love this album. btw still waiting on that next MF DOOM abum reaction (vaudeville villain or MM FOOD) or, if you want to get mind-fucked with lyrics, the impossible kid by aesop rock (although pretty underground and may not get as many views)
As a friendly note, suicide doors are also a special design for a car door that are typically used in supercars and customized luxury vehicles. This connects with the next line about leather seats, mixing themes of success and suicide (bloody seats = red leather).
Yeah... the folks in Discord are giving me a good time over my going nuts on Suicide Doors and TOTALLY missing that 😂 Just me diving into one of my rabbit holes again :)
This album ages so well in my opinion, this will be one of those albums you can come back to 10 years later and it still hit the way it did when it dropped
I believe the suicidal doors is referring to the kind of door which is hinged from the rear and not the front. Usually associated with expensive cars. Lots of rappers use the term
Yeah, they are... and somehow my mind jumped down a rabbit hole so deep that literal 'suicide doors' never crossed my mind 🙄 Thankfully, after seeing the video for that song, I wasn't wildly off base on what I was ranting about 😂
I hear a lot of people say they've never heard a denzel curry song before listening to his stuff, but if you haven't heard ULTIMATE then I don't know what planet you've been living on. That song absolutely ruled the internet, hard to describe how big it was
Seeing as you liked JID’s verse on Sirenz I’d recommend The Never Story or DiCaprio 2, both by JID. Great lyrics on both albums so I think you’ll enjoy them.
I think it’s because JID is a newer artist and people want you to listen to more classic albums. But, I’d still definitely give him a listen if you can. He’s a great lyricist, has a similar voice to Kendrick Lamar and was discovered by J. Cole.
@@bobthepoppop I can't tell for all, but I think you would love his style. Personally, he is the kind of artist that checks all the mandatories for me: skill, technique, vibe, melody, lyrics etc. Highly recommend
Curry actually covered RIP by Carti around the time this album dropped. I don't think the diss on Percs is at Carti. It's more directed towards other artists that people consider to be industry plants, who act like they made it on their own but are trash.
One of my fav albums of all time, and the two singles he dropped for his upcoming album are incredible also. (And if you are looking for another Peggy project, he dropped one of the best albums of 2021 with LP!)
Coming from a household that would only listen to rock music, this was the album that got me into hiphop. Regarding your question in the end about where he sits in the world of hiphop: He’s kind of an underground legend, has a decent following, but not really commercially ubiquitous. He’s from my hometown in Carol City and he was the main pioneer of south Florida hiphop and SoundCloud rap. The songs you heard in the last section of the album are reminiscent of what hiphop sounded like in Florida during the 2010’s.
If you want more hip hop with a metal tone, you should check out the subgenre of Trap Metal. Zillakami, who is featured on this album, is a part of a group called City Morgue who I think mastered this style on their first album, Hell Or High Water.
So glad you reacted to this man!! Literally staring at the vinyl on my wall that my brother bought me as I type this. If it didn't become clear when listening, the 3 sides (volumes) were meant to be the Light, Grey, and Dark sides of Denzel's mind. Which I think having that context makes the line in the first track "Welcome to the darkest side of taboo" so cool because he's saying even the light portions of his mind are still dark, but shown through a lighter perspective. ALSO, the final verse in "Mad I Got It" (in my opinion) is Denzel rationalizing with the other side, and changing to the perspective of someone who might be jealous of him, attempting to rationalize the terrible things happening to him, hence the "grey" side of his mind rather than light or dark.
As I watch the music videos and listen to other details about the album, I'm starting to think of the Light/Gray/Dark phases as layers rather than sides. The deeper you go, the darker it gets and the more 'Taboo' the ideas are
The way I always saw the album based on the songs and the way it’s layered and the interviews he’s had on it, I personally saw it as: It’s Taboo to talk about molestation, it’s taboo to talk about depression in the music industry, it’s taboo to talk about how easy it is to fall into temptation of money, it’s taboo to talk about how many friends can turn on you in a heartbeat, it’s taboo to talk about police brutality, it’s taboo to talk about suicide either by yourself or from the direct influence by others, it’s taboo to talk about how often people who’ve passed can be another reason to end it, it’s taboo to talk about artists using drugs despite many artists dying from them, it’s taboo to talk about the inner hate someone can have after being wronged, and the last track is taboo to him because Black Metal Terrorist is a comic he has been working on where his brother who passed is the main character. Him saying he’s the black terrorist is realizing he is carrying the legacy of his brother who supported his music. Also a side note, the girl mentioned at the beginning is a reflection of him being molested as a kid as he admitted in an interview with the breakfast club. The girl that is fictional is supposed to be his way of putting down his emotion and how he felt, into another person and try to handle it the way he expects himself to if he encountered a partner who went through that. Again this is my opinion but this is one of my favorite albums of all time.
This is the opinion I'm beginning to have as well. The whole album seems to be structured around saying all the things people don't really want to talk about and putting a spotlight on those ideas. I love it.
@@bobthepoppop agreed I’m glad you reached Denzel’s work he’s a top 5 artist for me, it’s always awesome to hear your interpretation of the lyrics and the overall production.
This is my favorite album, I just love how dark it gets and how surreal it feels when the album loops back to that start on multiple listens. I suggest looking into several video essays that talk about the potential themes of the album.
It was great seeing you try to understand the concept and storyline of this album! Even for me, I understood the parts on mental health, suicide, and systematic oppression but then everything else was kind of all over the place. There was this video by a youtuber called the Manic Pineapple, he did a really good job explaining on what the concept of the album really meant. Would recommend checking it out, it rly changed the way I saw the album. The depth that Zel went hear to produce a deep, twisted, and dark story of not just his life but really life as a whole was incredible and what made it one of my favorite albums of all time.
Just an FYI, not sure if you ended up seeing it, but it does say on the top right of the genius page who produced the song. Love the reaction like always.
Genius does show who produced the song, just look at the top right. Also, it pretty much shows all musicians on a track. Also, the term "lit" was a popular term before the album Die Lit, and still is a popular term. No one says "lit" to refer to the album, he was just making fun of mumble rap in general with that line.
funny how Bob looks quite scared when looking at the annotations hahaha, but great job man, you give the album a whole new experience when going full unbiased at the content
YES!!! Finally!! Idk if you saw my comment, but this reaction is very timely. I literally recommended it a few days ago! You're quick man. Glad you really enjoyed it!
Been following for awhile and excited to see you finally dive into one of my favorite current artists. The best part about Denzel's discography is the growth you get to see from him over time and how key events in his life defined his sound for each project Branching out into being his own artist while reflecting on his childhood roots in Nostalgic 64, to reflecting on what success in the music industry has meant to him good and bad on Taboo, and one of his more recent tapes ZUU basically being a love letter to the city he grew up in. On his first official release he is only 17 years old, a decade later we have quite literally been able to see him grow up through his sound and its really special to me.
Loving this so much! So when you talked about it starting out with more lyrics to interperate then it switches to more music focused, my interpertation is this is the point he's trying to deal with those problems by just ignoring them. He starts focusing on just doing braggadocious shit and avoiding his issues, but they pop up like the second verse of Sumo. Just my idea on what that sudden switch could be.
I think you're right on this. And it's a good representation of the first layer/phase of the album... having these feelings that exist but putting them to the side. Then it dives deeper into those feelings as the album continues.
new video, woohoo! don’t feel overwhelmed with the number of recommendations, take your time and listen to what you’re interested in. however, if there’s any album that i think would really catch your interest, it would have to be atrocity exhibition by danny brown. i remember you said something about “leaving out the comedown in the lyrics” when you were listening to Rodeo, and without spoiling the album, that’s what danny brown really captures in that album.
I recommend JID's 'the never story' if you got room. He had the verse on sirens edit: here's a little trailer for it if you're interested. Only 2 min th-cam.com/video/YVEgiuExFl8/w-d-xo.html
Amazing album. His next album "Melt My Eyez, See Your Future" is gonna be a written & concept project (his last 2 projects: ZUU & Unlocked were freestyled). Hopefully it's just as good or maybe even better, cant wait! Edit: Melt My Eyez, See Your Future came out over 2 - 3 weeks ago and it's amazing. Denzel's 2nd best project, imo.
Im really glad u liked this album, when this first came out in 2018, it started my love for dark sounding rap songs and my Denzel "phase" I would blast this album everywhere, and at the time the album was on top 5 on almost everybody's list, I cant wait for the ZUU review
After watching alot of video essays on youtube and focusing more on the lyrics, i think it’s safe to say that taboo is a metaphorical person meant to be denzel.
This reaction made me go back and listen to an album that I already loved with new ears. For some reason I never payed attention to the lyrics too much. I don't know how. Love this album even more. Thanks Bob
Bob, please, you have to listen Lupe Fiasco, if you want lyrics in Hip Hop, it doesn't get better than Lupe, honestly. He's a 2000's rapper, he was featured on Kanye's Touch The Sky. Not only are his lyrics talking about actual things and issues, they're very metaphoric most of the time, and he sometimes has different interconnected stories running between albums, or huge but not obvious concepts for his albums I know you'll love him and he deserves the attention since even after all these years and being called a legend in Hip Hop, he's still fairly underground, he had a few hits in the 2000's, but nothing since then. Not all of his discography is great though, because of label issues he released some bad pop oriented albums the label pushed on him, although even those albums got gems. So you don't have to go through all of his discography in order, but i do recommend doing his first two albums back to back first. Love your content btw!
Lupe is on my list. He's been there for awhile. It's all about getting him into the rotation. Picking which album to listen to next is by far the hardest part of this channel
If you are taking recommendations for any listens you do in the future, acid rap by Chance the rapper is very good and one of my personal favorites. Love all the content you’ve put out so far and hope you continue.
From all the singles to the new album he's teasing right now, I feel like you're going to like it because its very heavy in lyrical content. (Including deep social justice issues like in the title track of taboo)
Highly recommend checking out his '13LOOD 1N + 13LOOD OUT MIXX'. It's on TH-cam. Really shows the versatility of his flow/delivery and style. Some of his best work.
I think the Taboo character he was talking about in the first song is a metaphor for Denzel himself. He was molested as a child, and I think they're more clues but i don't remember them all. I'm sure you can find out more by googling. Also really glad you mentioned Them Crooked Vulture. I rarely see them mentioned ever. I'm not that into rock but Dead End Friends is such a good track! Loved the video!
This is bar none my favorite trap album of all time, the writing, the rawness, the hooks, the production, it’s all top notch, yes, it’s a bit of a slouch to get to the hardest hitting material, but man does it create this slow burn vibe that makes the latter material so much more.
Im pretty sure the last line in Mad I Got It is him flipping the perspective of the song in reference to the death of XXXTENTACION who he was friends with.
This album was one of my most listened pieces of music back when it came out and I still listen to it now and then but I never realized how close Sumo is to being a drill track lmao. Like, if he strerched that bass a bit more, we'd be listening to drill curry (not like I wouldn't mind it) EDIT: I know you've got a lot on your list right now but you've got to listen to JID. Sirens is what got me into him and he's out of this world. At the very least give a look to his freestyles on youtube. Guy's a beast. Great vid!
Im not sure if that was a specific diss at Playboi Carti. Just a blanket statement at that type of hip hop. I wouldn't get too hung up on his use of the term "lit". It is just a widely used slang term that is used in many diff contexts. But i like the fact that you are looking for references like that! You may have to do reactions to some of the best hip hop diss tracks lol. Feel like you'd enjoy them
another great reaction..Also since you enjoy RAge Against the Machine- i highly recommend PUBLIC ENEMY "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" this is regarded as a landmark album, a classic, an opus. and they also have a lot of collaborative projects with RAge since the subject matter is similar and their music hits hard.
Yes, I second this! It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and their subsequent release, Fear of a Black Planet, are two albums that *need* to be listened to. And, since the lyrical content of these 2 albums are excellent, they are the perfect albums for Bob to really dig into.
I've been watching the hip-hop evolution series on Netflix and taking notes :) As I learn more about hip-hop's origins, I realize that doing a Public Enemy reaction would be a lot of fun 👍
honestly really fw how u interpreted the suicidal doors rather than the actual meaning denzel was tryna put. Also, the music video shed a LOT more light on what he was really trying to say in the song
Been waiting so long for this. The moment I started listening to this album, I knew it was special and would age well. This album made Denzel top 10 for my favorites of all time Edit: just like piñata, there was a lot of references you didn’t get, and nothings wrong with that. It just kind of takes away from the initial listen. As you keep diving into hip hop, the pieces will start connecting more and more.
We would love to see your reaction to The Weeknd's catalog. Especially the three mixtapes, his first project House of Balloons,, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. Would love to see your insights about those projects. Keep it up, you're doing a good job, sir. Love the videos
your reaction to jid was awesome to see and hear, bro is really good and you should listen to some of his albums :) especially with an album coming out from him soon
I would love to see your react to $uicideboy$ debut album I Want To Die In New Orleans. It rarely gets mainstream attraction so I would like to see you react to it. They exist in similar realm as Denzel Curry and Denzel even shouts them out on track "THE BLACKEST BALLOON".
Yay i hope you get soon on "All My Heroes are Cornballs" by Jpegmafia. Really good album and different as always! Nice video bob, Denzel it's a beast ♥
Love your reactions this one is a favourite of mine, I’m sure you will have been recommended Run The Jewels, a mix of crazy heavy experimental beats and lyrics with so much attention to detail
I think Black Balloons is just talking sorta like a cloud of depression or in this case a black balloon always tied to him letting it float not trying to solve it or deal with it.
I know I’m late but there’s a really good video that explains that taboo referred to as a woman is actually Denzel himself he’s been opened about getting molested at a young age album is really deep the first part which is the light part is actually him being oblivious to what’s going on around him grey part of the album is him figuring out what’s going on around him and my favorite of all dark part is him reacting to everything once he knows all really misunderstood album
Great reaction man, I could tell even you'd love Denzel's energy in his delivery. Patiently awaiting 1999 and STEEZ reaction, also ik people gonna interject and say no but you should add Logic to your list, specifically his albums Under Pressure, Incredible True Story and No Pressure. Logic despite what people say is lyrical, like Zel he may not be the most lyrical but lyrics are there and he does get fairly introspective, plus his childhood was crazy, his mum was fucked up on medications and had bipolar and was in general an ass to him, almost killing him by strangling him one time. He has an interesting story. Be warned, people will say he can be corny, and sure he can be corny but not on those albums I listed, when Logic gets serious, he gets serious.
I interpreted the sudden switch in volume one as Denzel trying to hide his pain with braggadocio. The first track is an intro to the album, and then the second is exploring some dark thoughts. At the end of the second track, which is black balloons, it has clips from the radio talking about him, which shows that he is now in the public eye. That track ends with the question “what exactly are you trying to hide mr curry” before transitioning into Cash Maniac. He is now avoiding the taboo subject of his pain and his suicidal thoughts because he is in the industry, and in the rap industry everybody expects him to just brag about his wealth. the rest of the album is a descent into him caring less and less about appealing to the masses, and finally breaking and openly saying all of his darkest thoughts and desires in volume 3.
Love your content bro. Your commentary seems so genuine, love how you’re clearly trying to understand the lyrics on a deeper level. If you wanna check some other stuff out I’d recommend Malibu by Anderson .Paak
I knew you would like this a lot. I heard you talk about how heavy and metal biggie was and it just made me more excited for Denzel. Ngl I’ve listened to this album a shit ton and didn’t really fathom the transition between the topics on clout contain and blackest balloon like you did until now
17:30 Peter Griffin is from the show family guy. His wife is called Lois - kinda sounds like "lowest". It‘s another one of Denzel‘s many plays of words
Like with Pinata, it took me a little to warm up to this one, so give me a few tracks before you lose hope in me 😊
love this album. btw still waiting on that next MF DOOM abum reaction (vaudeville villain or MM FOOD) or, if you want to get mind-fucked with lyrics, the impossible kid by aesop rock (although pretty underground and may not get as many views)
love that you stay genuine with the reactions
The person Denzel talks about in the title track is actually himself, just to let you know:)
@@pedjixve2917 wait it is? Man that's roughhhhh
@@retailradiotv884 yep, i recommend watching this video, it explains almost the whole concept of the album th-cam.com/video/9uu1UnzQi6M/w-d-xo.html
As a friendly note, suicide doors are also a special design for a car door that are typically used in supercars and customized luxury vehicles. This connects with the next line about leather seats, mixing themes of success and suicide (bloody seats = red leather).
Yeah... the folks in Discord are giving me a good time over my going nuts on Suicide Doors and TOTALLY missing that 😂
Just me diving into one of my rabbit holes again :)
@@bobthepoppop we’ve all been there man haha
This album ages so well in my opinion, this will be one of those albums you can come back to 10 years later and it still hit the way it did when it dropped
Really? I thought this was known for aging badly
@@youareasock9752 everyone has their own opinion i guess not everyone is gonna have the same ear
Idk, i like It a lot but the sounds can age for sure, this type of production from TABOO can age badly, but the themes not so much
Yo love the pfp I remember floating when I first heard destroy
@@youareasock9752 it definitely aged poorly lol still a v good album tho
I believe the suicidal doors is referring to the kind of door which is hinged from the rear and not the front. Usually associated with expensive cars. Lots of rappers use the term
Yeah, they are... and somehow my mind jumped down a rabbit hole so deep that literal 'suicide doors' never crossed my mind 🙄
Thankfully, after seeing the video for that song, I wasn't wildly off base on what I was ranting about 😂
The next line talking about red leather seats kinda solidifies that he’s talking about a car
I hear a lot of people say they've never heard a denzel curry song before listening to his stuff, but if you haven't heard ULTIMATE then I don't know what planet you've been living on. That song absolutely ruled the internet, hard to describe how big it was
Glad you liked that JID verse he's one of my favorite newer rappers. Highly recommend the single bruhhh with JID and Denzel Curry, it goes super hard!
That JID verse is one of the hardest things I’ve ever heard lmao
Yes
Seeing as you liked JID’s verse on Sirenz I’d recommend The Never Story or DiCaprio 2, both by JID. Great lyrics on both albums so I think you’ll enjoy them.
The Never Story is already on my list, so that has been mentioned before. I don't think it's come up too often though.
I think it’s because JID is a newer artist and people want you to listen to more classic albums. But, I’d still definitely give him a listen if you can. He’s a great lyricist, has a similar voice to Kendrick Lamar and was discovered by J. Cole.
@@bobthepoppop I can't tell for all, but I think you would love his style. Personally, he is the kind of artist that checks all the mandatories for me: skill, technique, vibe, melody, lyrics etc. Highly recommend
this comment aged well 👍
Curry actually covered RIP by Carti around the time this album dropped. I don't think the diss on Percs is at Carti. It's more directed towards other artists that people consider to be industry plants, who act like they made it on their own but are trash.
Good clarification, thanks for that 👍
@@bobthepoppop I should have said remixed, not covered. But yeah, the remix is very good, too. You should check it out!
He meant lil pump because lol pump was known at first for hanging with x and curry
One of my fav albums of all time, and the two singles he dropped for his upcoming album are incredible also.
(And if you are looking for another Peggy project, he dropped one of the best albums of 2021 with LP!)
I can’t judge zatoichi until I hear it in context to be honest
Yea those singles are ridiculous, cant wait for Melt my eyez
BTTIGTP is better than lp! Imo
need that lp reaction
@@blackmana gotta be the offline version too
Coming from a household that would only listen to rock music, this was the album that got me into hiphop.
Regarding your question in the end about where he sits in the world of hiphop:
He’s kind of an underground legend, has a decent following, but not really commercially ubiquitous. He’s from my hometown in Carol City and he was the main pioneer of south Florida hiphop and SoundCloud rap. The songs you heard in the last section of the album are reminiscent of what hiphop sounded like in Florida during the 2010’s.
If you want more hip hop with a metal tone, you should check out the subgenre of Trap Metal. Zillakami, who is featured on this album, is a part of a group called City Morgue who I think mastered this style on their first album, Hell Or High Water.
Defo worth a reaction, interesting to see what he would think
FACTSSS
That album is on the list, but it hasn't been on my radar much. I added some notes to but it up a bit on my list
@@bobthepoppop please do city morgue u wont regret it🙏
So glad you reacted to this man!! Literally staring at the vinyl on my wall that my brother bought me as I type this. If it didn't become clear when listening, the 3 sides (volumes) were meant to be the Light, Grey, and Dark sides of Denzel's mind. Which I think having that context makes the line in the first track "Welcome to the darkest side of taboo" so cool because he's saying even the light portions of his mind are still dark, but shown through a lighter perspective. ALSO, the final verse in "Mad I Got It" (in my opinion) is Denzel rationalizing with the other side, and changing to the perspective of someone who might be jealous of him, attempting to rationalize the terrible things happening to him, hence the "grey" side of his mind rather than light or dark.
As I watch the music videos and listen to other details about the album, I'm starting to think of the Light/Gray/Dark phases as layers rather than sides. The deeper you go, the darker it gets and the more 'Taboo' the ideas are
@@bobthepoppop Thats a really smart observation, interesting to think about. I'll have to give it another listen with new ears.
Unlocked is much more boom-bap but still amazing in its own regard. The album was made in 24 hours if i recall correctly so most of it are freestyles
The way I always saw the album based on the songs and the way it’s layered and the interviews he’s had on it, I personally saw it as: It’s Taboo to talk about molestation, it’s taboo to talk about depression in the music industry, it’s taboo to talk about how easy it is to fall into temptation of money, it’s taboo to talk about how many friends can turn on you in a heartbeat, it’s taboo to talk about police brutality, it’s taboo to talk about suicide either by yourself or from the direct influence by others, it’s taboo to talk about how often people who’ve passed can be another reason to end it, it’s taboo to talk about artists using drugs despite many artists dying from them, it’s taboo to talk about the inner hate someone can have after being wronged, and the last track is taboo to him because Black Metal Terrorist is a comic he has been working on where his brother who passed is the main character. Him saying he’s the black terrorist is realizing he is carrying the legacy of his brother who supported his music. Also a side note, the girl mentioned at the beginning is a reflection of him being molested as a kid as he admitted in an interview with the breakfast club. The girl that is fictional is supposed to be his way of putting down his emotion and how he felt, into another person and try to handle it the way he expects himself to if he encountered a partner who went through that. Again this is my opinion but this is one of my favorite albums of all time.
This is the opinion I'm beginning to have as well. The whole album seems to be structured around saying all the things people don't really want to talk about and putting a spotlight on those ideas. I love it.
@@bobthepoppop agreed I’m glad you reached Denzel’s work he’s a top 5 artist for me, it’s always awesome to hear your interpretation of the lyrics and the overall production.
This is my favorite album, I just love how dark it gets and how surreal it feels when the album loops back to that start on multiple listens. I suggest looking into several video essays that talk about the potential themes of the album.
It gets SO DARK... holy shit, man. It was amazing where this album ended up going
It was great seeing you try to understand the concept and storyline of this album! Even for me, I understood the parts on mental health, suicide, and systematic oppression but then everything else was kind of all over the place.
There was this video by a youtuber called the Manic Pineapple, he did a really good job explaining on what the concept of the album really meant. Would recommend checking it out, it rly changed the way I saw the album. The depth that Zel went hear to produce a deep, twisted, and dark story of not just his life but really life as a whole was incredible and what made it one of my favorite albums of all time.
EXACTLY ^
Just an FYI, not sure if you ended up seeing it, but it does say on the top right of the genius page who produced the song. Love the reaction like always.
Genius does show who produced the song, just look at the top right. Also, it pretty much shows all musicians on a track.
Also, the term "lit" was a popular term before the album Die Lit, and still is a popular term. No one says "lit" to refer to the album, he was just making fun of mumble rap in general with that line.
Also "it's lit" is one of the most iconic Travis Scott adlibs
Yeah, carti is not the only type of rapper in that vein
funny how Bob looks quite scared when looking at the annotations hahaha, but great job man, you give the album a whole new experience when going full unbiased at the content
1:06:08 It shows in the top right corner who made the beat. It says produced by Mickey De Grand IV & FNZ
I feel like this was one of the best rap records to come out in the last few years. Soooo underappreciated. Glad you liked it
YES!!! Finally!! Idk if you saw my comment, but this reaction is very timely. I literally recommended it a few days ago! You're quick man. Glad you really enjoyed it!
Been following for awhile and excited to see you finally dive into one of my favorite current artists. The best part about Denzel's discography is the growth you get to see from him over time and how key events in his life defined his sound for each project Branching out into being his own artist while reflecting on his childhood roots in Nostalgic 64, to reflecting on what success in the music industry has meant to him good and bad on Taboo, and one of his more recent tapes ZUU basically being a love letter to the city he grew up in. On his first official release he is only 17 years old, a decade later we have quite literally been able to see him grow up through his sound and its really special to me.
Loving this so much! So when you talked about it starting out with more lyrics to interperate then it switches to more music focused, my interpertation is this is the point he's trying to deal with those problems by just ignoring them. He starts focusing on just doing braggadocious shit and avoiding his issues, but they pop up like the second verse of Sumo. Just my idea on what that sudden switch could be.
I think you're right on this. And it's a good representation of the first layer/phase of the album... having these feelings that exist but putting them to the side. Then it dives deeper into those feelings as the album continues.
Bro you should listen the Bizarre Ride II-The Pharcyde its an underrated west coast summer jam
new video, woohoo! don’t feel overwhelmed with the number of recommendations, take your time and listen to what you’re interested in. however, if there’s any album that i think would really catch your interest, it would have to be atrocity exhibition by danny brown. i remember you said something about “leaving out the comedown in the lyrics” when you were listening to Rodeo, and without spoiling the album, that’s what danny brown really captures in that album.
I recommend JID's 'the never story' if you got room. He had the verse on sirens
edit: here's a little trailer for it if you're interested. Only 2 min th-cam.com/video/YVEgiuExFl8/w-d-xo.html
Absolutely, he would love never story
Amazing album. His next album "Melt My Eyez, See Your Future" is gonna be a written & concept project (his last 2 projects: ZUU & Unlocked were freestyled). Hopefully it's just as good or maybe even better, cant wait!
Edit: Melt My Eyez, See Your Future came out over 2 - 3 weeks ago and it's amazing. Denzel's 2nd best project, imo.
DONT LISTEN TO ZUU, LISTEN TO IMPERIAL
It's so good
Im really glad u liked this album, when this first came out in 2018, it started my love for dark sounding rap songs and my Denzel "phase" I would blast this album everywhere, and at the time the album was on top 5 on almost everybody's list, I cant wait for the ZUU review
After watching alot of video essays on youtube and focusing more on the lyrics, i think it’s safe to say that taboo is a metaphorical person meant to be denzel.
Yup, I agree with that
Love it when you suddenly bring up Josh Homme or another “x” rock genius out of nowhere, but you manage to totally make sense out of it
The official video accompanied VENGEANCE/VENGEANCE so perfectly its insane, love it
This reaction made me go back and listen to an album that I already loved with new ears. For some reason I never payed attention to the lyrics too much. I don't know how. Love this album even more. Thanks Bob
Bob, please, you have to listen Lupe Fiasco, if you want lyrics in Hip Hop, it doesn't get better than Lupe, honestly.
He's a 2000's rapper, he was featured on Kanye's Touch The Sky.
Not only are his lyrics talking about actual things and issues, they're very metaphoric most of the time, and he sometimes has different interconnected stories running between albums, or huge but not obvious concepts for his albums
I know you'll love him and he deserves the attention since even after all these years and being called a legend in Hip Hop, he's still fairly underground, he had a few hits in the 2000's, but nothing since then.
Not all of his discography is great though, because of label issues he released some bad pop oriented albums the label pushed on him, although even those albums got gems.
So you don't have to go through all of his discography in order, but i do recommend doing his first two albums back to back first.
Love your content btw!
Lupe is on my list. He's been there for awhile. It's all about getting him into the rotation. Picking which album to listen to next is by far the hardest part of this channel
If you are taking recommendations for any listens you do in the future, acid rap by Chance the rapper is very good and one of my personal favorites. Love all the content you’ve put out so far and hope you continue.
From all the singles to the new album he's teasing right now, I feel like you're going to like it because its very heavy in lyrical content. (Including deep social justice issues like in the title track of taboo)
I'll be paying attention to Curry this year. If he does drop a new album, I'll be all over it 👍
@@bobthepoppop rumors are that he's planning to drop this month or at least somewhat very soon. He's been working on this album for a while now.
Highly recommend checking out his '13LOOD 1N + 13LOOD OUT MIXX'. It's on TH-cam. Really shows the versatility of his flow/delivery and style. Some of his best work.
That mix is great, False Gods & the song with Wulf are like drugs for anyone who was a fan of Raider Klan era hiphop
I think the Taboo character he was talking about in the first song is a metaphor for Denzel himself. He was molested as a child, and I think they're more clues but i don't remember them all. I'm sure you can find out more by googling.
Also really glad you mentioned Them Crooked Vulture. I rarely see them mentioned ever. I'm not that into rock but Dead End Friends is such a good track!
Loved the video!
I think I remember seeing somewhere that when Denzel references Taboo as a person. He's talking about himself.
I'm soooo glad you enjoyed it, Cash Maniac and Sumo aren't lyrically heavy but they'll grow on you as songs for sure
Genius does tell you who made the beat, if you find where it says credits for each song it’ll tell you who wrote it, who produced, etc.
This is bar none my favorite trap album of all time, the writing, the rawness, the hooks, the production, it’s all top notch, yes, it’s a bit of a slouch to get to the hardest hitting material, but man does it create this slow burn vibe that makes the latter material so much more.
@t_t08 yeah, most people would classify it as trap metal/hip-hop.
The 3 volumes of the album are meant to be the light, gray, and dark side of the album if I remember correctly. I may be wrong about though
Based on the tracks you like the most, I think you’ll enjoy imperial more. Personally my favorite Denzel project
Lots of calls for Imperial, so I'd like to react to that one as well
Im pretty sure the last line in Mad I Got It is him flipping the perspective of the song in reference to the death of XXXTENTACION who he was friends with.
This album was one of my most listened pieces of music back when it came out and I still listen to it now and then but I never realized how close Sumo is to being a drill track lmao. Like, if he strerched that bass a bit more, we'd be listening to drill curry (not like I wouldn't mind it)
EDIT: I know you've got a lot on your list right now but you've got to listen to JID. Sirens is what got me into him and he's out of this world. At the very least give a look to his freestyles on youtube. Guy's a beast.
Great vid!
I love this album so much, definitely an anthem to my 2nd year of university aha, Imperial by Denzel is also a great album too, my favourite one :)
Ayyyy been waiting on this one for a minute!
Im not sure if that was a specific diss at Playboi Carti. Just a blanket statement at that type of hip hop. I wouldn't get too hung up on his use of the term "lit". It is just a widely used slang term that is used in many diff contexts. But i like the fact that you are looking for references like that! You may have to do reactions to some of the best hip hop diss tracks lol. Feel like you'd enjoy them
Love your videos man! If you liked that outro on Black Metal Terrorist, I think you would LOVE “There Existed an Addiction to Blood” by Clipping
This one is on the list, just tough to get into the rotation with so much music sitting in front of me. Clipping has my interest though, rest assured
U should react to Because The Internet!
Straight masterpiece this one, one of the most fleshed out concepts I've seen in rap!
another great reaction..Also since you enjoy RAge Against the Machine- i highly recommend PUBLIC ENEMY "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" this is regarded as a landmark album, a classic, an opus. and they also have a lot of collaborative projects with RAge since the subject matter is similar and their music hits hard.
Yes, I second this! It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and their subsequent release, Fear of a Black Planet, are two albums that *need* to be listened to. And, since the lyrical content of these 2 albums are excellent, they are the perfect albums for Bob to really dig into.
I've been watching the hip-hop evolution series on Netflix and taking notes :)
As I learn more about hip-hop's origins, I realize that doing a Public Enemy reaction would be a lot of fun 👍
@@bobthepoppop i think that Public Enemy album is the one that has aged the best out of every 80s hip hop album, including NWA
@@bobthepoppop wow, you are really doing your homework, very impressive. fine! take my upvote and i finally offically subscribed lol
honestly really fw how u interpreted the suicidal doors rather than the actual meaning denzel was tryna put. Also, the music video shed a LOT more light on what he was really trying to say in the song
He actually rapped over Playboi Carti’s R.I.P instrumental, check that out
one of my favorite albums ever
Mad 1 got 1t took me multiple listens to get into too. Now its my favourite TA13OO song
@@Duantee i can totally get that. feel like it's def also a bit of a grower track
Been waiting so long for this. The moment I started listening to this album, I knew it was special and would age well. This album made Denzel top 10 for my favorites of all time
Edit: just like piñata, there was a lot of references you didn’t get, and nothings wrong with that. It just kind of takes away from the initial listen. As you keep diving into hip hop, the pieces will start connecting more and more.
We would love to see your reaction to The Weeknd's catalog. Especially the three mixtapes, his first project House of Balloons,, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. Would love to see your insights about those projects. Keep it up, you're doing a good job, sir. Love the videos
your reaction to jid was awesome to see and hear, bro is really good and you should listen to some of his albums :) especially with an album coming out from him soon
I would love to see your react to $uicideboy$ debut album I Want To Die In New Orleans. It rarely gets mainstream attraction so I would like to see you react to it. They exist in similar realm as Denzel Curry and Denzel even shouts them out on track "THE BLACKEST BALLOON".
I third this
I fourth this
I fifth this
That album is on my list, though it doesn't get mentioned much (from what I recall)
@@bobthepoppop Great to hear that other people like that too! its in like my top 10 albums of all time!
Yay i hope you get soon on "All My Heroes are Cornballs" by Jpegmafia. Really good album and different as always!
Nice video bob, Denzel it's a beast ♥
Love your reactions this one is a favourite of mine, I’m sure you will have been recommended Run The Jewels, a mix of crazy heavy experimental beats and lyrics with so much attention to detail
I think Black Balloons is just talking sorta like a cloud of depression or in this case a black balloon always tied to him letting it float not trying to solve it or deal with it.
Good stuff again. First saw your Illmatic reaction, then Piñata, now this. Keep it up!
I know I’m late but there’s a really good video that explains that taboo referred to as a woman is actually Denzel himself he’s been opened about getting molested at a young age album is really deep the first part which is the light part is actually him being oblivious to what’s going on around him grey part of the album is him figuring out what’s going on around him and my favorite of all dark part is him reacting to everything once he knows all really misunderstood album
Great reaction man, I could tell even you'd love Denzel's energy in his delivery. Patiently awaiting 1999 and STEEZ reaction, also ik people gonna interject and say no but you should add Logic to your list, specifically his albums Under Pressure, Incredible True Story and No Pressure.
Logic despite what people say is lyrical, like Zel he may not be the most lyrical but lyrics are there and he does get fairly introspective, plus his childhood was crazy, his mum was fucked up on medications and had bipolar and was in general an ass to him, almost killing him by strangling him one time. He has an interesting story. Be warned, people will say he can be corny, and sure he can be corny but not on those albums I listed, when Logic gets serious, he gets serious.
You gotta listen to the album DiCaprio 2 by JID. One of the best young talents in the game
this is one of my favourite albums of all time, thank you for listening to it :-)
Shocked you haven't reacted to ZUU album by Denzel yet, it's his most critically acclaimed album!!
Dude you would love city morgue. Zillakamis vocals are similar to zel’s but way more intense and raspy.
I interpreted the sudden switch in volume one as Denzel trying to hide his pain with braggadocio. The first track is an intro to the album, and then the second is exploring some dark thoughts. At the end of the second track, which is black balloons, it has clips from the radio talking about him, which shows that he is now in the public eye. That track ends with the question “what exactly are you trying to hide mr curry” before transitioning into Cash Maniac. He is now avoiding the taboo subject of his pain and his suicidal thoughts because he is in the industry, and in the rap industry everybody expects him to just brag about his wealth. the rest of the album is a descent into him caring less and less about appealing to the masses, and finally breaking and openly saying all of his darkest thoughts and desires in volume 3.
4Eva Is a Mighty Long Time, you need to react to this masterpiece, you wont regret it
Love your content bro. Your commentary seems so genuine, love how you’re clearly trying to understand the lyrics on a deeper level. If you wanna check some other stuff out I’d recommend Malibu by Anderson .Paak
the video to clout cobain is also really good and givesd a message aswell
If you doing Denzel then you need to do JID (Feature on the Sirens guy), he will also release a new album soon as well so just in time
In Cash Maniac, the line "me at my lowest, no Peter Griffin" is a pun talking about his wife in the show Family Guy, Lois
Denzel is a metal fan and you can hear it in his music. His cover of Bulls on Parade is good.
I forgot how good JIDs verse is! I was lucky enough to see him and Saba live in concert right before covid and may I just say. That man can SPIT!
That JID verse on Sirens is insane🔥🔥🔥
You gotta do some JID hes still pretty new and has some of the best flows and lyricism ive heard
Suicidal doors is a reference to the suicide doors on expensive cars
yay i was looking forward to this reaction!
Just want to say… your laugh is absolutely amazing 😂
❤
I knew you would like this a lot. I heard you talk about how heavy and metal biggie was and it just made me more excited for Denzel. Ngl I’ve listened to this album a shit ton and didn’t really fathom the transition between the topics on clout contain and blackest balloon like you did until now
If you want another piece of Denzel at his peak, watch his cover of Bulls On Parade for triple j's like a version. Incredible performance
1:00:18 he made a remix of R.I.P by carti he wouldn't diss him it was a jab at materialism in hip hop
This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for
16:55 Those are trap hi-hats
nah i think hes talking ab the 808 cowbells
One of my favorites. Glad you listened to it
Haven’t watched this channel in a bit but I got this notification and knew I needed to watch it. This album is in my top 3 I love it so much
If you enjoyed that JID feature on SIRENZ I highly recommend listening to his album “the never story”
so glad you checked out denzel and this album
Love this album. My aoty for 2018.
Even tho denzel might have made a shot towards carti he still fucks with his since denzel made a remix of his song R.I.P
17:30 Peter Griffin is from the show family guy.
His wife is called Lois - kinda sounds like "lowest".
It‘s another one of Denzel‘s many plays of words
omg Thank you... It's funny to me, some of the things I catch and some of the things that go right over my bald little head
I’m so glad you listened to this lol. Masterpiece
My #1 album oat 🔥
Denzel said in an interview that the “her” from the opening track is not a her at all. He is talking about himself
YESSSIR, idk why i didn't get a notification for this.
That 'Cash Maniac' goes too crazy