Denzel Curry is physically incapable of missing, further proofed by King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2, a knocking, sonically slurred, deeply loving homage to Southern rap’s legacy
Release date: July 19, 2024 | PH Recordings/Loma Vista | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Stream/Purchase
There’s been a lot of… misses lately. One thing you can always depend on Denzel Curry for is hits, hits, and more hits. No matter what the dude does – high-concept album or trunk-knocking project with weapons-grade mixtape energy – it’s always worth a listen or five. King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2 is a sequel to an online tape that came out when Denzel was still a teen, before Imperial, before the fame, even before the was the Black Metal Terrorist, so returning to that same street when he’s done nothing but grown and expanded his rapper Rolodex of like-minded pals seems like a good idea. But was it!?!??! Me and Jake dig into it.
David: Pal, it’s been a while since we’ve done this. How are you doing?
Jake: At last I have re-emerged, at last I will have my revenge….Sorry, too much coffee this morning. I’m ready to get my head caved in by some of this shiny new stuff from Denzel. That’s how I’m doing.
D: Yeah, same really. Last time we linked up like THIS was on ZUU so it’s quite fitting we do it again for another Denzel project, and this one is perfect for the violence because Denzel himself said this music is purely for the turn-up and that we shouldn’t expect to learn ANYTHING from this. I love the directness of that.
J: I think I would have gathered that sentiment on my own by just giving this record a few spins, but it’s cool to know that this is sort of the point. That is sort of his cadence at this point too isn’t it? High concept album, bangers, high concept…then bangers. I kind of like the idea.
D: Yeah, I love how he’s made it so he bounces between these modes so well. You know when you’re getting more rugged mixtape-esque Denzel that a more thorough, conceptually realized album is right around the corner. It’s also allowed him to put something out no later than every two years, so 2025 or 2026 is likely album mode for him.
I’ll say up front, I was cautiously optimistic for King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2. Optimistic because it’s Denzel – dude doesn’t fucking miss – and this is a direct sequel to a grimy Southern rap tape he was a part of in 2012 when he was YOUNG young and still part of RVIDXR KLVN (pronounced ‘raider clan’). Cautious because I feared there were too many features on it and he wouldn’t get to shine like usual, but then again, that’s a big tape thing. Put your pals on, have fun, scare people. What were your thoughts going into KOTMS Vol. 2?
J: I think based on seeing just how many features were present in the tracklist cued me in a little bit and that helped me get in the mindset that this was just going to be a beat-forward bonanza with some real meat on it. I love ZUU so much and even though I love his higher concept shit a ton, I just have so much fun with this side of his persona that I was pretty damn hyped about it. I haven’t connected with much in the rap scene lately (purely my fault) but I want this to be the one for me this year. So, in short, I had high hopes.
D: Did it deliver on those hopes? Because of everything I mentioned before, my expectations were lowered just a bit and I’m glad because it helped me settle into this a bit more and all my worries evaporated. The features are pretty much all fire like Key Nyata’s verse on the lower-key “ULTRA SHXT” which has such nice vibes. Also love TiaCorine, the hardest rapper out with a Kirby chain, and her unique voice on “HOT ONE” who is sadly the only lady on this whole tape (a Rico Nasty feature would have been great), my fave Maxo Kream came through for some decent bars on “SET IT”, and I must shout out 2024 XXL Freshman That Mexican OT on “BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE” who is becoming another fave of mine and has one of the best verses on this whole thing. KOTMS Vol. 2 is all over the place, but in a good way.
J: Nice shouts there. I like the Maxo Kream bars too and yeah leading with “ULTRA SHXT” was a good way to set the vibe. I think the album is a little more relaxed than I thought it would be and that’s totally fine with me. “COLE PIMP” is a good example of that too. But to answer your question I think this project has mostly living up up to what my expectations were. I was mowing the yard and *G’Z UP” came on and I fucked up all my clean lines. That one’s gonna make the playlist.
D: “G’Z UP” is great, can always depend on 2 Chainz for funny lines too. The duality of this album – going from more hazy, calm, smooth tracks to hard-bodied, thumping shit – is so indebted to hardcore Southern rap, especially Memphis’ dark and violent scene. Kingpin Skinny Pimp, a hustling legend who’s seeing a bit of a well-deserved resurgence lately (use the site 12ft.io to view that link, fuck paywalls), having as many spoken-word features all over KOTMS Vol. 2 is enough of a testament to that, but it’s embedded in the sound of the album itself too. “COLE PIMP” or “WISHLIST” totally could have been 2000s-era Three 6 Mafia songs when they were making more melodic tunes like that, and that’s just two songs.
Even still, I think I do like the more aggressive shit here. “HOODLUMZ” with A$AP Rocky and PlayThatBoiZay is awesome, love the eerie, knocking beat as all three dude just fucking skate lyrically on it. Rocky’s always been a child of the Southern rap mindset even though he’s from New York, so he’s a natural fit here, and Zay always comes hard, no excuses. Just a lot to like on here.
J: Yes, two things to add here. One, the best beat on this thing that sticks with me is that tubular sound on “HOT ONE” and while there are some other great ones, this one is just far and away my favorite. Also “WISHLIST”, what did you think of that sidebar verse from Denzel making sure that we know that he’s not calling all women hoes? I think it’s an interesting development and something that I frankly expected from Denzel after some of that heartfelt shit from the last LP, glad to see that attitude didn’t disappear for the sake of bravado on a tape like this.
D: Literally listening to “HOT ONE” right now, such a good song. Yeah, Denzel’s certainly trying to be more consistent with the reeling in of blanket misogyny that he addressed in Melt My Eyez See Your Future. It’s a cool-ass statement to make, the stuff he said on “Melt Session #1” could be for younger rap fans what “Sure Shot” was for our generation when we heard Beastie Boys’ MCA apologize for all the disrespect to women which they had a lot to atone for as creators of the frat rap style. We love an empathetic, reflective king.
J: Yeah that makes me love him as an artist even more, he’s trending in a great direction.
So when it comes to this album (if we can safely call it that), entering with the tempered expectations on your end, how do you think the whole thing played out? I liked seeing this side of Denzel Curry as he’s got so many different voices, flows, and levels, it’s fun seeing him share the spotlight with all of these features and this mixtape filled with fun ideas, great beats, and stellar production. What say you?
D: It’s been a lot of fun to explore. I was a fair amount cooler on it at first, not thinking it was bad by any means, but maybe that it was missing something, but several loops have made me really appreciate the approach, the features were much better than I anticipated and fit the theme, and overall I think it sits very nicely in the middle of his discography. For me, it’s not ZUU level, but a couple notches better than UNLOCKED, which I still really like. Denzel hasn’t missed yet at all.
J: I think you hit the nail on the head there. It took a little while for it to settle in on me. I knew that it was going to be different than the last thing that he put out, because as we have discussed, that is his way, but I think it took a little longer for me to catch up with him. Agree that it’s not at that ZUU level, that one will probably stand a while as my favorite thing he’s ever released. I think what I’m getting at here is that Denzel is quantitatively growing his discography and flexing his creative muscles with pretty much zero drop in quality. I’m definitely a sucker for his music and King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2 put another notch on his belt.
D: Yep, absolutely agree. And hey, it has That Mexican OT on it saying his draco’s built like Bushwick Bill so… can’t go wrong with bars like that.
J: Agreed. Now I gotta go mow my yard while blaring “G’Z UP” again…
Artist photo by 4 Shooters Only
