Denzel Curry

On April 7, 2026, Denzel Curry became the first rap artist to have his music broadcast from space, during the Artemis II mission. Born Denzel Rae Don Curry on February 16, 1995, he was raised in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, Florida. His music has moved between hard-edged rap, introspective writing and regional Florida influences, delivered with a forceful, agile vocal style.

Curry began rapping in sixth grade and started work on his first mixtape, King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995, in 2011. Influenced by the underground Florida rapper SpaceGhostPurrp, the tape was featured on SpaceGhostPurrp's social media and brought Curry attention in Miami's local rap community. He subsequently joined SpaceGhostPurrp's collective Raider Klan, also known as RVIDXR KLVN, before leaving in 2013.

That same year, while still in high school, Curry released his debut studio album, Nostalgic 64. He followed it with the 2015 EP 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms and his second album, Imperial, in 2016. The 2017 EP 13 preceded Ta13oo, released in 2018. The album reached number 28 on the Billboard 200, his first appearance on that chart.

Zuu, released in 2019, debuted at number 32 on the Billboard 200. In 2020 he collaborated with producer Kenny Beats on the EP Unlocked. Curry's 2022 album Melt My Eyez See Your Future debuted at number 51, then returned to the chart at number 17 after an extended edition was released. In 2024, he released King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 2.

Reviewers have frequently singled out Curry's aggressive rapping, energetic performances, lyricism and versatility. He has also been credited as one of the pioneers of SoundCloud rap, while his records have drawn from Miami rap traditions alongside trap, hardcore hip hop and more reflective material.