ii

Review of ii by Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats

Denzel Curry, best known to us Dutchies as that one cancelled Lowlands act, collabs yet again with Kenny Beats for their II album, Together.

When these two jump into a studio, you know the quality will be high. The secret ingredient this duo has nailed down is “fun”. You can just hear that they’re not scared of anything. They take inspiration from all over, pulling snippets from TV shows and games while also using instruments not normally associated with Boom Bap. I just see colours when listening to these tracks.

“The work Denzel and I do has never been easy, which is why it’s so rewarding. We’ve started every project on opposite sides of a coin and fought our way to the center. When I hear this album I hear the growth and the fight in equal parts.” – Kenneth Blume

GONE FISHING is the perfect opener to introduce you to the fun of Kenny Beats & Denzel Curry. A detuned guitar leads the way, acting as the red wire running throughout the whole track, with everything connected around it. Kenny Beats creates pockets of air for Denzel Curry to rap through, showing the strange, fighting-siblings-style synergy these two have in the studio. It’s impressive to fill a song with detuned guitars and Mario, yet still make it sound like it isn’t a joke.

Got another trench coat, let me hit my nigga Peggy up
Like hit him like brrt (Uh, what up? Hahaha)

JPEGMAFIA gets called in on EVIL GRIN to darken the funky mood of GONE FISHING, showing that Kenny Beats can also create something more atmospheric and less upfront. Highly distorted instruments clash with screams from old TV shows, creating a sound that feels completely different from the previous track. JPEGMAFIA is a perfect fit on ii, adding another layer of rawness and chaos to Denzel Curry’s aggression with his own more profane approach.

So many had paid the price, seen power turn men to mice (What?)

CANDLELIGHT’s instrumental is bouncy and repetitive, putting Denzel front and center and giving him the space to steer the track wherever he wants with his flow. Despite the album’s short runtime, these simpler songs give you a chance to catch your breath before diving back into the chaotic beats Kenny brings later.

PRODUCT takes the opposite approach, putting a sample from “In My Life” front and center rather than burying it in the background. Instead, it acts as a counter-voice to Denzel. This is the track that reminds me most of Melt My Eyez See Your Future, with Denzel adopting a lounge-jazz vocal style. It’s much more relaxed and less aggressive than EVIL GRIN.

Capone is God for geriatric cats
You got one life, the other eight are gettin’ whacked

UPS doesn’t stand out to me. It has some great lines, but Denzel Curry’s rapping feels too repetitive, with the laid-back style not helping to get his point across. It’s still a good mellow Boom Bap track, but compared to the rest of the album, it feels like the weakest element.

UPS does flow well into BENJAMIN, which feels like the more successful, bigger brother, with more variation but the same intent. Both tracks sound heavily inspired by MF DOOM, but BENJAMIN does it right. The guitar is mixed so satisfyingly into the track, while the samples from crate-digger number one Kenny Beats can feel random at times, yet somehow fit perfectly into the overall picture.

And I don’t wanna beef with you
The table had a seat for you, I broke bread to eat with you
This is just a warning shot in case I gotta ether you (Know what I’m sayin’?)

The opening on COLD NIGHT IN HELL is some of Kenny’s finest work on ii. The buildup sounds like you’re sharpening a knife. It doesn’t drop straight into the beat, but first lets the sample do its thing, waits an extra second or two, and then drops. That does so much to make you notice the beat itself. Denzel is just casually calling out PlayThatBoiZay without turning the track into some gangster anthem.

Ayo, once you get your first body, ain’t no comin’ back (Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom)

That Westside Gunn opening does not get old. He just has to Boom Boom Boom me and I’m sold, the song is great. But the boom boom aside, Westside Gunn has a voice and presence that just makes a song cool as fuck. He’s a hot knife through butter with everything he touches. It just makes me excited for more Kenny Beats and Westside Gunn collabs. That would sell.

While you scratchin’ on the surface, I bet you I turn the tables, like (Like?)
Go DJ, that’s my DJ

One final track, and they had to make it a statement. The final verse says, “Live fast, die hard, we’re all soft in the end (All these),” and that “fast” part feels especially fitting because this mix is up there in tempo. Kenny had a bunch of samples and sounds left over and expertly mixed them into DIFFERENCE. Denzel comes out swinging after taking a few tracks to rest, while Yebba’s exotic, otherworldly voice fits perfectly with the equally exotic sound of Kenny’s instrumental. Really, a fitting final track for Live Fast & Die Hard ii.

One of those albums you can just play on repeat for hours. Every track has its own voice and attitude, with MF DOOM’s influence, Kenny Beats’ crate-digging sampling, and Denzel Curry’s rap prowess all coming together perfectly. All I can say is: “Please don’t cancel Lowlands for once.”

Featured Tracks

GONE FISHING

DIFFERENCE

CANDLELIGHT