Denzel Curry Believes He's 'The Best Rapper Alive'

Ever since hip-hop’s humble beginnings at underground parties in the Bronx, New York, hip-hop fans have debated which rapper is the best. Over time, that debate has evolved into different formats such as the “top five” rappers or the rap Mount Rushmore. Then there’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate, which is widely accepted as distinct from the “best rapper alive” question. All these debates basically amount to the same thing, but they all mean different things to different people.

That said, whenever a rapper throws their hat in the ring to compete for one of these coveted titles, it doesn’t take long for those debates to heat up. The latest to do so is Florida rapper Denzel Curry, fresh off the release of his eclectic new album, Melt My Eyez, See Your Future. In a new interview with XXL, Denzel unequivocally declared himself the top dog of the rap business. “Just look out for me,” he said. “Look out for any of the next projects that’s ’bout to come out. I’m ’bout to shake the whole game up. I don’t care what anybody got to say, bro. I’m the best rapper alive. Point blank, period.” This is a far cry from when he declared “I hate rapping” in 2020.

Unfortunately for him, on Sunday — after he did the interview but before it was published — the consensus favorite for the best rapper title, Kendrick Lamar, returned with a new video for “The Heart Part 5” ahead of the release of his long-awaited fifth and final TDE album. Even Denzel had to acknowledge that if he wants that crown, his work is cut out for him. “I just finished this new Kendrick video,” he mused on Twitter. “I gotta step my game up n****s is built different.”