DKE Author: The Artist That Will Put Belle Glade, Florida on the Map

South Florida rapper DKE Author proves to have the potential to be Hip-Hop’s next big thing in his debut mixtape “Respect the Dark.” 

By Amaya Lorick

Belle Glade, Florida rapper DKE Author has a name with a combined meaning. In reference to medieval times, the DKE in his name stands for Dark Knight Empire. Author is slightly more self—explanatory and alludes to his storytelling ability. When you first hear DKE Author’s slight country accent mixed with his deep and melodic vocals, you will likely compare his sound to Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates. Still extremely new to the game, DKE Author has the potential to surpass Gates’ level of influence due to a more tasteful pen and a bigger vocal range to work with.

Already adopting the nickname, “Prince of the South”, DKE Author gained a following after the success of his song “That Guy” officially released on most multimedia platforms in February 2019. The single has been streamed over two million times and played on various radio stations across the country. The hard-hitting track produced by Yung Dza grasps listeners’ attention but DKE Author’s adlibs lock them into continuing to listen to the song. On February 18, 2019, WorldstarHipHop premiered the video for “That Guy” on their Youtube channel and it has since secured almost one million streams. His confident and fun persona in both the song and music video left his new fans wondering “who is DKE Author and when is he dropping more music?”

Respect the Dark was made available on all streaming platforms on March 12, 2020. The 37-minute mixtape was made up of 12 songs, six already heard by fans. Prior to its release, the mixtape’s next leading single “Gamble” featuring Georgia rapper Quando Rondo was also released via WorldstarHipHop’s YouTube channel which now has almost 200,000 views. The debut project also features southern rappers Lavish the MDK and Kevo Muney. 

My favorite song on Respect the Dark, “Hard Nights,” is easily the realest song on the mixtape because of DKE Author’s vulnerability. Known for producing many of Chicago rapper Polo G’s popular tracks, JTK embeds a subtle cry into the beat that DKE Author effortlessly matches with the emotion in his voice. The song, dedicated to his friend and rapper Raw who lost his life to gun violence, addresses Author’s feelings surrounding his mental health and his connection to his hometown. DKE Author reflects on his decision to pursue a music career and how it has threatened his relationships with longtime friends. 

Respect the Dark undeniably leaves listeners wanting more from DKE Author. It is obvious that the Belle Glade native has a future in hip-hop because of his talent but also because of his relatability. In light of coronavirus pandemic, DKE Author live-streamed a performance of the songs on his mixtape via YouTube. Actions like that prove that that DKE Author has the drive and discipline to gain a loyal following. While Respect the Dark still leaves us uncertain about who DKE Author is, we all should keep the rapper on our radars. 

Favorite songs:

Gamble ft. Quando Rancho

Hard Nights

That Guy

Rating: 7

Listen to Respect The Dark here:

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Revisiting Denzel Curry’s Long-Awaited Mix: '13LOOD IN + 13LOOD OUT' Mixtape Review

By Carter Fife

After almost a year of cryptic tweets and delayed release dates, last month Carol City rapper Denzel Curry finally released his new BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT MIX (stylized as ‘13LOOD IN + 13LOOD OUT MIXX’). Clocking in at around 13 minutes with approximately 8 tracks, BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT sees Curry at his finest after two of the busiest years of his career. Between two critically-acclaimed records, over four separate tour circuits, and numerous guest appearances on tracks such as Flying Lotus’ ‘Black Balloons Reprise’, many believed that Curry might have been inclined to take a breather in 2020. Despite this, Zxltron has graced fans with two separate projects this year, and it is only February.

BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT sees a true return to form for Denzel Curry as he finds himself rapping over abrasive 808-laden instrumentals. The aural register of this project is an interesting synthesis of Curry’s older styles: the mix has the intensity of his 13 EP, melodies that came from the TA13OO and ZUU chopping block, and dark lyrics that parallel his earliest work on the genre-defining Nostalgia 64. It is on these tracks that we are able to see Curry’s influence on the Florida rap scene, and though many artists that have been influenced by Curry’s style (XXXTentacion, Ski Mask the Slump God, Spaceghostpurrp, Xavier Wulf, etc.) have ended up eclipsing the rapper, that does not prevent him from consistently delivering high-quality projects and perfecting his craft. This newest project showcases this idea perfectly, with every track exploring different hip-hop styles while remaining part of a cohesive mix. The tracks compliment each other by blending into each other nicely, and by featuring Curry’s peers like Zillakami, SpaceGhostPurrp, and Xavier Wulf. 

Some cuts, like ‘WELCOME TO THE FUTURE’, are great windows into the hip-hop powerhouse that Denzel Curry has become while also nodding to his past works. The track effortlessly weaves between hard-hitting hip-hop percussion and spacious melodies where Curry sings “I could've ended my life with a .45, When I was high, I would feel like a low life, This was the vibe, I was havin' a whole time, Say, "Fuck a nine," had to grind to the bedtime”. BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT also gave fans the second “super-saiyan” track that Curry teased before releasing the former on 2018’s TA13OO while leaving the latter to dissolve into hip-hop mythology. ‘GOGETA’, as it is now known, carries Denzel’s signature combination of dark and dejected lyrics paired with anime and Pokemon references. This track is powerful and motivating, with the lyrics fading out as ‘Black Power’ gets drowned out by a pulsating bass signal.

This mix has a little something for every fan of Denzel Curry, but it is definitely meant for lovers of the intensity found in 2017’s 13 EP. Though BLOOD IN + BLOOD OUT was shorter than some would have preferred, it will likely serve as the appetizer for whatever Curry has in store for us this year.

Favorite Tracks

EVIL TWIN

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

GOGETA

Rating: 9

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“UNLOCKED” Dishes out an Air-Tight Blend of Boom-Bap and Experimental Hip-Hop Featuring Some of Kenny Beats’ and Denzel Curry’s Most Daring Performances

By Owen Tait

Ever since the exponential growth of the underground hip-hop scene on streaming platforms such as SoundCloud, many rappers have struggled to maintain a reliable, consistent run in the limelight. Not the case for Floridian artist Denzel Curry. Ever since his breakout single “Ultimate” took the internet by storm in 2015, the Carol City native has seemingly perfected and reinvented his sound multiple times. His 2018 release Ta13oo spiraled into the dark depths of Curry’s persona, boasting sinister, unrelenting tracks such as “Clout Cobain,” “Percs,” and “Vengeance,” featuring experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA and City Morgue member Zillakami. 2019’s Zuu was a triumphant ode to his city, and 2020’s 13lood In + 13lood Out reinforced the darker themes he explored in previous projects. 

Now, not even a month later, Curry has teamed up with underground producer Kenny Beats, whose collaborations range from 03 Greedo to Rico Nasty to Dominic Fike, to release an eight track EP titled “UNLOCKED.” The project marks the duo’s first official collaboration over streaming services, but the two had worked together on Kenny Beats’ signature YouTube series “The Cave” the previous year. In addition to the EP, the two released a highly entertaining animated film to accompany the project. The short was visually thrilling and absolutely hilarious, but luckily, the album functions just as well without it.

The project’s opening track is mainly instrumental, featuring an unsettling, vintage vocal sample that narrates over the majority of the cut. However, in the last leg of the track, the beat switches to a villainous boom-bap anthem, and glitchy vocal samples introduce Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats as the main antagonists. Kenny Beats keeps his mean streak hot on “Take_it_Back_v2,” a clunky, hard as nails cut on which Denzel reveals his true motives: to finish his competition. Lines such as “I don't got candy but I'll turn your head to Gushers, sucka / When you see the barrel better pucker” allow him to perfectly balance his goofier persona with darker content. Furthermore, the choppy flows and heavy percussion serve as an ode to old school boom-bap, an aesthetic that remains prevalent throughout the rest of the record.

One particular method Kenny uses to pull off this aesthetic is by making many of instrumentals’ melodies very subtle, putting emphasis on the thumping percussion and creating more rigid, brash drumlines similar to the ones present in much of old-school hip-hop. Additionally, the abundance of chopped interludes and pitched vocals call back to old methods of sampling found in projects such as Madvillainy; however, Kenny Beats manages to throw experimental twists into the equation, making every unexpected quirk and sample a welcome surprise. Tracks such as “‘Cosmic’.m4a” and “So.Incredible.pkg” exemplify this spectacularly and carry a super fresh sound as a result. And Kenny isn’t the only one making callbacks on this project: tracks such as “DIET_” and the aforementioned “‘Cosmic’.m4a” feature Denzel sporting boisterous inflections reminiscent of rappers such as DMX and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and aside from the obvious comparisons, he’s the most animated he’s sounded in a long time.

Occasionally, Kenny and Denzel return to the current wave of underground rap, crafting minimalist, nocturnal bangers with in-your-face bass and and haunting melodies. The track “Lay_Up.m4a” incorporates a chunky west coast bassline and some of Denzel’s hardest bars on the project. It’s certainly a good detour from the rest of the album’s sound, and the same goes for the penultimate interlude, a trippy instrumental with numerous beat switches and a funky bassline throughout. On the track, Kenny combines elements of acid jazz with chopped versions of Denzel’s vocals from other cuts on the project. Overall, it makes for a tight, satisfying journey, and it perfectly transitions into the anthemic final track, “‘Cosmic’.m4a.”

With UNLOCKED, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats come through with an EP that has very few flaws. Its tracklist is airtight at just under 18 minutes, the instrumentals are a near-perfect blend of modern experimental hip-hop and old-school boom-bap, and Denzel’s vocal deliveries are as dynamic as ever. However, as I experienced multiple times during my first listen, listeners may scoff at some of Denzel’s punchlines or find them extremely corny. While bars such as “Harry Potter clip filled with deadly ass hollows” are certainly clever, lines such as “Doctor buggin out like Flick versus Hopper” don’t hold up as well, and others such as “Captain Planet / I'm on my packin' cannons to crack Atlantis” don’t even make much sense to begin with. Hell, even the line about Gushers mentioned earlier could be seen as too goofy to take seriously.

Despite this issue that may turn some listeners off, I found the EP as a whole very enjoyable. The off-the-wall production, flighty interludes, and aggressive flows and vocal performances from Denzel Curry make for an entertaining ride. Furthermore, at under 20 minutes, the project flies by with no problem, increasing replay value and giving fans a set of enticing tracks to hold them over until Denzel’s next full length project. Earlier, I discussed the longevity problem that many new artists face in today’s industry, but if Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats continue to put out work this consistent, I can’t see them fading out anytime soon.

Favorite Tracks

Take_it_Back_v2

DIET_

‘Cosmic’.m4a

Rating: 8

Listen to UNLOCKED here:

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