A conversation with Denzel Curry – King of the Mischievous South

I sat down with Denzel Curry in a Parisian underground studio to dive into the creation of his Big Ultra persona, born from his Ultraground collaboration with Key Nyata. We explored his many alter egos—Raven Miyagi, Aquarius’Killa—and the influence of icons like SpaceGhostPurrp and Yusaku Matsuda on his evolving artistry. With his latest project, *King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2, Denzel’s message is simple: turn off your brain and have fun. Get ready for a raw, insightful ride.

Andy Zozulya: Yessir!

Denzel Curry: What’s up, man?

Actually, I wanted to ask about the big ultra persona.

Oh, word.

Okay. So, what inspired the big ultra persona and how it differ from your previous alter egos?

Well, the creation of Ultraground with me and Key Nyata , like, because it’s like a joint venture between me and him. When we created that, like, you know, he go by the name of Mr. Don’t Fold and he came out with Don’t Fold Vol. 1. So, I was just like, man, I’m going to just start calling myself Big Ultra just because. And that’s literally how I came up with the name. There’s no, like, persona to it. And I remember just trying to create a persona and then talk to my managers about it. Like, bro, you do that with every tape. Like, just don’t do it. I was like, bro, it’s just a name at this point. It’s just like another nickname for me.

It had nothing to do with a dimension of sound because, like, I listened to the new album and it sounds different.

It’s not about the dimension of sound because, like, because when I, like, what most people don’t know is when I first started my career, I was rapping like this. And if you were in the beginning of my career when I was in Raider Klan, then, you know, I was rapping like that first. You know what I’m saying? So, Big Ultra is just a nickname, a stamp, just celebrating, like, the new adventure that I’m going into.

One of the first alter egos you started with was Raven Miyagi.

Yeah. The Raven Miyagi one. And yeah, so I got that name from SpaceGhostPurrp from way back in the day because me, Yung Simmie, and this rapper named N3ll, we had a group called Black Raven. And originally it was me and Simmie at first and then N3ll ended up being part of it.

I remember Purp going on my own Facebook page because that’s where we all pretty much met and my name was Denzel Aquarius Killer on my own Facebook page, and in parentheses, it said Miyagi. And then he went on my page and said Raven Miyagi. That’s how I ended up getting the name.

I had this whole backstory, and there’s a third, Aquarius Killer is like the crazy one. This one’s like the… I just had, like, like, just think about it on some comic book shit. Raven Miyagi being the intelligent one and, like, think about lyrics and stuff like that.

So that helps you in a way to separate your art. Like, for example, like David Bowie, when he had, like, different personas. Is it, like, kind of the same for you? So it’s kind of easier for you to separate, like, into categories the kind of, you know, art you do? Or, like, is it a mental thing?

I mean, over the years I had several personas. So it was like Aquarius’Killa, then there’s Raven Miyagi, then there’s Denny Cascade, then there’s Ultimate Denzel Curry, then there’s Zeltron 6 Billion. The most commonly known one is Zeltron 6 Billion and the Big Ultra one that you just talked about was just a nickname, and, yeah, like, oh, and Black Metal Terrorist, but when it comes down to it…

Black Metal Terrorist. Was, your trve Scandinavian Black Metal form?

I have so many names, bro. Like, I just think, like, every… Even, like, back in the day, like, if you watch Three 6 Mafia, like, Lord Infamous, and they have a whole bunch of his nicknames in, like, a bio or what they call him. And even MF Doom has it. So I was just thinking, like, man, I’m not too far off from that, you know? Yeah.

Also, no, I’m gonna check. I didn’t know about Black Metal Terrorist. I’m a huge Black Metal fan, actually.

So you like Euronymous and Dead?

Yeah, of course. Classics.

Burzum. I don’t really dig Burzum like that, but…

I mean, he’s got some nice tracks, though.

I don’t fuck with Varg.

I mean, he’s a fucking Nazi, in that sense, yeah… Fuck Varg.
Alright. So, on your new album, you have several guests, like A$AP Rocky and Ski Mask. How do you choose the collaborators, usually?

Mainly who would work for the track, but a majority of the time, it’s just, like, who fits the vibe of the album I’m going for. So, when you hear Melt My Eyez See Your Future, I wanted people that was lyrically talented and can sing. I wanted to feel, like, the Electric Lady sessions, Common’s Like Water for Chocolate, D’Angelo’s Voodoo, and stuff like that.

So, when that was going on, I’d send out tracks to people I had in mind. I’d hit them up like, ‘Hey, can you send this back?’ And they were like, ‘Bro, I got you.’ And they ended up sending it back and everything.

Sweet. Now, the live at Electric Lady EP. I explored quite a lot, the covers you did, like, in the past. Rage Against the Machine one, Erykah Badu and Shogun’s Lonely Man.

Lonely Man.

How come? A song from a Japanese TV detective show.

Since we’re here for Fashion Week, I have to let you know, like, I chose Lonely Man because I really liked the song. The actor Yusaku Matsuda is a big influence on the way I dress to this day. So, that’s why I chose Lonely Man.

Because I remember watching Detective Story, and, you know, he inspired a lot of characters that I really, like, dig. Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop, Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star, and Kuzan Aokiji from One Piece.

So, when I chose Lonely Man, it’s because it just sounded so cool and nostalgic and old. The lyrics was tight, so I felt like it fit the vibe of what I was doing on Melt My Eyez. I couldn’t really get a jazz band to make the original, but I wanted as much live instruments as I can.

What about Takashi Miike?

DC: I like his movies. He did Ichi de Killer and 13 Assassins is my favorite movie.

What’s the craziest moment you remember from a live performance?

It all feels like a blur to me. I think the most recent memory was having a tornado warning. It started off as a code yellow, then it went to a code red, and then they had to take down the PA system and all that stuff because it might do a cartwheel on you. But, yeah, I think that’s the most recent thing that just happened that was pretty crazy. A tornado might mess up the set and kill us all.

With your new album King of the Mischievous South Vol.2 that recently dropped on vinyl as well. What’s the message you expect, listeners to take from it?

Nothing. I gave you introspection from the last tapes and tapes way back. This one. Nothing. To have a good time. That’s my whole thing. I’m making music just because I want to make music, and I feel like everybody should just, you know, just turn their brain off for a bit and just have fun with this!

Yeah. And the last album sounds fucking fun. It’s really good.

Thank you. Alright. It’s good.

It’s good. I’m done.

Oh, you’re done? That was it?

Yeah.

What the fuck?

Watch ‘HOT ONE’ (Mischievous Summer) below: