So it understandably came as a shock when King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 released – a sequel to a mixtape Denzel dropped all the way back in 2012 at just 16 years old. The similarities between both instalments in their energy and charisma are clear to see, but Vol. 2 feels like more of a spiritual successor than anything else, as Denzel shows just how much he's improved artistically in every element of his craft.
The nostalgia is felt right from the album-opener 'ULTRA SHXT', which teases the listener with heavy kicks interjected by chopped vocals and seemingly random instrumentation. Suddenly, the song finds its form, with Denzel Curry and Key Nyata sharing the hook. The production on this track is incredibly ethereal, from its glittery pianos and groovy bassline to the cloudy audio filter applied over both rappers’ vocals. The track serves as a tribute to Denzel’s “ULTRAGROUND” collective, detailing how they built themselves from the ground up and working their tagline into his verse: “U-L-T follow that up with Don’t Fold”. 'SET IT (with Maxo Kream)' comes immediately after, featuring some sinister synths that the duo slide on seamlessly. Denzel showcases his lyrical prowess on this song with menacing bars like “whether it’s earth, wind, or fire, you out of your element” and “feel like JFK, I’m tryna keep my head on straight”.
On 2022’s Melt My Eyez, we were given Curry in the most vulnerable state we’ve ever seen him, as his introspective approach took us through some of the darkest moments of his life, allowing us to process his past traumas and undergo our own personal growth along with him. In contrast, KOTMS 2 has close to none of this deeply emotional content, as Denzel adopts a cold-hearted, ‘no fucks given’ attitude, which may come as a disappointment to fans of the previous project. But Denzel more than makes up for this change with hard-hitting beats, constantly clever one-liners, a stacked feature list and an insistence on persistently switching the style up.
The lead single for the album, 'HOT ONE', delivers in all these categories tenfold. The track’s production carries an ominous aura, from its eerily cold pianos to the raspy vocal sample heard in the background: “You gon’ catch a hot one too, feel my wrath”. Denzel sets the tone with his opening verse, packed to the brim with braggadocious bars like “I can make money from the comfort of my sofa/ So much drive, now I gotta get a chauffeur”. The features really take the spotlight on this one though, with TiaCorine and A$AP Ferg delivering some of the toughest flows across the whole tape. “Fifty on my chest, I got like forty on my panty-line” raps the former, referring to her matching Kirby chain and belt pendant seen in the song’s music video. Her North Carolina accent provides an entirely unique vibe for the song’s middle verse, and Ferg closes things out fittingly with some high-energy flows and flexes of his own.
As I mentioned before, this album is jam-packed with features, with every track hosting a verse from one or two fellow rappers. But these aren’t just supplementary additions, nor do they exist to purely pad out portions of songs. Zel’s selection of rappers enhance each track entirely, and their unique cadences, flows and deliveries are always complimentary to his vision. For example, Denzel’s flow on 'BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE' is kept simple for the duration of his verse and hook, letting every bar resonate with the listener as he jokingly states how he “did it all with one flow” when often in songs he would rap in “double-time”. But the feature verse from That Mexican OT takes things in a completely different direction as the Texan spits at incredible speeds, dropping bars so quickly that it almost sounds like he starts new lines before finishing the previous one. The feature selection on 'G’Z UP' achieves a similar effect, with Mike Dimes providing a nice contrast to the heavier tones of Denzel and 2 Chainz. The concept of bringing a new and old-school rapper together on the same track is a risky one, but the payoff is incredible, with Denzel’s infectiously catchy chants on the hook serving as the glue that holds it all together.
On the topic of piecing things together, KOTMS Vol. 2’s track list is occasionally interrupted by a set of short interludes. These serve as transitions between tracks on the album, as well as providing brief respite with some spoken word sections delivered by Memphis rap megastar Kingpin Skinny Pimp. These intermissions give the record the feel of an underground, unreleased cassette tape in the same way those chopped vocals on the start of the aforementioned 'ULTRA SHXT' do. It emulates all the raw and unfiltered energy of it’s 2012 predecessor, but with more polish and finesse than 16-year-old Curry could have ever dreamed of.
One of these interludes serves as a perfect transition from 'G’Z UP' to 'SKED', which like the former track, features an old and new-age rapper sharing a space on the same song, with Denzel bridging the gap between both eras. Kenny Mason’s rapid triplet flows and Project Pat’s signature “uhh” annunciations couldn’t be less alike, but somehow both fit perfectly over the heavy trap instrumental. The track is full of life from start to finish, with synths and 808s that feel like they’re in the middle of a boxing match as they battle over who will dominate the next few bars, occasionally throwing in some rapid hi-hats that connect like a flurry of karate kicks.
Despite the album’s unrelenting abrasiveness and gritty, grimy energy, 'COLE PIMP' serves as a brief moment of sanctuary in the midst of all its chaos. Ty Dolla $ign’s lush vocals soar over glowing piano keys and rich strings on the track’s intro, which later transforms into a soulful trap banger on which Ty delivers an absolute earworm of a hook: “She love it here, she ain’t going nowhere”. Long time collaborator of Curry’s, Juicy J, comes correct with some eccentric pimp poetry on a verse incredibly characteristic of him. And Denzel drops one of his best verses on the album as he messes around with a variety of different flows, coming through with a series of playful bars such as “money talkin’ to me like, ‘Hey Alexa’”. He seems to be having fun, and after all the realisation and self-acceptance he had to go through on his last album, it’s nice to see. 'WISHLIST (with Armani White)' keeps this R&B sound going, with vintage production over which Denzel advises listeners to protect their money from any women who may look to use them for it.
Denzel brings things full circle with the last two tracks of the tape, delivering the darkest, coldest beats the project has to offer. Both songs feel incredibly nostalgic, like remnants of the Southern hip-hop revival that birthed their sound, and yet they feel like an upgrade on the songs from that era in almost every department. 'HIT THE FLOOR' is dominated by blaring 808s that feel designed to make speakers shake, which featured artist Ski Mask The Slump God matches the mood of with lethal lyricism like “hyperventilating, hyperbolic chamber, hypothermia, my neck is on froze”. It has all the vibes of something the two of them would’ve dropped on SoundCloud a decade ago with long-time friend XXXTentacion, and I can’t help but imagine what he would have sounded like on this if he was still with us. 'HOODLUMZ' closes things out with the energy higher than ever before, hosting wailing synths that sound like they’re screaming in fear of Denzel Curry and PlayThatBoiZay’s utterly villainous verses. But A$AP Rocky undeniably steals the show as he raps with cold-blooded indifference on how “All of my brothers is headed to prison/ No love for the sick or the dead or no victims”.
I’ve had so much to say about this album, but in reality, it’s a surprisingly small project, featuring only ten songs and a handful of interludes that bring the runtime to just under thirty-five minutes. And yet in such a short span of time it provides so much variety in its sound, exploring so many sides of Southern hip-hop in a way that makes the project feel sonically diverse while also staying conceptually focused. It acts as a sort of Memphis rap mixing-pot where every ingredient – from the selection of beats to the wide catalogue of features – are all used in perfect harmony, coming together to make a project worth more than the sum of its parts. It’s yet another solid entry in the long-running discography of Denzel Curry’s, and a testament to his unbelievable versatility as both an artist and a rapper. He continues to prove himself to be one of the best rappers of the last decade, and pitches his name up as the undisputed King of the Mischievous South.
★★★★½
BEST TRACKS: ULTRA SHXT, HOT ONE, G'Z UP, SKED, COLE PIMP