"Walkin" is a song by American rapper
Denzel Curry
Denzel Rae Don Curry (born February 16, 1995) is an American rapper. Born and raised in Miami Gardens, Florida, Curry started rapping while in the sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape, ''King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995 ...
, released on January 24, 2022 as the lead single from his fifth studio album ''
Melt My Eyez See Your Future'' (2022). It was produced by Kal Banx.
Composition
The production in the song changes from the style of
boom bap to that of
southern rap
Southern hip-hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip-hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip-hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, ...
,
juxtaposed with vocals.
Lyrically, Denzel Curry raps about the struggles and changing of everyday life as the state of the world is regressing, such as racial and wealth inequality, and striving for success through difficult times,
switching his flows as well.
Music video
A music video for the song was directed by Adrian Villagomez and released alongside the single. Taking on a sci-fi western theme, it finds Denzel Curry trekking across a desert planet alone,
first walking through a village
and moving past barren sand dunes,
children playing on a swing set,
and villains trying to kill him.
He collapses on his knees several times throughout the journey.
In the end, Curry faces off with his archenemy
John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
in a cinematic showdown,
successfully defeating him.
Remixes
An official remix of the song featuring American rapper
Key Glock
Markeyvius LaShun Cathey (born August 3, 1997), known professionally as Key Glock, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The cousin of late Memphis rapper Young Dolph, Cathey signed with his record label, Paper Route Empire, t ...
was released on June 1, 2022. In his verse, Glock raps about harsh realities of life and his persistence in making money in the midst of adversity,
as well as applying survival tactics in the streets to surviving in the industry. In a statement, Curry said, "I reached out to Glock because I felt like he's the perfect example of 'Walkin'. Based on everything he been through and also being independent, it hasn't stopped his grind. I've always been a fan of
Memphis hip hop so it just felt right."
The remix serves as a lead single for the extended version of the ''Melt My Eyez See Your Future''.
On September 30, 2022, an extended edition of the album was released, featuring new versions of the tracks that Curry recorded with the Cold Blooded Soul Band, among them "Walkin".
Live performances
On July 21, 2022, Denzel Curry performed the song on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It i ...
''.
Certifications
References
{{Denzel Curry
2022 singles
2022 songs
Denzel Curry songs
Loma Vista Recordings singles
Songs written by Denzel Curry