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Currensy | |
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 Currensy in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Shante Scott Franklin |
| Also known as |
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| Born | (1981-04-04)April 4, 1981 (age 44) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Southern hip-hop |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
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| Member of | Jet Life |
| Formerly of | 504 Boyz |
| Website | currensyspitta |
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage nameCurrensy (stylized asCurren$y), is an American rapper. Born and raised inNew Orleans, Louisiana, he signed with the local record labelsCash Money Records andYoung Money Entertainment in the mid-2000s, but parted ways with both without any major releases. He signed withDD172 to release four albums before signing withWarner Records to release his fifth album andmajor label debut,Weekend at Burnie's (2011). In February of that year, he founded the record labelJet Life Recordings.[1]
Currensy is perhaps best known for his 2015 single, "Bottom of the Bottle" (featuringLil Wayne andAugust Alsina), which remains his sole entry on theBillboard Hot 100.
In 2002, Currensy was signed toMaster P'sNo Limit Records and was a late addition to the504 Boyz.[2] The song "Get Back"[3] by504 Boyz, produced byDonald XL Robertson, was featured on the 2003 filmMalibu's Most Wanted soundtrack. Currensy appeared on 5 songs in Master P'sGood Side, Bad Side album.[4] Even though he was signed with No Limit, he represented C-Murder's TRU label. Currensy has several songs withC-Murder, and was featured on the lateSoulja Slim's album,Years Later (2002).
In 2004, Currensy signed withCash Money Records andLil Wayne'sYoung Money Entertainment. He was featured on Lil Wayne's mixtapeDedication 2,The Suffix and several unreleased songs while with Young Money. He released a mixtape entitledWelcome Back in 2004. He was featured in Lil Wayne's "Grown Man" onTha Carter II. While still at Young Money, Currensy created Fly Society with skateboarderTerry Kennedy, first as a clothing company, then expanding to release music. He released the song, "Where da Cash At" as the lead single for his Young Money debut,Music To Fly To, in 2006. In 2007, another mixtape was released entitledLife at 30,000 Feet. He remained with Young Money until late 2007. In 2008, Currensy releasedIndependence Day, his first project after leaving Young Money and the first of seven mixtapes to be released that year while he struck out as an independent artist.[2]
Currensy signed withAmalgam Digital to release his debut album,This Ain't No Mixtape, in 2009.[5] This album was entirely produced by Monsta Beatz. Currensy was also selected to XXL magazine's annual"Freshman Class" list, and released his second album,Jet Files, through Amalgam Digital that same year.[6] Amalgam Digital released physical copies of This Ain't No Mixtape and Jet Files on May 31, 2010.
Currensy's third album,Pilot Talk, was released on July 13, 2010. The album featured guest appearances bySnoop Dogg,Big K.R.I.T. andMos Def, amongst others, with most of the songs produced bySki Beatz. Prior to the album's release, there was news ofPilot Talk being released under a newly relaunchedRoc-A-Fella Records.[7] However, Currensy stated in interviews with bothXXL andComplex Magazine that the album would be released underDamon Dash'sDD172 record label division, BluRoc Records[8][9][10] and distributed throughDef Jam Recordings. Currensy made numerous appearances on labelmateSki Beatz' debut studio album,24 Hour Karate School, which was released on September 21, 2010.
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Currensy's fourth album,Pilot Talk II, was released on November 22, 2010,[11] which featuredFiend andRaekwon, among others, with many of the songs produced bySki Beatz.[12] 2010 also saw the release of mixtape Smokee Robinson with DJDon Cannon.
On February 1, 2011, it was announced that Currensy signed a label deal withWarner Bros. Records for his imprint, Jet Life Recordings.[13]Covert Coup was his first project on his Jet Life Recordings imprint under Warner Bros. Released for free via Currensy's official website on April 20, the album contains ten songs completely produced byThe Alchemist.[14] He released a mixtape,Weekend at Burnie's on June 28, 2011, featuring his Jet-Life anthem "#JetsGo", which was produced by Rahki. The rest of the mixtape was produced by frequent collaborator Monsta Beatz.[15] In 2011, Currensy and his Jet Life crew released the albumJet World Order, under Jets International / iHipHop. Every track on this album features Young Roddy andTrademark da Skydiver. Frequent collaborators of Currensy are also featured on this album, including Smoke DZA,The Cool Kids' Mikey Rocks, Cornerboy P, Fiend, Street Wiz, and Nesby Phips. Currensy himself appears on three tracks.
On November 10, 2011, Currensy announced through Twitter the release of a new album.Muscle Car Chronicles, a two-disc set, was released on February 14, 2012. Currensy also planned on releasingPilot Talk III in 2013, and mentioned the possibility of it being a free album. In February 2012, Currensy released the EPHere..., and a few days later released another EP#The1st28 withStyles P.
On April 21, 2012, the track listing forThe Stoned Immaculate was released.[16] In July 2012, Currensy released the EP featuring all production by Harry Fraud,Cigarette Boats. On October 31, 2012, he released the mixtapePriest Andretti.
He released a tape withWiz Khalifa, titledLive in Concert.[17] In November 2012 Currensy gave an update on his and Wiz Khalifa's mixtapeLive in Concert saying its release is being held up by sample issues.[18] In January 2013, Currensy said that due to these same legal issues, the mixtape would likely become a retail album.[19] It was released as an iTunes only EP on April 20, 2013.
On February 3, 2013, Currensy released his latest mixtapeNew Jet City with guest appearances from Wiz Khalifa,French Montana,Jadakiss,Juvenile,Juicy J,Trinidad James andRick Ross among others.[20]
On October 30, 2013, Currensy releasedThe Stage EP with Smoke DZA and Harry Fraud.[21]
Currensy announced a new mixtape,The Drive In Theatre, in January 2014.[22] He followed up on January 26, 2014, with the release of a new single, "Godfather 4" featuringAction Bronson.[23] On February 4, 2014, Currensy took to Twitter to announce a release date forThe Drive In Theatre, it was released on February 14, 2014.[24]
On January 17, 2013, Currensy announced on Twitter that he and Ski Beatz began the process of makingPilot Talk III.[25] The album has been in development ever since, with Currensy, in various interviews, naming possible guest appearances fromLil Boosie,[26]Lil Wayne,[27] Wiz Khalifa,Ab-Soul,French Montana, Action Bronson,[28]Jadakiss,Styles P, andRiff Raff, with a majority of the production handled by Ski Beatz, along with some production fromCool & Dre.[29] On January 19, 2015, Currensy posted the album's possible artwork on hisInstagram account, created by David Barnett, who was also responsible for the artwork of the first two Pilot Talk albums.[28] On March 1, 2015,DJ Skee released the first single "Alert" featuring Styles P and produced by Ski Beatz.[30] On March 15, 2015, Currensy announced that he'll be releasingPilot Talk III exclusively on a $100 USB drive, "bundled with a Jet Life shirt andPilot Talk 3 look book" with accompanying music videos. However, he also hinted at the album may be up for streaming.[31] The bundle was available for pre-order on the Jet Life website, which also confirmed that it will not be released on iTunes.[32] It was set for release on April 4, 2015.[29] He released 12 mixtapes in 2016.[33]
In June 2023, Currensy releasedVices, a joint album with producer Harry Fraud.[34]
| Jet Life Recordings | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Currensy (CEO) |
| Status | Active |
| Distributor(s) | iHipHop Distribution Empire Distribution Atlantic Records |
| Genre | Hip-hop |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana[35] |
| Official website | http://www.jet-life.com/ |
On February 1, 2011, Currensy started his imprint Jet Life Recordings.
In March 2012, news surfaced of legal action being taken againstDamon Dash by Currensy. In the lawsuit, the rapper claimed that he never legally signed to Dash's DD172 label, and the record executive released the pair of albums (Pilot Talk I andPilot Talk II) as well asMuscle Car Chronicles without authorization. Currensy demanded that Dash immediately stop releasing his music for profit, and pay $1.5 million in damages.[38] On October 6, 2015, Currensy was awarded $3 million in settlement stemming from the 2012 lawsuit against Dash for releasing material of his music without his consent.[39]
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