Curry left Raider Klan in 2013, releasing his debut studio album, Nostalgic 64, in September of that year, while still in high school. He has since released three extended plays: 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms in 2015, 13 in 2017, and UNLOCKED (a collaboration with Kenny Beats) in 2020, and four studio albums: Imperial in 2016, Ta13oo in 2018, Zuu in 2019, and Melt My Eyez See Your Future in 2022. TA13OO, ZUU, and Melt My Eyez debuted at numbers 28, 32, and 51 on the Billboard 200 chart, respectively, with Melt My Eyez returning at number 17 after the release of an extended edition. All of his projects have garnered significant critical acclaim.
In 2012, he released his second mixtape, titled King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996, which caught the attention of fellow American rapper Earl Sweatshirt and other members of Odd Future label.
Curry's third mixtape, titled Strictly for My R.V.I.D.X.R.S., was released after the death of Trayvon Martin, who also lived in Carol City and went to the same high school as Denzel Curry. His rap style on this mixtape was inspired by 2PAC. On June 9, 2015, Curry released his first double EP, titled 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms. His first release in 2016 was the single "Flying Nimbus".
His second full-length album, titled Imperial, was released on March 9, 2016, then re-released later on Spotify as the deluxe version on October 14, 2016. In June 2016, Curry was featured on a cover as one of the XXL's 2016's Freshmen Class.
On May 13, 2017, Curry uploaded a track entitled "Hate Government [demo]" to his SoundCloud account. In the weeks that followed, he released two more demos for songs entitled "Equalizer [demo]" and "ZELTRON 6 BILLION ft. Lil Ugly Mane." After these releases as well as a series of cryptic posts on social media (seemingly portraying another alter ego called Zeltron), he released an EP entitled 13 on June 25, 2017. All of the demo tracks were included on the EP as well as two other new songs. On August 18, 2017, Curry released another song called "Skywalker." Later that year, on September 22, a remastered version of 32 Zel was released, including a remix of "Ultimate" featuring Juicy J.
On April 2, 2018, Curry released the lead single off of Ta13oo titled, "Sumo" on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. On May 24, 2018, Curry released the second single off the album titled, "Percs". Curry then released the third single titled, "Clout Cobain", on July 13, 2018, and announced that his album TA13OO, would be released in three acts: The first act, Light, was released on July 25, followed by Gray on July 26, and Dark on July 27. Each previously-released single represents one of the album's acts, as "Sumo" represents Light, "Clout Cobain" represents Gray, and "Percs" represents Dark, which comes together cohesively to form TA13OO. TA13OO features guest appearances from GoldLink, JID, JPEGMAFIA, ZillaKami and more.
On January 5, 2022, the official trailer for Curry's fifth studio album, titled Melt My Eyez See Your Future, was uploaded to his YouTube channel. It was revealed that the album would contain guest appearances from artists such as T-Pain, 6lack, Slowthai, Rico Nasty, J.I.D, and Thundercat, among others. Curry said the project would feature a new, more mature sound, different from his previous works: "Y'all are not going to hear the same type of Denzel anymore." On January 24, a single titled "Walkin", along with a Western-inspired music video directed by Adrian Villagomez, was released. Curry also said the album "is made up of everything that I couldn't include on Ta13oo or Imperial because I was going through depression and anger issues", and would take inspiration from traditional hip-hop, drum and bass, trap, poetry, and jazz. The same day, a North American and European tour promoting the album (with guest acts Kenny Mason, Mike Dimes, Redveil, and PlayThatBoiZay) was announced. On February 24, Curry released another single from the upcoming album, "Zatoichi" featuring Slowthai. It was accompanied by a music video also directed by Adrian Villagomez. On March 18, Curry announced the album would be released on March 25. On March 21, a third single, "Troubles" featuring T-Pain, was released along with a music video. The album was released on March 25, 2022. It debuted at number 51 on the Billboard 200 chart, and at number 23 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Curry recorded a song featuring rapper Reason, "1st Quarter", as a contribution to Apple Music's "collection of exclusively commissioned new songs from Black creatives", titled Juneteenth 2022: Freedom Songs. He commented: "It's an accomplishment to make it through the first quarter of my life. Especially as a Black man in America".
Curry's song featuring PlayThatBoiZay, "Let It All Hang Out", was included in Elvis—a biographical movie about Elvis Presley that premiered in June 2022—as well as on the movie's soundtrack album.
On June 24, 2022, a collaboration between Dot da Genius, JID, Curry, and Kid Cudi, titled "Talk About Me", was released, along with a music video directed by Cole Bennett. On June 29, 2022, Curry performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. On July 21, he performed "Walkin" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
On September 30, 2022, Curry released Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition). The album features reimagined versions of songs from the original album with live instrumentation performed by the Cold Blooded Soul Band, which performed with Curry on his NPR Tiny Desk Concert and The Tonight Show performance.
Bloodshed
Denzel Curry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I flow, I drop bombs like a Soviet
Not a communist, but I'm anonymous
Zero tolerance if niggas talking shit
Now you talking, the end of the partnership
Had to cut that bitch off
Send that bitch off with a fucking sawed-off
Being too nice isn't giving a fuck
'Cause these internet niggas be
Thinking I'm soft
What are you, lost? Come down the one way
I don't fuck with none of
You niggas the long way
Stepping to the Ultimate is the wrong way
I'm a real ass nigga, y'all boys is anime
Characters, I will embarrass you
You don't want war in this
Game, ain't no challenger, boy
Rather get paper and stack it, my boy
With a bad bitch in a Challenger, boy
You don't want no motherfucking problems
You don't want beef, might
As well play possum, dead
Kneel before the almighty dread
Reiterate everything that I said
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
28 in a clip, I'ma shoot what's left
Fucking with a black star
But I ain't Mos Def biatch
Bitch, I'm ultimate
When I'm spitting it's lyrical syphilis
I'm intelligent but I get ignorant
Not so famous but yet I am infamous
I'm a dick and y'all niggas is feminist
Put the ill in the Iliad
Fuck that I'm taking the odd out of Odyssey
Denzel got a murdering policy
With no remorse, not accepting apologies
No jewelries, speaking tomfoolery
Fuck the rap game, I'ma speak at my eulogy
Bury them
Like a smoothie, my nigga, I bury them
In this world I feel like a terrarium
Out of my cranium, back in my stadium
Starship giving you all of my hardship
Don't give a fuck about a car, whip, slip
You don't want no motherfucking problem
You don't want beef, might
As well play possum, dead
Kneel before the almighty dread
Reiterate everything that I said
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
28 in a clip, I'ma shoot what's left
Fucking with a black star
But I ain't Mos Def
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
28 in a clip, I'ma shoot what's left
Fucking with a black star
But I ain't Mos Def biatch
In Denzel Curry's song "Bloodshed," the artist showcases his lyrical prowess through powerful and aggressive lines. The lyrics demonstrate his confidence and bravado as he discusses his success and status as the "ultimate." Denzel boasts about his abilities as a rapper, claiming that his flow is so intense that it drops "bombs like a Soviet." He emphasizes his independence and refusal to tolerate any disrespect, indicating that his partnership with someone has ended with him cutting them off and seeing them off with a sawed-off.
Denzel also talks about being misunderstood and not appreciated enough in the rap game, saying that he is not very famous, but he is still infamous. Denzel seems to feel that many other rappers are weaker than him and do not have the same level of skill or authenticity. He questions the need for superficial items such as jewelry and cars. Instead, he chooses to focus on his craft and creating hard-hitting music.
Essentially, the song is a warning to anyone who doubts Denzel's status or tries to challenge him. He's confident in his talent and is not afraid to speak his mind or use violence if necessary. The song's title "Bloodshed" represents the violence that can occur when someone disrespects him. Denzel feels that his talent and status are evidenced by his number of bullets in the clip, which is 28, indicating that he is not afraid to use force to defend himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Bitch, I'm ultimate
I am the best.
When I flow, I drop bombs like a Soviet
When I rap, it's powerful and explosive like a bomb.
Not a communist, but I'm anonymous
I am not a supporter of communism, but I prefer to remain anonymous.
Zero tolerance if niggas talking shit
I have no patience for people who disrespect me.
Now you talking, the end of the partnership
If you disrespect me, our relationship is over.
Had to cut that bitch off
I had to end my relationship with that disrespectful person.
Send that bitch off with a fucking sawed-off
I ended my relationship with that person very aggressively.
Being too nice isn't giving a fuck
Being kind is not the same as not caring about anything.
'Cause these internet niggas be thinking I'm soft
People on the internet think I'm weak and easy to disrespect.
What are you, lost? Come down the one way
If you disrespect me, you'll regret it and have no way to avoid it.
I don't fuck with none of you niggas the long way
I don't have any respect for any of you people.
Stepping to the Ultimate is the wrong way
Disrespecting me is a bad decision.
I'm a real ass nigga, y'all boys is anime characters
I am genuine and authentic while others are fake and cartoonish.
I will embarrass you
I will humiliate you if you disrespect me.
You don't want war in this game, ain't no challenger, boy
You don't want to fight me because you can't win.
Rather get paper and stack it, my boy
I'd rather make money and save it.
With a bad bitch in a Challenger, boy
I want to enjoy life with a nice car and a beautiful woman.
You don't want no motherfucking problems
If you disrespect me, you'll regret it.
You don't want beef, might as well play possum, dead
If you don't want to fight me, it's better to stay out of my way.
Kneel before the almighty dread
Bow down to me, I am powerful and respected.
Reiterate everything that I said
Repeat what I say and show me respect.
Denzel, why you had to make bloodshed?
Why did I have to make this song about violence?
'Cause a fuck nigga fucked with the ultimate
Because someone disrespected me and they will pay the price.
28 in a clip, I'ma shoot what's left
I am ready to use my weapon and fight back.
Fucking with a black star
Disrespecting me is like messing with a powerful force.
But I ain't Mos Def biatch
I am different and unique, not like anyone else.
When I'm spitting it's lyrical syphilis
My words are like a disease that infects people in a powerful way.
I'm intelligent but I get ignorant
I am smart but I can also be ignorant and disrespectful if disrespected.
Not so famous but yet I am infamous
I am not famous, but I have a bad reputation.
I'm a dick and y'all niggas is feminist
I am tough and masculine while others are weak and unmanly.
Put the ill in the Iliad
I am powerful and ill like the characters in the Iliad.
Fuck that I'm taking the odd out of Odyssey
I am powerful enough to change the course of history.
Denzel got a murdering policy
I am not afraid to fight and use violence to defend myself.
With no remorse, not accepting apologies
I won't forgive those who disrespect me, even if they apologize.
No jewelries, speaking tomfoolery
I don't waste money on fancy jewelry, but I do speak foolishly.
Fuck the rap game, I'ma speak at my eulogy
I don't care about the rap industry, I'll speak for myself at my funeral.
Bury them like a smoothie, my nigga, I bury them
I defeat my enemies and bury them as easily as making a smoothie.
In this world I feel like a terrarium
I feel trapped and isolated in this world.
Out of my cranium, back in my stadium
I am in control of my thoughts and back in my element of power.
Starship giving you all of my hardship
I am sharing my struggles and hardships with you.
Don't give a fuck about a car, whip, slip
I don't care about material possessions like cars or fashion.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind