"Denzel Curry is among the more quietly influential rappers of the last few years. Alongside
Ronny J, he pioneered the punishing, bass-boosted moshers that swept South Florida, creating a blueprint for
Lil Pump,
XXXTentacion,
Ski Mask the Slump God, and
Smokepurpp, among others, and breaking the sound barrier for other SoundCloud outsiders. Despite this particular contribution, he is a versatile talent who is as comfortable
trading bars with Joey Bada$$ as he is
belting out melodies. His new song “
RICKY” is a retrospective, tracking the advice he received through his formative years and how the perspectives of those around him shaped the man and rapper he is now.
On “RICKY,” Curry’s condensed verses are packed with instructions for surviving his Carol City hometown—instructions that apparently shaped his entire outlook. His raps are more personalized chants than anything else; he recites the hook to himself like a little prayer or mantra. Though less adrenalized than many of his verses, they’re still performed like gospel. Eventually he reveals how these lessons shaped his life arc, dipping briefly into
Nostalgic 64’s “
Parents” and alluding to his time in Raider Klan, all the while making his place in the hierarchy clear. “We was lit, y’all wasn’t even shyt yet/We was Three 6, Wu-Tang mixed with Dipset,” he snarls. His verses imply a direct correlation between what he’s learned and what he’s become. As Curry honors his teachers, he continues to put their lessons into practice."
