Denzel Curry: Albums Ranked
Intro:
Denzel Curry is easily an artist with a very long career ahead of him. He’s already outlasted many of his peers from the 2010’s, and is continuing to improve with every new release. The Florida rap scene has benefitted too from his success. He’s a great representation of Carol City (his home), and very few match his level of consistency. Here’s where his entire discography ranks amongst each other:
8. 32 Zel
I decided to separate this project from its other half “Planet Shrooms”. While both are solid tapes, I definitely appreciate the more experimental & psychedelic themes/aesthetic of the latter. With that being said, 32 Zel is full of some of Curry’s hardest records & features the single “Ultimate” that propelled into mainstream conversations. It’s a great project for the car, gym, etc. This wouldn’t be one I’d recommend new listeners to check out first, as it’s not a true representation of the range in his artistry.
7. Nostalgia 64
Nostalgia 64 is wildly recognized as a classic mixtape & was Denzel’s first splash in the wider-music industry. I remember being younger and always seeing this project/cover art on tons of music blogs, reviews, etc. There are a lot of pretty original ideas found throughout this project, especially considering how young Denzel is at this point in his career.
There are elements of Odd Future influence found in some of his style & the instrumentals (Ex: Parents). That among other influences do not take way from the uniqueness of his delivery & the strong Florida rap elements/references. Lastly, Denzel touches on his upbringing, dangerous lifestyle & moments of introspection
6. ZUU
Probably one of the most commercialized & accessible albums in Denzel’s discography. While not a bad album, it definitely was one that had to grow on me. ZUU is a great representation of his Florida roots & features lots of catchy choruses/beats/etc. (Ex: Ricky & Speedboat). With that being said, I feel like it’s the first time he’s ventured away from his signature sound in his later years. Although, the previous statement isn’t entirely true; based off of 32 Zel & other tracks/loosies.
5. Planet Shrooms
The most trippy, atmospheric & spacey project Denzel has released to date. As mentioned above, I chose to separate this half from its 32 Zel counterpart because it’s clearly better in my opinion. We still get the Denzel Curry we know & love, but over some very wavy samples of both the lighter & darker tracks. It’s probably a great project to listen on psychedelics (obviously). Plus, Denzel’s flow & writing is top tier without distracting from all the other elements.
4. TA13OO
Probably the most controversial placement on this list. I do love this album a lot & the tracklist being separated into three acts. It showcases Denzel’s brilliance, and it’s probably the best example of his ability to put together a complete concept. In addition to this, he gives some very passionate & powerful performances. It’s very easy to see how & why this was the project that propelled Curry into real mainstream heights & attention.
3. 13 EP
I debated on if I actually wanted to feature this EP on this list or not. Despite it only being 5 songs, each are very distinct as Denzel showcases his range of versatility. We all know he can perform many styles on any of his projects. The 13 EP is special to me because I think he does each EXTREMELY well. The only thing that makes me put this behind the last 2 entries is the song Heartless….. It’s grown on me over the years, but that song has to be one of Curry’s weakest. Regardless, this is a slept on EP that deserves way more love.
2. Imperial
The first full project I’ve listened to on this list. Imperial is what made me a Denzel fan & was arguably one of the best projects from 2016, despite being very low-key in the grand scheme of the industry. It’s a very dark & aggressive listening experience that is balanced out later in the tracklist with raw introspection & a few lighter/laidback cuts.
Something about Imperial just makes the listener feel empowered between his rapid fire delivery, choppy flow & brash lyrics. Maybe I just prefer shorter projects, but all 10 songs here are nowhere close to even being considered misses.
1. Unlocked (+Unlocked 1.5)
Finally, we have the most recent collab project with respected Hip-Hop producer Kenny Beats. The duo teased the project with a fake beef to troll the internet. While I love when Denzel raps over hard distorted trap instrumentals, it wouldn’t be terrible if he put out more traditional rap songs like these. He sounds hungry & vicious spitting bars over some of Kenny Beats’ most innovative cook ups I’ve heard.
Kenny does a great job at crafting beats specifically to Denzel’s cadence & style. Ultimately though, it’s the mini-movie attached to Unlocked that really adds to the appeal & greatness as well. The “1.5” edition adds even more to this phenomenal album by adding other other artists & producers in the process. The end result is one of the best collab albums in recent memory.
Overall:
If you are still not familiar with Denzel’s music, you should get onboard immediately. He has everything you need from a Hip-Hop artist AND more. This is just how I’d rank his work, but realistically they’re all solid projects & well worth your listen. Denzel Curry has a long road ahead of him & is sure to drop even more amazing bodies of work in the near future. Thank you all for reading, and listen to our Denzel Curry playlist linked below.
