EXCLUSIVE: Denzel Curry Premieres New Track "Knotty Head" and Explains How Rap Beefs Can Be Healthy
“..I feel this is a great way to get the negative out peoples systems”
Denzel Curry’s world is something like a mixture of illicit activity, psychedelia,’90s raps and cartoons. Him speaking on life, you’d thought it was an old-timer from around the way dropping gems. The mystique is quite fascinating and it’s no wonder, through music, the young 21-year old rapper has effortlessly built a cult-like following all around the world. Every show – sold out, every song, 400k+ streams, easy. Today, we’re pleased to share with you all Denzel Curry’s new track, “Knotty head” taken from his anticipated Imperial album due out this year. To accompany the release, the Carol City rapper also updated us on his latest moves, his most recent: a headlining world tour, ‘The 2055: The Ult Experience’ which part one of his tour vlog can be seen below:
Curry also chimed in on the game’s current state of affairs such as 2016 Rap beefs, stating it’s “great way to get the negative out peoples systems,” and also expressing his joy over Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s reconciliation on TLOP. Listen to the new song and interview below.
How’s your ‘2055: The Ult Experience Tour’ coming along, what’s your favorite spot in Europe to play?
The tour is going fantastically well needless to say I don’t really have a favorite spot I’m just grateful to be in another country with my day ones making things happen.
What will be the biggest play for Denzel Curry in 2016?
As of now my biggest moves right now is Imperial, the tours, and working with bigger people for upcoming projects. And also I’m working with my team C9 and making sure they grow alongside the Federation Mob.
There’s a story element to “Knotty Head,” can you share with us the back story on it.
The inspiration behind “Knotty Head” is it’s a tribute to being a black male and letting it be known to the world even when you characterize or be prejudice of how I look I will still have my pride intact. Everything you say I am, I will take it and run with it so people won’t be ashamed of who or what color they are I will overcome any obstacle no matter the circumstances. Plus being from Miami Florida I seen how people looked with the knotty dreads and we’re mostly of Caribbean decent and I want to show that side of us as well.
What’s your thoughts on all these rap beefs seemingly taking place at once? Including your feud with SpaceGhostPurrp. Is there something bigger than rap taking place?
To be quite frank I love that fact that all these rappers are finally starting to come after each other because it’s a competition at the end of the day. The feud between me and Purrp was just me standing up for myself. For example, if a bully keep coming at you after you said to him “I don’t want problems” for a whole year there will be a point in time where retaliation is necessary but this isn’t beef, I just said what was real and it had to come out of nowhere, it’s the element of surprise, catch the enemy while they’re sleeping. Also Drake did that as well and timed everything perfectly when it came to his feud with Meek Mill, but I feel this is a great way to get the negative out peoples systems.
The meaningful quote on your last release “ULT” resonated with a lot of fans. As you grow older as an artist, you feel a need to share a message bigger than music? or was it just a spur of the moment thing?
I want my message to always be as hard as the beats I go over because you can say bullshit over a hard beat and people will still think it’s fire but a message only makes the song timeless and will forever be remembered as something people can relate to. It’s never the spur of the moment with me, that feud I had was a spur in the moment, but my song “ULT” was strategized to reach everyone no matter what race, religion and occupation they are… We are all Ultimate and that song was telling people to reach that final form, keep evolving and growing. If you want to be a doctor go hard in being a doctor, if you want to be a lawyer go in on being a lawyer, rapper, artist, accountant, even an assassin (lol) go hard in it… That’s what the ULT is all about unlocking your true potential.
What’s the status of Federation Mob and have there been any additions to the squad?
The Federation Mob is the collective that consist of C9 (JK The Reaper, SDotBraddy, Yoshi Thompkins, Ronny J, Poshtronaut, MarkMC9 ) CSPG (Lofty305, Mike Dece, Ruben Slikk, PX$H6XD, Shuttle Life), New Era Gang (Rell & Nell), Twelve’Len ( V12’Len) and Members Only (Xxxtentation & Ski Mask the Slump God), and also Kids On Drugs (DJ Chief Pound & DJ Xantana). And we’re just building up and trying to prosper as much as we can.
Obviously, Kanye West has been the hot topic in hip-hop. What are your thoughts on his recent moves? Have you heard his ‘TLOP’ album?
I would be open working with an artist like Kanye I feel we can bounce ideas and create something the world has never seen before. The new album was straight in most honest opinion, there’s tracks I like and there’s tracks that I didn’t like. His recent moves have been dope the fact that him and Cudi are working together again only brings joy to my heart because I’ve been waiting for that relationship to rekindle again… And working with newer artist only shows that he wants to stay connected with the youth that’s always a beautiful thing.
Any final words you’d like to leave with fans?
Yes…
Be better than me!
ULT