Released December 15, 2024,
via Alamo Records.
With BossMan Dlow having just dropped his latest mixtape, Chicken Talkin Bastard, it’s worth looking back at the year that marked his big breakthrough. In 2024, the Florida rapper released his signature single, “Get In With Me,” along with two standout projects: the March mixtape Mr. Beat The Road, which we sang the praises of here, and the December album Dlow Curry. The latter, announced on SportsCenter (a little indulgence for the sports fanatic), deserves just as much love.
By then, Dlow’s rise to the big leagues was official, cemented by his recent selection for XXL’s Freshman Class. The clearest sign was a hefty roster of high-profile guests (French Montana, Lil Baby, Babyface Ray, GloRilla, Ice Spice, NoCap, and, on the deluxe edition, Gucci Mane), all brought in to flesh out a formula that, broadly speaking, marries Southern rap’s unapologetic baller lifestyle (flashy cars, fine women, glittering luxury, and, of course, big asses) with the Michigan sound (jittery beats, pianos, bells, and queasy synth washes).
Take money, fuck bitches
That’s the delicate hook on “Mo Money,” his collaboration with French Montana. And, give or take, those profound words sum up just about everything he has to say. Dlow Curry is business as usual. Big Za, as he likes to call himself, boasts about going from rags to riches. Money is his only motivation, and he has nothing but contempt for women. Who, for their part, are only interested in his cash. It’s dumb, sure, but it’s funny, full of swagger and infectious energy, and consistently entertaining.
For a supposedly viral artist, BossMan Dlow doesn’t actually lean all that heavily on singles. The tracks on Dlow Curry can sound alike, almost interchangeable. But that’s never a problem, because with every listen comes the growing realization that they’re all fantastic. So much so that, a year and a half after its release, it’s safe to say that Dlow Curry is one of the most exhilarating rap albums of the decade.
