Denzel Curry Pioneered SoundCloud Rap And Accumulated This As His Net Worth
Since the release of his first mixtape, King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995, in 2011, Denzel Curry has pushed the boundaries of rap music. Critics and fans have celebrated his lyricism, dynamic performances and genre revitalization.
This summer, he dropped the second installment of King of the Mischievous South — the mixtape’s first volume, King of the Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996, released in 2012 — and in October, he announced plans to share an album version of the mixtape that’ll include additional songs, like “Still in the Paint,” which Curry surprised fans with alongside the announcement, Pitchfork reported.
Despite Curry’s influence on rap and hip-hop, the 29-year-old is still an enigma. Read on for more about Curry, including his net worth.
Who is Denzel Curry?
Curry, whose birth name is Denzel Rae Don Curry, was born on Feb. 16, 1995, in Carol City, Florida.
In an interview with The Talks, he recounted starting rapping in middle school. A few years later, when Curry was in high school, he joined Raider Klan, a collective known for its moody style and alternative lyricism and musicality.
“The thing is that the music I became known for wasn’t the music I was making initially,” he said. “Before I joined Raider Klan, I was trying to emulate guys like Kid Cudi and Tyler, The Creator, and Lupe Fiasco. Lupe and Kid Cudi, I bought their albums and they were with me from the end of the middle school to the beginning of my high school life. Going to see shows from some of those artists, that really changed my life. So I was trying to make s**t like them, but it wasn’t hitting, and I ended up finding my footing in a different style.”
An influence in South Florida rap and SoundCloud rap
According to NR World, his work in the group helped position Southern Florida as a hub for boundary-pushing rap in the 2010s and made SoundCloud a home for experimental music. He is also heavily cited as one of the most prominent pioneers of the “SoundCloud rap” era.
Curry left the Raider Klan in 2013 and consistently dropped mixtapes and projects throughout the 2010s. Toward the end of the decade, Curry released more ambitious projects that embraced a new sound: 2016’s Imperial and 2018’s Ta13oo, NR World reported. In 2022, he returned to his roots with Melt My Eyez and See Your Future, an album that yields the aggression and politically conscious sounds of ’90s hip-hop.
What is Denzel Curry’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Curry’s net worth is $500,000. As his Concord profile states, he is under a catalog deal there. In 2021, he partnered with the California Tobacco Control Program on tobacco product cessation. He’s also been featured on several soundtracks in recent years, including Warner Bros.’ Elvis Presley biopic, Elvis, and Netflix’s Arcane. Curry also embarked on his Greyday headlining tour in 2024.
Curry advocates for Palestine in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, joining the Musicians for Palestine pledge not to perform in Israel in 2022. He also signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire in 2023.
King of the Mischievous South, the album version, is set to release on Nov. 15. The album will include features from TiaCorine, A$AP Ferg, Duke Deuce, 2 Chainz, Slim Guerilla, That Mexican OT, Project Pat, Sauce Walka, Kenny Mason, A$AP Rocky, Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J and more.