King of the Mischevious South Vol. 2 by Denzel Curry | Album Review
Denzel and his collaborators take listeners back to his origin days.
The latest project from Denzel Curry made me think of an iconic quote from a certain flute playing southern rap legend:
The south got somethin’ to say.
King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 is a project that pays homage to the south while invigorating it with some modern elements. Across the 15 tracks, there are several appearances from Kingpin Skinny Pimp whose background music creates seamless track transitions as he shares tidbits of the mindset and lifestyle of being in the south. Denzel’s origins in the southern Florida rap group Raider Klan run throughout this entire project while paying homage to the southern rap elements that inspired that group too. Those looking for the vulnerability and layered musicianship form Zel’s last album won’t find that here. This project is high and sometimes eerie energy, fast and bouncy southern flows and quick punchlines. As Zel says in “BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE,” “Yeah I used to smart talk but now I had to dumb it down.” Zel isn’t trying to craft an elaborate concept this time around. He wants to show people the roots of his style and why he’s one of the best still doing it.
The nostalgia on KOTMS starts with “ULTRA SHXT” as a dreamy looped melody plays with a drum pattern straight from the south. Zel’s bounces all over it with flow switches and lines about his own collective, ULT. Feature Key Nyata is a former fellow member of Raider Klan making this the perfect kick off track for the sequel to Denzel’s first project from when he was in the group. The energy picks up with “SET IT OFF” which takes a go at the eerie sounds Zel fans know from the Raider Klan days complete with Denzel’s signature flow. Maxo Kream holds down his feature well. “HOT ONE” is one of the strongest of the hype tracks in this portion of the album, due to the contrasting vocal tones of Zel, TiaCorine and A$AP Ferg who all shine, especially TiaCorine.
The best track in this portion of the album, “BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE,” brings southern rap generations together with Zel collaborating with That Mexican OT for a track with a steady horn and synthline that make way for flows from both rappers soaked in southern flavor. Zel boasts of using the same flow for his verse and hook which works well while That Mexcian OT rides the beat through several flow switches. References to Dade and Broward Counties, Bushwick Bill, the wedding scene in Kill Bill and more showcase both rappers’ pride in their respective southern states.
Tracks “SKED” and “COLE PIMP” find Denzel collaborating with Project Pat and Juicy J, living legends of southern rap music. “SKED” has a fun flow switch from Zel with some fun punchlines as he flows over some distorted bass and a hook built for rapping along with. The track brings generations together with features from Kenny Mason who keep the energy high and Project Pat brings his signature classic flow. “COLE PIMP” has some gorgeous strings and piano samples that set the soundscape for a smooth hook from Ty Dolla $ign while Juicy and Zel bring bouncy southern flows that pair excellently with the skittering drums. The triumphant melodies continue on the following track “WISHLIST” where Zel and Armani White detail the various lanes of relationships. There’s a sprinkling of humor in a few moments of both verses, another element that’s quite common in southern rap.
Unfortunately, the track “HIT THE FLOOR” is one that simply did not belong on the project. Ski Mask The Slump God is a modern Florida artist but his rage rap sound is quite a departure from the rest of the sounds of the album. Both his and Zel’s verses are not bad but nothing special. Zel’s post-hook here is done in a way I don’t truly like as it contrasts the chaos of the rest of the song. This cut would have fit much better on Ski’s last project but simply feels out of place here — especially considering what it follows in the tracklist. The sudden shift in energy is jarring considering everything that preceded it transitioned seamlessly. Closer “HOODLUMZ” is another eerie banger with keys that practically sound like high pitched screams. PlayThatBoiZay’s and Zel’s gritty vocals match the energy of the song well while A$AP Rocky matches their energy with a fast flow of his own. While this is an energetic track, it doesn’t tie the project together as a closing track for me.
King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 isn’t a deeply layered “concept” album but the Memphis-Texas-Florida homage and stylization is all there. Considering every song has at least one feature, Denzel clearly wanted to make a fun collaborative effort with those who would understand and execute the vison well. Again, there are no truly spectacular moments but the flows are the focus here. The lyrical content isn’t sub-par but listeners know what Zel is truly capable of song structure and content wise. He brings the energy on the tracks and that’s all that’s needed here.
Unfortunately, the vision just sort of tails off in the project’s final moments. Had Zel replaced one of the final tracks with a posse cut with other southern rappers of some sort, he would have stuck the landing. A second appearance from Juicy J, Project Pat and Key Nyata or even one from former frequent collaborator and fellow former Raider Klan member Yung Simmie would have been perfect in a track like that. Still, the project is enjoyable and a treat for those who have been riding for Denzel since his early days and the fans who came a little later get some moments they can enjoy too.
Favorite Tracks: BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE, ULTRA SHXT, WISHLIST, SKED
