TA13OO is the third full-length project from South Florida rapper Denzel Curry. Denzel isn't really one of the biggest rappers right now, but he has a very loyal, niche fanbase thanks to his appearance on the 2016 XXL Freshman Class and his association with Members Only, which features other South Florida rappers like the late XXXTentacion, Ski Mask The Slump God, and Wifisfuneral. I am very much a fan of Denzel mostly because he knows how to blend lyrical music and hype music so damn well and was very excited for this project. Since this album was basically released in 3 EPs, I'll review each act individually, track by track, and average the scores of each one.
Act 1: LIGHT | L1GHT
1) TABOO | TA13OO - For the light side, Denzel is going for a more mellow angle. The intro track has a more soulful and melodic tone. The lyrics focus on molestation and abuse as Denzel sing-raps about a relationship with a young woman with a history of abuse. Denzel demonstrates great storytelling through his melodies.
2) BLACK BALLOONS | 13LACK 13ALLOONZ (feat. Twelve'len x GoldLink) - This song features parallels with the movie IT and the Black Balloons represent pain. The hook was shared by Twelve'len and Denzel and they both sound great together. The first verse starts with a light tone and gets darker as it goes on, which I thought was very interesting. GoldLink's verse was pretty nice. The outro is a skit which features a radio interview. It ends with a dark question that says "What exactly are you trying to hide, Mr. Curry?"
3) CASH MANIAC | CAZH MAN1AC (feat. Nyyjerya) - Nyyjerya's hook has just the right amount of arrogance to it and Denzel kills it in the verses. The second verse features a Family Guy reference:
"That's me at my lowest, no Peter Griffin"
4) SUMO | ZUMO - This was released as a single back in April and I've played it a bunch ever since. In the context of this album, it seems a little out of place, but this song is so good. Charlie Heat brings the heat on production as he mixes bells and heavy bass. "Sumo" has one of the hardest hooks in Denzel's discography. In my opinion, this song is the best example of Denzel's technical ability as he lays down so many insane flows, references, and hard-hitting one-liners. It's a shame that Ski Mask The Slump God was too lazy to record a verse for this song. Without exaggeration, this is one of the hardest tracks of all time.
Act 2: GRAY | GRAY
1) SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN | ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN - Denzel Curry compares himself to Goku and takes his Super Saiyan form. The beat on this track goes insanely hard and Denzel hits us with some more fantastic flows. This song has one of the best hooks on the album and ends with an eerie outro. This is one of the best tracks on the entire album and the only flaw here is that it's way too short.
2) SWITCH IT UP | ZW1TCH 1T UP - Ronny J on production is guaranteed to slap and this song is no different. On this track, Denzel focuses on paranoia and bipolar disorder and expresses these traits very well through his voice and flow. I also loved this line in particular:
"They only know Denzel Curry, but they really don't know Denzel"
He's basically saying that people love his music but they don't know much about the personality behind it. This song is so dark but it also slaps.
3) MAD I GOT IT | MAD 1 GOT 1T - This song has some nice melodies. I also liked this line that pays homage to the late XXXTentacion:
"Still in the hood and I still sip tea"
The beat switch and transition into the third verse is amazing. That part, in my opinion, is where the song picks up. I also thought the warbly outro was pretty dope.
4) SIRENS | Z1RENZ (feat. J.I.D) - Billie Eilish is an uncredited vocalist who shares the hook with Denzel. This is one of the most powerful tracks on here because Denzel raps about his views on the state of America and the constant struggles he has with his faith. He highlights police brutality, gun violence, the media, and terrorism. The sirens represent the US justice system. J.I.D is one of the best young rappers right now and he stole the show with his verse.
5) CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N - The third single for this album was probably my favorite. I had already reviewed this track a few weeks back but I love how Denzel raps about the lengths that people would go to gain clout. Also, the hook on this track is so good.
Act 3: DARK | DARK
1) THE BLACKEST BALLOON | THE 13ACKEZT 13ALLOON - This song focuses more on family issues. This track was an amazing way to start the final act. This song has one of the best hooks on here, Denzel's flow sounds amazing, and the production is hard as bricks. I also like that Denzel can make anti-drug statements without sounding like a pretentious asshole unlike the fake woke pseudo-intellectuals clogging rap at the moment.
2) PERCS | PERCZ - This was my least favorite of the three singles, but this song is still amazing. The subject matter can best be described in the hook, where Denzel loudly claims that he does not fuck with pills or the current state of the hip-hop industry.
3) VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE (feat. JPEGMafia x Zillakami) - On the hook, Denzel is doused in distortion and it sounds amazing. There isn't a single bad verse on this track either. Denzel brings the energy and sounds like he's ready to fuck someone up, Peggy brings his edgy style onto the track so well, and Zillakami brings his aggression too. I've never really heard much of Zillakami but he sounds super similar to Denzel. Like, I wouldn't be able to tell it was him if I wasn't reading the lyrics while listening.
4) BLACK METAL TERRORIST | 13 M T - What an amazing way to end the album. In this song, Denzel takes on the personality of Zel, who is basically a more aggressive version of himself. Denzel Curry oozes confidence in a song where he says he's basically the GOAT and those other rappers are basic in comparison. This is one of the hardest songs on the album because FNZ and Ronny J absolutely kill it on production. I also love how the album ends on a creepy note with that outro.
CONCLUSION | CONCLUZ1ON
This album is amazing in every way. Denzel is the perfect blend of conscious and he delivers his rhymes with such aggression and energy. This was an enjoyable ride all the way through and I will definitely listen to this again someday.
Best Tracks
Sumo
Super Sayian Superman
Switch It Up
Clout Cobain
The Blackest Balloon
Black Metal Terrorist
Worst Track ("Least Good")
Mad I Got It
Act 1 Score: 7/10
Act 2 Score: 9/10
Act 3 Score: 10/10
Final Score: 8.67/10
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