Denzel Curry drops Mischievous South Tour on Los Angeles

Denzel Curry knows how to end things with a bang, whether it’s his tour, other artist’s tours, at an intimate venue, or at an arena. On the final U.S. stop of his Mischievous South Tour, the Miami Gardens rapper turned The Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles into a war zone of mosh pitting, jumping, and belting bars. Touring in support of his 2024 dual project King of the Mischievous South, Curry pulled no punches during his headlining set, delivering one of the most chaotic performances in rap history.

But let’s start from the beginning of the night.

Opening the show was CLIP, a New York-born, Texas-raised rapper whose unapologetic performance added a well-needed dose of feminine energy to the otherwise male-dominated lineup. Her presence and delivery was sharp, and her confidence set the tone for what would become one of the dopest stops on the tour. Following CLIP was Florida’s finest (and similarly energetic), 454.

Preceding Curry was Atlanta’s Kenny Mason — a powerful force in his own right. Known for his mix of grunge, trap, and alt-rap, Mason’s set shifted the tone with tracks from his albums RUFFS, 6, and Angel Eyes showcasing his range, moving from melodic vulnerability to heavy, heavy bangers. A standout moment came during his final track, the Dreamville collab “Stick”, which fired up the crowd and nearly rivaled the headliner’s set.

From the moment the first drop rattled through the speakers, the crowd was in go-mode.

And if you’ve been to The Shrine for a show, you know the Expo Hall’s bumps with bass. Denzel Curry came out swingin’, opening with hits like “HOT ONES” and “BLACK FLAG FREESTYLE”. His energy onstage was immediately mirrored by the crowd: the entire floor of the venue merged into one massive mosh pit, where fans jumped and pushed their way through each track without pause. It felt less like a concert and more like a spiritual release for many of his LA fans.

While King of the Mischievous South dominated much of the setlist, Curry didn’t forget his other bangers. Tracks from Melt My Eyez See Your Future, ZUU, and TA13OO made appearances, instigating some of the loudest crowd reactions of the night. The moment the first beats of “Ultimate” dropped, the energy in the room snapped into a new gear, with fans going absolutely berserk. Curry clearly fed off the crowd’s energy and never stood still.

Each artist brought their own flavor to the stage, but the through-line of the night was Southern rap remixed for a new era. And while this was the last stop of the U.S. stretch, Curry’s nowhere near done with his current tour. The Mischievous South heads next to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. If Los Angeles was any indication, international fans better be ready, because the dirty South will be making its mark across the globe.

Photography by Celeste Basich

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