From 2008-2011, Curren$y has released 16 albums or mixtapes. This is an almost impossible number to understand. Bands like Guns and Roses delay the release of a single album for decades (Chinese Democracy) and Dr. Dre has been working on the third album of his career, Detox, for about ten years now. This is not to mention countless other guest verses and other songs he has released unconnected to full projects. Most musicians don't even come close to putting out this much material during the course of their entire career. Like A$AP Rocky, Curren$y has a found a way to have a very profitable and successful career as an internet rapper (and they also both have dollar signs unfortunately incorporated into their stage names).
In the 90's and the early 2000's, the way to make it in rap music was to get a deal with a big label and they would promote your album and you could see the money flow in, but the hard part of the equation was getting signed, not making a great album. After bouncing around from label to label while waiting for his album to be released, Curren$y tried a different route, he just struck out on his own, independent of a label. He released seven free albums in seven months, and grew an online following. I am usually critical of the internet and the disconnect that it can bring, basic values and integrity can be kept at bay by a cloud of anonymity, but Curren$y defied my negative preconceptions. By working incredibly hard ("There is not an adjective to describe how I work/Hard is not enough, brother I'm tougher"), and focusing on the quality craftsmanship instead of major label promotion campaigns, Curren$y has made a career for himself by bringing old-fashioned values into the 21st century.
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