Is punk dead? Denzel Curry definitely doesn’t think so, after his incredible rendition of Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine. Triple J, an Australian radio station and popular Youtube channel, has provided the music world with off the wall covers by intermingling polar opposites of artists and music, and this recent cover by Denzel is no exception.

Rage Against the Machine has been a notoriously hard band to cover, due to the sheer difficulty of translating Zack De La Rocha’s powerful vocals, and at times bad covers can come off as cringy and hard to listen to. Denzel’s choice on covering this song was a risky double edged sword that could’ve failed tremendously, however his fresh makeover on this influential punk song gives off the same exciting and hardcore vibes that De La Rocha did, and adds a new flare never before seen to Bulls on Parade.

This shocking performance continues the overwhelming energy of Bulls on Parade, and Denzel Curry arguably keeps up to pace with De La Rocha’s vocals, implementing roars that completely sidestep his past performances on albums such as ‘Ta13oo’. Denzel’s raspy voice surprisingly complements the iconic distorted guitar riff to an unparalleled degree , shedding light on the flexibility of this rap artist. However Denzel doesn’t give an identical cover of this track, instead he implements lyrics from his song Z1RENZ (Sirens) that apply to today’s political atmosphere rather than Rage Against the Machine’s in 1996. Politically charged lyrics such as “Donald Trump, Donald Duck, what the f**k is the difference?” keep this track updated and modern, displaying the discontent that Curry and nearly half of Americans have with President Trump. This critique on the President is an echo that pays homage to Rage Against the Machine’s whole premise of exposing the underbelly of American politics, truly showing Denzel’s commitment to keep this cover thoughtful, consistent, and fresh.

Rap and punk rock may be seen as polar opposites, but through this amazing cover by Denzel Curry and Triple J, new similarities such as rebelling against the higher ups, and spreading an influential message are being drawn between these two genres, revealing the potential of Denzel in the punk scene.

We invite you to watch Denzel Curry’s performance here.

Reviewed by Logan Williams