeates every track, and it is very cool. It feels like a tribute of sorts, and I respect that a lot. As I mentioned, the instrumentals here are so unique. Every song stands out and pops in its own way. Also, it is pretty impressive that this late in his career Denzel Curry is still demonstrating so many new different styles of flow throughout the project. It feels like he is still changing and improving, which is very cool to see. I did not mention the lyricism while writing about the songs above, but I have to shout out how raw Denzel sounds lyrically throughout the album. He is very vulnerable on a lot of the songs, and gives a perspective about himself and the world that is refreshing to hear. Overall, ii is a very solid album where Denzel and Kenny both do their thing respectively. I am glad they came together and made this one, because they both killed it.