Denzel Curry - Zuu

An ode to everything that made him, Denzel Curry's fourth album, ZUU, is a bold and bombastic set of gut-rumbling rap anthems ideal for windows-down summer driving. Unlike 2018's dark and moody Ta13oo, ZUU is energized, party-friendly, and fun, buffered by a nostalgic throwback energy that ties his past to the present. Lyrically, that past is entrenched throughout, with Curry honoring his parents, shouting out Florida rap predecessors Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, Plies, and Trina, and painting a rich, detailed canvas of daily life in Miami's Carol City neighborhood. Production-wise, ZUU is a thrill, a blend of classic Miami bass and Curry's twisted experimental rap potpourri. At a trim 29 minutes, there's not a second wasted here; even the interludes contribute to the overall hometown experience and are funny to boot. Highlights abound, including the speaker-blasting "Ricky" -- named after Curry's father -- and the menacing collaboration with Maybach don Rick Ross on the feverish bass boome