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.
The Ills
Denzel Curry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mind is a playing field for mental arguments
My thoughts are sayin' my emotions is who started it
My personality always conflicts with other people
The good in me has never been conscious of seein' evil
I could be ferocious in my times of feelin' feeble
Sick of life's ills, it could be short for illegal
The mediator met with it all is in meditation
Lord invited me to stay idly on his left side
So I can right my wrongs in these songs to live and let die
Channellin' Notorious, Makaveli and Left Eye
Son of raw, speakin' on horrors to see who am I?
Topple leaders, runnin' with demons, countin' it even always
Silhouette-surfin' and stretchin' through mental hallways
Demons on my mind, they know where to hide, really
Then nine minutes later, I'm met with the nine milli'
So nine times out of ten, I'm probably going to Hell
'Cause I'm the devil, which means I sold my soul to myself
Shelf all of my worst fears in the mason jar glasses
Next to all the dreams and things I ever imagined
Book of magic, psilocybin, man, is a talisman
Speak my name in vain, it will be met with some challenges
I devise a way to rise, time to strategize
The purest form of Zeltron made me alkaline
I'm seein' illusions in the pockets of my brain
I use it, then find a way to illustrate my pain
Confusion, 'cause you don't understand a word I'm sayin'
Forgive me for all I done, 'cause I be barely prayin'
The kid inside me always seems to man up
The higher power is within myself, no need to pan up
Believe in U-L-T the way a child believes in Santa
Manipulate the masses and the media on camera
Black holes and white lights, white noise and black sun
Shadows and bright lights are crooks back in action
Surrounded by dismay, I display visions of a way
For Heaven on Earth and hell on Earth to fight for night and day
Apocalyptic hoes conflict against my optimistic hopes
The rope's around my neck are golden chains for me to choke
My locs reflect the locks and the flames that burn across
In my very nation, I walk with my peers, surrounded by chalk
Deities and darkness meetin' at my dinner table
Deeper than rap, my kife is real, this is my mystic fable
Play the bad guy just to finish the race first
'Cause the last guy was nice, but he end up dying of thirst
I'm seein' illusions in the pockets of my brain
I use it, then find a way to illustrate my pain
Confusion, 'cause you don't understand a word I'm sayin'
Forgive me for all I done, 'cause I be barely prayin'
I'm seein' illusions in the pockets of my brain
I use it, then find a way to illustrate my pain
Confusion, 'cause you don't understand a word I'm sayin'
Forgive me for all I done, 'cause I be barely prayin'
Denzel Curry's song "The Ills" is a complex exploration of mental health, personal conflict, and the struggle to find a way forward in a world full of confusion and chaos. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with Curry describing his mind as a "playing field for mental arguments" and acknowledging the constant conflict between his thoughts and emotions. He struggles with the duality of his personality, acknowledging that he can be both ferocious and feeble, and lamenting that he's never been fully conscious of the good and evil within himself.
Curry also touches on themes of spirituality and redemption, referencing various spiritual and cultural icons such as Notorious B.I.G., Makaveli, and Left Eye. He speaks of a sense of meditative reflection, inviting the Lord to the left side of himself in order to "right my wrongs in these songs to live and let die." However, this sense of peace and understanding is constantly threatened by the demons in his mind, which he both acknowledges and battles against.
Line by Line Meaning
My mind is a playing field for mental arguments
My mind is constantly battling with itself in a never-ending debate
My thoughts are sayin' my emotions is who started it
My thoughts are blaming my emotions for the inner conflicts
My personality always conflicts with other people
I constantly clash with others due to my personality
The good in me has never been conscious of seein' evil
I struggle to distinguish between good and evil
I could be ferocious in my times of feelin' feeble
My weakness can sometimes lead to me being aggressive and fierce
Sick of life's ills, it could be short for illegal
I'm tired of the hardships in life which can sometimes make me consider illegitimate ways of improving it
Common sense, a victim to sensory deprivation
I sometimes lack common sense due to a lack of exposure to stimuli
The mediator met with it all is in meditation
Meditating helps me cope with my inner conflicts and serves as a mediator
Lord invited me to stay idly on his left side
God has given me the chance to make amends for my past wrongs through my music and live and let die
So I can right my wrongs in these songs to live and let die
I want to use my music to help me correct my mistakes and move on with my life
Channellin' Notorious, Makaveli and Left Eye
I draw inspiration from Tupac, Biggie, and Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes and try to speak out against the horrors I see
Son of raw, speakin' on horrors to see who am I?
I am trying to understand myself by facing the horrors of the world and speaking out against them
Topple leaders, runnin' with demons, countin' it even always
I oppose corrupt leaders and surround myself with likeminded people who can match my energy
Silhouette-surfin' and stretchin' through mental hallways
I am surfing through my thoughts and trying to navigate through them
Demons on my mind, they know where to hide, really
My inner demons are constantly present and know how to evade my attempts at fighting them
Then nine minutes later, I'm met with the nine milli'
In a moment of desperation, I may consider violence as a solution but ultimately reject it
So nine times out of ten, I'm probably going to Hell
Given my current life, I am more likely to go to hell than heaven
'Cause I'm the devil, which means I sold my soul to myself
I see myself as a devilish figure because I am constantly tormenting myself and causing my own problems
Shelf all of my worst fears in the mason jar glasses
I try to bottle up my fears and keep them to myself
Next to all the dreams and things I ever imagined
I keep my dreams and hopes for the future next to my fears
Book of magic, psilocybin, man, is a talisman
I see psilocybin mushrooms as a tool for connecting with myself and the universe
Speak my name in vain, it will be met with some challenges
I won't tolerate people disrespecting me or using my name in vain
I devise a way to rise, time to strategize
I am trying to come up with a plan for becoming a better version of myself
The purest form of Zeltron made me alkaline
Being true to myself has made me more content and at peace with my life
I'm seein' illusions in the pockets of my brain
I have hallucinations that stem from my inner turmoil
I use it, then find a way to illustrate my pain
I use my experiences to create meaningful art
Confusion, 'cause you don't understand a word I'm sayin'
People often struggle to understand the meaning behind my music and message
Forgive me for all I done, 'cause I be barely prayin'
I seek forgiveness for my past actions but have a hard time finding solace in prayer
The kid inside me always seems to man up
I am constantly fighting to mature and develop as a person
The higher power is within myself, no need to pan up
I believe that I can achieve greatness on my own without relying on a higher power
Believe in U-L-T the way a child believes in Santa
I want my fans to believe in my message and music like a child believes in the magic of Christmas
Manipulate the masses and the media on camera
I want to use my platform to make a difference in society and challenge the status quo
Black holes and white lights, white noise and black sun
I see the world as an interconnected web of opposing forces
Shadows and bright lights are crooks back in action
The shadows and light in my life coexist and serve as catalysts for my growth and development
Surrounded by dismay, I display visions of a way
Despite the obstacles around me, I try to show others a path forward
For Heaven on Earth and hell on Earth to fight for night and day
The battle between good and evil is ongoing, and every day is a fight to reach heaven on earth
Apocalyptic hoes conflict against my optimistic hopes
I see the world as being full of potential but also realize the challenges that lie ahead
The rope's around my neck are golden chains for me to choke
The obstacles I face can serve as opportunities for growth and self-improvement
My locs reflect the locks and the flames that burn across
The way my hair is styled reflects my inner turmoil and desire to bring positive change
In my very nation, I walk with my peers, surrounded by chalk
I am trying to navigate the challenges of life within my own community
Deities and darkness meetin' at my dinner table
I see the dichotomy between good and evil as a constant presence in my life
Deeper than rap, my kife is real, this is my mystic fable
My music is more than just entertainment, it is a reflection of my true self and my experiences
Play the bad guy just to finish the race first
I am willing to do what it takes to succeed, even if it means portraying myself as a villain
'Cause the last guy was nice, but he end up dying of thirst
Being too nice and passive can lead to one's downfall, so I am willing to play hard to win.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alain Macklovitch, Denzel Rae Don Curry, Noah D. Goldstein, Oladipo Omishore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@prodbymynameisderek
The flows, the drums, the sick piano licks, the scratches, the story, the wisdom. Incredible. This album surpassed my expectations. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
@markusdoppler4981
Got released when i was in school
@tyronebiggumsakaduke4587
Yessir 🔥🔥🔥my boi get betta all his projects different from each other🐐
@00Kequan
https://youtu.be/SyGLjsorcN0❗️❕❕
@DONOTELLO
i think imperial is better than this in my opinion
@emmaweber7445
THIS SONG IS AMAZING AND HE PRODUCED IT HIMSELF STOP SLEEPING-
https://youtu.be/W7cmeG96cTw
@travishanes8485
This instrumental is so genuine and other worldly.
This album is contemplative, focused, and honest.
Really happy to hear such a great artist.
@00Kequan
https://youtu.be/SyGLjsorcN0❗️❕❕
@urboichipsahoy_
This album is sooooooo gooooood
@user-un3us8hp8n
Love the Nujabes vibes here, amazing track and nutritious lyrics. Tenoutaten