Rapper Denzel Curry was born and raised in Miami, but his music doesn't really sound like he's from Miami. You might hear a little bit of Trick Daddy or Pitbull's influence trickle in every now and then, but you're just as likely to hear him pull from Waka Flocka Flame, Outkast, or Three Six Mafia.
Now admittedly – he's a young guy. The 29-year old grew up with every song ever at his fingertips. He's always been able to email a verse to someone five thousand miles away. He got his start very young. His first mixtape dropped in 2011 when he was only 16. With his reputation as a Soundcloud rapper – his home isn't so much the neighborhood he grew up in as the website where he posts his music.
Over the years Curry has released five studio albums, several mixtapes, and made countless feature appearances. He's collaborated with BadBadNotGood, Robert Glasper, T-Pain and more. His latest album is called King of the Mischievous South.
He joins us to talk about the latest record and his time growing up in Miami. We also get into some of his hobbies – he's a big fan of the card game Magic: The Gathering.
Denzel Curry will hit the road next month for a massive world tour, for dates click here.
–
California Wildfire Fund:
https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/
Ibarionex's GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/perello-familys-journey-to-re-establish-our-life
Copyright 2025 NPR