Denzel Curry

Denzel Rae Don Curry is an American rapper born and raised in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, Florida. Credited as one of the pioneers of the SoundCloud rap genre, he is widely recognized for his aggressive rapping style, energetic performances, lyrical skills, and artistic versatility. On April 7, 2026, he became the first rap artist to have his music broadcast from space during the Artemis II mission.

Curry is of Bahamian descent. He developed early creative ambitions writing poetry in elementary school before taking up rapping in the sixth grade. During his youth, he engaged in rap battles at a local chapter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He attended Miami's Design and Architecture High School for two years before being expelled, subsequently transferring to Miami Carol City Senior High School.

Curry's career began in 2011 with early mixtapes, including his debut release Curry Wuz Here and his breakout mixtape King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995. Influenced by Florida underground rapper SpaceGhostPurrp, Curry gained local recognition after SpaceGhostPurrp shared his music online, leading Curry to join the hip-hop collective Raider Klan. He released additional mixtapes, such as King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996 and Strictly for My R.V.I.D.X.R.Z., before launching his first studio single, Dark & Violent, in late 2012.

Following the disbandment of Raider Klan, Curry pursued a solo career and released his debut studio album, Nostalgic 64, in September 2013 while still attending high school. In 2015, he released the double extended play 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms, featuring his breakout viral single Ultimate. Curry released his second studio album, Imperial, in 2016 and gained further national prominence after being selected for XXL magazine's 2016 Freshmen Class, where he participated in a widely viewed cypher.

In 2017, Curry released the EP 13, followed by his third studio album, Ta13oo, in 2018, which debuted at number 28 on the Billboard 200 chart and was structured across three distinct acts. In 2019, Curry released his fourth studio album, Zuu, which debuted at number 32 on the Billboard 200, performed an acclaimed cover of Rage Against the Machine's Bulls on Parade, and made his television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He followed this with the 2020 collaborative EP Unlocked alongside Kenny Beats.

Curry released his fifth studio album, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, in March 2022, which debuted at number 51 on the Billboard 200 and later returned to peak at number 17 following an extended edition release. In July 2024, he released the project King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2, serving as a sequel to his 2012 mixtape, before re-releasing an expanded version titled King of the Mischievous South later that year. He embarked on the Mischievous South Tour promoting the release through mid-2025.