music
Denzel Curry ½
Holden Pavilion, April 27
Think back to early 2020, when Donald Trump was president, ‘Pandemic’ was just a movie and Denzel Curry’s cover of ‘Rage Against the Machine’ bulls in parade is the favorite to win triple j’s Hottest 100.
American rapper Denzel Curry put on an energetic and riveting show in Sydney.Credit: Jordan Mance
The result did not (the coverperforming for a radio station like a version, ended up at No. 5), but his punchy, politically charged remake of the 1996 hit has viewers here standing up and taking notice—if they haven’t already. A strong turnout at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Thursday night showed the Florida-born rapper’s fame has crossed the Pacific.
bulls in parade is no longer on his playlist (he told Triple J in 2019 that it was putting too much strain on his voice), but the 28-year-old has kept up with new music and the Aussie’s regular The festival calendar goes from strength to strength.
He was last in the harbor city for a field day on New Year’s Day before returning to tour Australia with Groovin the Moo.
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But Thursday night, Curry announced, is “mother-ing melt my eyes see your future show” – the album he came here to tour.
curry opening Melting Session #1 and step intoThe album’s buttery opening track — neither of which would sound out of place on a millennial’s after-dinner playlist.
In an industry that has no shortage of hubris, Curry is talking about a big game. He told XXL Mag last year: “I’m the best rapper ever. Point blank, full stop.”
