CURRY,DENZEL IMPERIAL (LP-EXPLICI

In the years between his 2013 debut LP, Nostalgic 64, and his sophomore set, Imperial, Denzel Curry evolved from a shadowy cult presence into a full-blown, game-ready voice. While hints of this direction were already present on Nostalgic -- a few subtly catchy hooks and a lyrical dexterity ahead of his peers -- Imperial presents Curry as a figure set to dominate his contemporaries with sheer skill and personality. Like Vince Staples and Kendrick Lamar, the Miami-based wordsmith is introspective and can be shockingly dark, with wordy bars compressed with lyrics that easily swerve from violent street-level snapshots to pop culture references aplenty. Take the autobiographical whirlwind "Story: No Title" for example: the mid-album highlight contains shout-outs to Fugazi, Kill Bill, Star Wars, Bebe's Kids, and Spongebob, woven through grim ruminations on gun violence and desperation. With his breathless delivery, it can be exhausting, but in an exciting, thrilling way. Some of the best hoo